424 AGRICULTURE, COMMERCE, ETC.

tory. Guavas thrive and bear plentifully. I am now sending you some shoots. Jam sorry that I have no mangoes, and the seeds you spoke to me about have never reached me. I am cultivating ground-nuts largely; their oil is our substitute for butter. Onions are cultivated at all the stations, and thrive especially well in Dufilé and Makraka. ‘The love of gardening and cultivation has much increased among my people during the past year, and I daily receive letters begging me for seeds and plants. Our soldiers and officers are now quite aware that a well-tended garden affords not only amusement but tangible advantages. When, however, the plant or fruit arrives at maturity, it is consumed—you know the Negro character—no one dreams of reserving seed for the next planting, for is not Emin Bey in Lado in order to provide seed? Ihave hundreds of times sent seeds to the people, and asked them to preserve some ; they have over and over again promised to do so, but when sowing-time comes, they invariably apply to me for a fresh supply. They have, however, improved a little lately, and with time and patience I think I shall bring them to better ways. The planting of Hlais guineensis is what I have now most at heart; seeds are on the way from Monbuttu, and I shall begin to plant them as soon as they arrive. Date palms do well; here they are still small—some forty feet— but in Makraka they have borne fruit this year. JI am expecting pineapples by this steamer, which I begged of M. Marquet in Khartim. The coffee * you sent me would not bud. What do you think of trying Cinchona ? The net revenue of the past year remaining at the disposal of the Government, after all salaries, expenses, &c., have been deducted, amounts to £8000 sterling, of which the greater part has been paid into the Government treasury at Khartum. The trifling sums which I obtained from there, after many requests, have been spent in paying arrears of salary (1879— 1880). But it seems as if the Government did not value this province much; for instance, during the year 1882, only one steamer was sent here—that which brought me from Khartum.-‘This steamer, too, carried no goods, my petition * Caffea liberica from West Africa,—G. S. + Dr. Emin arrived in Khartim on March 7, 1882, and left on June 15, 1882.—G. 8.