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MahédeLabourdonnaisdevelopedagriculture.Hebroughtslavestoworkintheelds.
He introduced manioc from Brazil. He brought coffee plants from Arabia and encouraged
its cultivation. Indigo and cotton were also grown.
Labourdonnais developed the cultivation of sugar cane.Two sugar mills were built,
one at Villebague and the other at Ferney. Sugar and arrack were made for the inhabitants
and sailors.
At Pamplemousses, Labourdonnais built his residence called Mon Plaisir.
There he had a garden where he grew vegetables.
In Rodrigues, there were few people living at the time
ofLabourdonnais.Theywereshermenandhunters.
TheysentshandlandtortoisestoIledeFrance.
Study the pictures above.They show a variety of crops grown in Ile de France. Find out:
(i) Why indigo, cotton and manioc were cultivated?
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(ii) List one use of indigo and cotton plants.
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(iii) List 2 ways in which manioc is used today.
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(iv) A model of an old sugar mill can be seen at SSR Botanical Garden. Visit the garden and
note in your copybook other plants that are grown there.
PIC. 21 coffee plant and grains PIC. 22 manioc plant and roots
PIC. 19 indigo planT and flower PIC. 20 cotton plant and buds
Pic. model of an old sugar mill
23 at ssr botanical garden
ACTIVITY 2.4
2.4.1 labourdonnais and agriculture