The record-union., 1894-12-11


contained Washington dispatch to the
effect that an official report bearing upon
the cultivation and preparation of the
Kola nut had just been received by the
State Department from the United States
Consul at Sierra Leone. This is the first
response to a call issued to all Y nited
States Consuls in Africa for specific in
formation regarding kola. The kola nut
is the product of a tree which grows wild
in that portion of the western coast OF
Africa comprised between Sierra Leone
and the Congo. The tree is distributed
over a comparatively limited territory,
but where climatic conditions are favor
able il may be found five or six hundred
miles from the sea coast. Schweinfurth,
the famous explorer, found it as far in
land as seven or eight hundred miles,
but it is more than probable that such
growths were the result OF cultivation.
kolo in its wild state is apparently lin-
known upon the eastern coast OF AFRICA,
as none is found there except such as has
been traESplanted by the English, who
have also introduced it in the West
Indies, Ceylon, Demerara, sydney, Brazil
and other South American countries.
1t has been freely cultivated III Jamaica,
and has recently been introduced into
the French colonies, Guadaloupe, Cay
enne, Cochin China ana the Gaboon. 10
addition to the cultivation of kola III the
British colonies, II has also been carefully
cultivated at Kew Gardens. and thence
distributed to other botanical collections.
including those at Cambridge, Mass, and
Washington, ID. e. There has, however,
been no systematic effort to cultivate it III
the United States, although the soil and
climate OF certain portions OF California
I q r
ably adapted for the purpose. If we are
to believe all that is said of the wonder
ful properties OF the nut, kola culture in
this country should prove profitable in
dustry. Explorers OF the dark Conti-
nent," from the middle OF the sixteenth
century to the present time, nave given
vivid descriptions of the tree and its
fruit, and OF the remarkable properties
attributed to it by the natives. Among
the more eminent OF the explorers who
have written upon the subject are
Schweinfurth above mentioned), Rene
Caillie and Grit1en du Bellay. 1t would
be easy TO multiply quotations showing
the remarkable esteem III which the drug
is held as tonic stimuIant by the natives
OF w Western Africa. There is no analo-
gous product in the vegetable kingdom
in that part of the world which occupies
so important a relation to the social or
dietetic economy OF the negro tribes. or
which constitutes so important an article
OF commerce there and IN the Soudan.
While we are compelled To doubt some
of the apOchryphal reports OF early
investigators regarding The miraculous
properties Of the nut, modern scientists
have clearly demonstrated the fact that it
possesses extraordinary merit as tonic
stimuIent. Year by year its curative
powers have become more and more
widely known. 1t has been tested in the
practice of eminent physicians, with the
hot - ba- Stlh llGfa n1 II
both the profession and the public as one
of the most valuable medicinal agents
known TO science. kola is both a neces-
sity and q luxury to The Inhabitants of a
large portion OF equatorial Africa, where
the fresh seed is employed as mascatory
with view of overcoming tatlgue& bun
ger and thirst, while the dried seed is
made useful as an allment. The former
is in great demand, but tribes Tar remote
from the coast will often trade an equal
weight in gold dust for even dried kola.
Tea and coffee, though containing some
OF the principles which characterize the
kola nut, have no charm for the natives,
VINO will constantly nlbble at the latter
while gathering coffee berries.
Carefully dried, reduced 10 an impalpa-
BILE powder and served with honey and
milk, kola makes an agreeable beverage,
which is said to equal in flavor and excel
in nutritive qualities the finest cocoa
Detroit Free Press.
A LIVING IN THE POULTRY YARD.
Raising poultry for meat or eggs is a
trade which requires apprenticeship and
experience TO make profit from, not
taking into account a living for ones self
and family. To be sure there are thou
sands Of small tlocks in the yards of me-
chanicS, clerks, bankers and clergymen,
from which, if no money profit is real
lied, a large profit in pleasure and recre-
alton is secured. AS rule small flock
will pay better profit than a large one,
proportionately, tor the reason that the
waste from the kitchen-bread, meat and
vegetaDIeS-frOm an ordlnary-SiZed fam
lily will nearly feed a flock of dozen,
while it would be SO small an item In
flock large enough to make living from
that It's benefit would be hardly fe.t. The
small flock viii also have better care in
various ways. The house can be kept i'll
the best sanitary condition, and the roof
and sides proof against rain and wind; if
fowl is alling it is quickly discovered,
the cause found and the remedy ap-
piled. If the number of eggs suddenly
1allS off, the reason for 1t IS sought for,
and change made IN feed or management
to right the wrong. 1t is this personal
care and oversight, acquaintance with
each bird OF the flock, that makes the
small flock pay better than the large one.
If it were possible TO give tiocks of one
hundred or one Thousand the same care
and attention that is given to one, there
is no reason why equal returns should
not be realized. Peculiar qualities are
needed by those who go into poultry
raising with view to make 1t Il life busi-
ness. One, and the most important, is
love for the work, Willingness to work
day and night, thorough system that no
detail may be neg lected, that every part
of every days duties shall be attended TO
promptly and at the proper time. y lit
lie neglect in one part to-day, another in
some other tomorrow, will turn certain
success to as certain failure. The loca-
tion is not the most important factor,
though if one can choose it. it will add
materially to the chances tor success as
well as to the amount of profit. 70 be
near good marks eft is very desirable, but
in these days quick transportation. one
place, specially suitable, is better, even if
one hundred miles from market, than
one unsuitable and only ten miles away
Some of the largest and most successful
market poultrymen send poultry and
eggs more than POO miles, and the birds
killed one afternoon are in the III arket
early next morning.
70 be successful one must be some-
thing of a merchant as well as poultry
man, and must keep posted on the mar
kets for what he buys as well as for what
he sells. Any turn that enables him to
save on his feed bill is so much profit
made at the start 1t is often possible to
get better prices in one market than in
another, aud he should know it and take
advantage of it. In the management of
flock, especially the feeding, a sharp eve
should be kept a little waste in each
trough will amount to many dollars in
the course of year. y good crop of lice
in any house will end the egg crop, and
a. L