316 J. W. BEWS. 



ing later, when the grass is all withered and could easily be 

 ignited by sparks from the engine. Aristida junciformis 

 seems better able to endure this early burning, which soon 

 kills out the species of Andropogon and Anthistiria. 



The same factor is in operation elsewhere. There seems to 

 be a fairly general consensus of opinion among the farmers 

 that burning the veld grass leads to deterioration, i.e. to the 

 Aristida association getting the upper hand. 



Sometimes the Aristida association is practically pure, 

 oontaining nothing but Aristida junciformis. At other 

 times there is a greater or less admixture of the other veld 

 grasses, e.g., Eragrostis curvula. The harder-leaved 

 Aristida barbicollis (used by the natives for making 

 brushes) is not so common, but it is sometimes associated 

 with A. junciformis. 



There is still another factor which has a changing effect on 

 the veld, namely over-grazing. When the cattle eat out all 

 the ordinary grasses, others (e.g. Cynodon dactyl on, 

 Eragrostis spp., etc.) become dominant. 



(11) LOW LEVEL VELD. 



This is the type of grassland associated Avith the various 

 thorn trees to form the Thorn A-^eld. There is little of it 

 that does not contain thorn trees,. but such treeless parts do 

 occur, and it is better to consider it in contrast to the high 

 level Veld. The soil is of a hard, dry, clayey type and 

 it has the valley frosts and low rainfall. In response to these 

 factors, the grasses are more xerophytic than those composing 

 the other type of Veld. They differ markedly in their 

 habit, being low-growing forms, more hairy, and frequently 

 not flowering save here and there spoi'adically. Some of the 

 associated forms, however, do grow tall and flower, so I 

 have named it Low Level Veld rather than Low Grass 

 Veld. 



Anthistiria imberbis is again dominant over fairly 

 large areas ; but it is more densely tufted, seldom flowers. 



