- PART V.
rainfall and soil fertility. One large sugar mill has been established,
‘another is shortly to be erected, and smaller ones are being installed.
The industry is protected by a high customs duty, and the production
of sugar has now reached the local demand. Tt is anticipated that
an export trade will shortly be established. :
WarrLe Bark.—The black wattle, Accacia decurrens, flourishes
and grows to perfection in certain districts, but unfortunately the
absence of sea freight during the war when the first strippings of bark
were ready to be shipped arrested the progress of the industry. . A
factory has now been established for the manufacture and export of
tannin extract, and a quantity of dried bark is being shipped oversea.
Purse Crops.—Peas and beans are produced in quantity, both
by Europeans and natives. Samples of high quality are grown, and
the output is favoured for seed purposes in other countries, notably
France
Oruer Crops.—Barley of a quality suitable for malting is grown
in some districts. Good returns are obtained, and it is not unlikely
that with the production of increasing quantities parcels will be
exported.
Buckwheat thrives well, also sunflowers, and much interest has
recently been taken in the growing of castor seed, the plant of which
grows luxuriantly. Several other crops are being grown on an
experimental scale, and on present information it is seen that the
productivity in respect of different varieties of marketable crops is
practically unlimited. Crops rich in starch content can be grown in
abundance, and favourable conditions may be found for the
manufacture of industrial alcohol therefrom.
Tea planters who have had experience in other countries hold the
view that in several districts in Kenya all the pre-requisite conditions
for successful tea-growing obtain, e.g., high altitude, rainfall of 60 to
70 inches well distributed, and forest soil. Land is being acquired for
tea planting, and quantities of tea seed are being imported. Reports
upon tea already produced from a small number of bushes, grown
experimentally, are very favourable in respect of quality, but as might
be expected, in the absence of proper facilities, the preparation was
deficient.
Fruit GROWING is pursued on a scale sufficient only for local
needs. Most kinds of tropical and sub-tropical fruits can be grown
with some success. Citrus trees of various kinds grow luxuriantly
without irrigation, but no serious attempt has yet been made to export
the fruit. An experimental shipment of plums was made to the
London market and it gave a nett return of Shs. 1/9 per case of 41lbs.
at the station of despatch.
With such a variety of crop production there exists a great need
for experiment. To the credit of the colonists much valuable work
has been done by them in introducing and testing different varieties
of crops and economic plants, and as far as its resources allowed the
Agricultural Department contributed to that effort. The farming
conditions of each district are, however, so variable that it would
require a large number of experiment stations to serve the needs of
the Colony, and the Colony is not at present in a position to equip
and staff them adequately. A system of co-operative experiments

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