10 president's addkess. 



I.— The Coast Veld {Plate I). 



Fringing the shore and covering the littoral dunes from Algca 

 Bay to our northern boundary is a type of veld more luxuriant 

 and tropical in character than that seen in any other part of 

 South Africa. 



This is due to the fact that the rainfall along this coast belt 

 is heavier than elsewhere, the greater portion of it falling during 

 the summer months. The temperature along the coast is 

 comparatively uniform and sub-tropical; frosts seldom, if ever, 

 occur. 



This type of veld extends from the sea-level to an altitude O'f 

 about 1,000 feet, and is comiposed mainly of dense bush and 

 evergreen forest patches. Growing just at and above high water 

 mark in the loose sand is the Scaevola lobelia and Ipomaea hiloba 

 association, and between this and the dense bush the sand is often 

 covered with Gazania uniflora, Cyperus naialensis, Cyanchum 

 ohtusifolhim, Passerina ericoides, Samolus porosus, Osteospermuni 

 moniliferum, Dimorphotheca fruiicosa, Strelitzia augusta, Phoenix 

 reclinata, Hyplianc crinita, Braclujlana discolor and Carissa 

 grandiflora. 



The Coastal bush ranges from 10 to 30 ft. in height, and 

 forms a dense almost impenetrable growth, in which such trees 

 as the Eed Milkwood (Mimusops caffra), the Thorn Pear {Scolopia 

 Zeyheri), the White Pear (Apodytes dimidiata), the Wild Coffee 

 {Kraussia lanceolata), the Kaffir Boom {Erythrina caffra), the 

 Bitter Blaar {Brachyloena elliptica), the Kaffir Plum 

 (Harpepliyllum caffrum), the Saffraan (Elaeodcndron croce^im), 

 Schmidelia erosa, Euclea natalensis are woven together by 

 climbing plants such as Vitis capensis, Entada natalensis, Dregea 

 fiorihinida, Heliniiii ovatus, Sciitia ConDuersouH , FlageUarin 

 guiniensis and Greuna lasiocarpa. Closely associated with this 

 bush, but usually growing on the inland side and in more open 

 country, is the tlat-crown Alhizzia faxfigiata which is typical oi 

 this buish veld. 



Wherever lagoons occur along the coast the mangroves 

 (Avicennia officinalis, Rliizopliora mucronata, and Bruguiera 

 gymnorrhiza) are characteristic of the mud swamps, while 

 Hibiscus tiliaceiis fringes the edge of the river estuaries. 



There are several important forests in this East Coast Veld. 

 Chief amongst these are the forests in the neighbourhood of East 

 London, which are peculiar in that they consist in places of almO'St 

 pure associations of Cape Box {Bu-rus MacOirani), the Saffraan 

 (Elaeodcndron croccum), the Sneezewood {Ptacroxylon utile) and 

 Umbiza (Umbiza Listeriana). 



The Manubi Forest, which is situated a little further north 

 along the coast, contains most of the trees common to the forests 

 of the Transkei and in addition yields fine specimens of 

 Umzimbeet (Millctia caffra). Cape JMahogany (Trichilia evietica) 

 and Essenho'Ut (Ehebergia capensis). 



Still further north the Egossa forest occupies a coastal belt 

 of about 20 miles in Pondoland, north of Port St. John, and is 

 about two miles in width. Conspicuous trees in the Egossa are 



