Till: SOUTH TEMPERATE ZONE 317 



bloom, the great candelabra flower spikes a blaze of orange and 



scarlet, a truly splendid sight. 



The Drakensberg has peaks 10,000-11,000 feet high, the loftt 

 mountains in Africa south of Kilimanjaro, and in winter, .-now- 

 clad. The valleys of the streams flowing to the sea are often deep 

 and abrupt, and are clothed with heavy forest, but the open coun- 

 try is mostly grass-land or savannas. 



Among the most valuable timber-trees are Podocarpus and 

 mountain cypress (Callitris cupressoides) . 



*& ■£*■ 







Fig. 86.— High Veldt, Transvaal. 



Passing the barrier of the Drakensberg, one enters the extensive 

 table land of the Orange State and Transvaal, the "High Veldt" 

 of the Boers, a plateau with an average elevation of 4,000-5,000 

 feet. The mountains intercept much of the moisture from the 

 Indian Ocean and the climate is a relatively dry one. with an 

 annual precipitation of 20-25 inches (53 64 cm.). As the rain falls 

 mostly in the hot weather, and often in violent thunder storms, 

 much moisture is losl by evaporation, and the country for the 

 most part, is treeless, except in sheltered places or along the 

 streams. 



