Nyasaland.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1908]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nyasaland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/28 (page 15)
    Bowstring Hemp (Sansevierias). Although several species of tliis indigenous fibre plant are found growing in abundance in various parts of the Protectorate, its cultivation has not 3*et been attempted by planters, as the growth of the plant is though to be much too slow for remunerative cultivation, in this country. (jhujer. 16. This plant is being extensively i>ropagated and the ginger plot in the experimental garden now contains 2,000 strong plants, all of which have been derived from two small plants of ginger received from Ivewr in 1901. Until a fairly large stock of plants is available to work on, the propagation of ginger is a very slow process, as the method employed is by division of the roots or rhizomes. During the ensuing year about 1,000 plants will be available for dis¬ tribution. This product will no doubt be taken up by planters so soon as plants are available for the purpose, as it is well suited for cultivation as a by-product. Well-prepared ginger fetches from 50s. to 70s. per cwt. in the home market. Afforestation. 17. Zomba.—During the past rainy season an area of about 35 acres on the Zomba mountain plateau was planted up with Mlanje cypress. The aggregate area of the cypress plantations now established on the plateau and on the slopes of Zomba mountain is approxi¬ mately 100 acres. As these cypress plantations are being formed with the object of producing high-class timber (?>., tall, straight poles, free of branches and non-tapering), and as such timber can be produced only by dense planting, the plants are being put out at the rate of about 3,500 to the acre. 10,000 eucalyptus trees were planted out in December, and on the whole the plants have made a good stand, and are now growing well. Blantyre,—About 17,000 eucalyptus, raised in the nursery at Blantyre during the year, were planted out on Crown land at Soche. A large quantity of mbawa (mahogany) seed has been sown in a nursery at Soche with the object of raising plants for the planting programme of 1908-9. Mlanje.—The forestry work at Mlanje during the year was confined to timber cutting and the protection of the cypress forests from fires. The sawing of timber was carried on during the dry months only (?>., April to October inclusive) ; the quantity of wood sawn for Government Departments during that period was 78,500 lineal feet, of various dimensions.