THE SOUTH TEMPERATE ZONE 319 



Successful experiments have been carried out on field and orchard 

 crops in this region where climatic conditions are comparable to 



those of California, and the orchards are cultivated in much the 

 same way. Maize is a staple crop in South Africa, and in pla< 

 alfalfa is also proving profitable. 



North of Johannesburg is Pretoria, and not far away from the 

 latter is a range of low mountains, the Magalisberg, a region with 

 a flora quite different from that of the open high veldt. This 

 marks the beginning of the " bush-veldt," a savanna region with 

 an open growth of trees, sometimes becoming a continuous thin 

 dry forest. 



The trees of the bush-veldt are mostly deciduous, and in Sep- 

 tember looked much like the leafless winter forests of the north. 

 There is, however, a considerable number of evergreen species, 

 notably the figs, which remind one how near this region is to the 

 tropics. 



Near Pretoria a small stream breaks through the range of hills, 

 and along its banks is a thin growth of small trees and shrubs. 

 Among these were noted two sumacs, a hackberry (Celtis) jusl 

 unfolding its leaves, and several unfamiliar species. Close to the 

 water was a willow, and tall reeds (Phragmites communis) and 

 sedges grew in the moist sand. 



In the clefts of the rocks were various succulents, Aloes and 

 stone-crops; and a club-moss (Selaginella Dregei) not unlike the 

 American S. rupestris, was quite common. Two xerophytic fern-. 

 Notochlaena lanuginosa and Pdlaea calomelanos, were also noted. 

 Another interesting fern was Mohria Caffrorum, of the family 

 Schizaeaceae. 



Of the various shrubs growing on the rocky banks, one in partic- 

 ular attracted attention by its .profusion of pretty white flower-. 

 This shrub, Dombeya Natalensis, is occasionally grown in California. 



To the northwest of the Magalisburg, the bush-veldt is continued 

 and the trees sometimes reach quite respectable size, indeed one 

 of these, a banyan fig, may become quite an imposing tree. A 

 specially fine example of this species (Ficus cordala) known locally 

 as the "wonder-boom," is one of the sights of this region. The 

 great dome of foliage was said to be 1G0 feet in diameter. Other 

 trees and shrubs of this neighborhood noted were species of Acacia, 

 the scarlet-flowered Erythrina Caffra, Strychnos pungens, Bwrhea 



