388 Scientific Intelligence — Miscellaneous. 



in cases. The masses left adhering to the stems, after removing the 

 inserted leaves, are scraped off, and constitute the Manna cannelata in 

 frag mentis ; Cannelata, Cin. in fragm., and Capace are collected 

 at the same time from one stem ; the more Cannelata, the younger, 

 and the more Capace or Gerace, the older the stem. In Sicily the 

 latter is designated in sorie, and is probably the most active. Dry 

 and warm weather is essentially requisite for a good harvest. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



16. Port Natal. — The future prospects of the district of Natal, 

 as a colony, depend very materially, if not exclusively, upon the fill- 

 ing up of the unoccupied intervals of the district with emigrants from 

 the United Kingdom. Its general capabilities, as we have already 

 represented, are of the highest class, either for agi'icultural or grazing 

 purposes. It contains an area of 18,000 square miles, within which 

 is found every material for improvement and prosperity a colony can 

 be favoured with, and requires but an intelligent white population to 

 develop its immense and fertile resources. Building stone of a very 

 good quality is found all over its surface ; and in some localities a 

 superior description of freestone is found in abundance. Iron ore is 

 found in great abundance in the district, and it is said to be of very 

 superior quality. The prices realised in England for the first ex- 

 portation of cotton grown in this district, exhibited under all the dis- 

 advantageous circumstances connected with utter inexperience on the 

 part of the grower, of sevenpence farthing per pound, warrants an 

 inference highly favourable to the quality of the article, when it 

 shall have received the treatment that experience has taught to be 

 necessary in cotton-growing countries. The district everywhere is 

 covered with vegetation, either in the form of luxuriant grass, which 

 grows to a great height, or thorns and low bushes. Timber trees 

 only grow in kloofs on sides of hills, excepting a belt which runs 

 along the sea-coast. Water abounds in every part, and flowing 

 streams cross the path at intervals of only a few miles. In winter 

 some of these become dry, but then water may always be obtained 

 at moderate distances. The soil is, in all cases, well adapted for 

 cultivation ; and on the alluvial lands, near rivers, particularly so, 

 producing much larger crops than are ever grown in the colony of 

 the Cape of Good Hope. Sandstone and shale are the prevailing 

 rocks in the northern portion of this district. The sandstone which 

 forms the hills immediately to the north-west of Pieter Maritzburg, 

 is an excellent building stone, which works well under the chisel, and 

 can be obtained in large masses. Coal, containing but little bitu- 

 minous matter, occurs in beds in the sandstone. In a kloof near the 

 drift of the Bushman's River, there is a thick bed of good quality. 

 — Dr Stanger^ Surveyor-General. 



