PART TT.
It is useful here to consider the propriety of the use of native
administration funds for providing seed-stores and the seed for them
to supply resources in the place of the seed customarily saved by the
African farmer for sewing his crop of the coming season. It is
considered that the storage and supply of seed in this way is not
warranted : it would be costly and cumbersome, and entail to natives
journeys for seed that are not now necessary as well as danger of loss
through spoiling in store (although, as far as damage from insects is
concerned, each store would be designed readily to be converted into
a fumigatorium). (The case of cotton seed, distributed from ginnery
stores, is obviously particular.) The customary individual provision of
seed for general purposes, evolved naturally and long tried, is best; and
it can most readily be aided, in times of unfavourable season, by
obtaining supplies from the nearest (in point of readiness of transport)
more favourasd districts through the use of agrienltural departmental
funds budgeted for the seed improvement dealt with above and in view
of the possible occurrence of such catastrophic conditions.
The general conclusion is that the paramount importance of
agriculture in native administration caused by its intimate necessity
in the life of the native himself makes expenditure on agriculture of
the funds belonging to such administration the fairest and most
apposite among the means of using them for the benefit of those by
whom they are supplied.
Mr. SIMPSON observed that the reader of the paper had referred
particularly to Uganda, so he took an early opportunity of explaining
the position as it affected Uganda. In regard to the eotton industry
their energies were particularly directed to the Eastern Province where
the natives were backward, but all the land was Government land,
and there were cotton plots at all centres. With regard to funds,
some of their native funds were very large; for example in the Eastern
Province all native fines went to a fund called the Lukiko fund and
there was no difficulty in getting money when wanted. The Lango
district was particularly wealthy and an experimental station was
supported there from native funds. With regard to famine, they had
adopted a system of compelling people in all areas to plant a certain
amount of cassava, which can be left in the ground for a considerable
time and used if and when wanted. Granaries for food had cost the
Government nothing; the natives were merely told to build granaries
and to store their food. It was fully realised that Government had
to take the initiative, as, although in many districts the natives might
have surplus crops, they would not store it, but would make it into
beer and drink it and in case of a drought they would have to get food
from some considerable distance. The grain stored was a very small
millet, called bullo.
In reply to various questions, Mr. Simpson stated that little maize
was grown in Uganda and that it was only just being introduced in
certain areas.
~The granaries were communal and the property of the natives;
they varied in shape according to districts and were in some cases
merely native nkokwes on stands. At each harvest one-third of the
oldest food was removed and replaced by new so that the granaries
were kept full. He further stated that they were not free from weevil
in Uganda, but that the weevil would not lay its eggs in small grain
if it was sufficiently dry. Their small millet was therefore very

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