334 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



The early Dutch Governors appear to have missed no opportunity 

 to import useful plants, alike from Europe and from the East Indies, 

 and as soon as settlements were made in other parts of South Africa, 

 Cape Town formed the centre of horticultural distribution, each 

 pioneer family treking out into the unknown regions beyond, taking 

 with it what was considered necessary to start a garden. 



Perhaps the greatest advance ever made in South African horti- 

 culture began with the arrival of the Huguenots in 1688. 



Coming from a part of Europe where horticulture formed even 

 then a large portion of the industrial wealth, and at a time when 

 considerable advancement had already been made in securing 

 improved varieties, it was only to be expected, as has happened, that 

 they brought with them stocks of the best kinds Europe had at that 

 time, and were very careful to propagate these in the land of their 

 adoption. This and subsequent importation during the next hundred 

 and fifty years accounts for the good kinds of peaches, apples and 

 pears to be found as very old trees in the oldest gardens, and varia- 

 tion from these occurred through using seed as well as scions to 

 increase the number, clingstone peaches especially retaining the 

 general characters of the old Pavie class, though varying somewhat 

 in local seedlings from which local varieties sprang. One reason 

 why the 'Huguenot families were selected or encouraged to come to 

 South Africa was because of their knowledge of viticulture and 

 wine-making, the fact that the vine grows well at the Cape having 

 previously been demonstrated. The number of vines increased about 

 six-fold during the first 20 years of their residence, and the export 

 of Cape wines dates from that period (say 1707). The old oak trees 

 in the Avenue, Cape Town, are probably among the oldest horti- 

 cultural specimens now extant in South Africa, dating from Simon 

 van der Stel's time (1679-1699), as also does the well-known estate 

 of Constantia. From that time onward introductions continued to 

 dribble in slowly, no notable boom in importation having occurred 

 till quite recently, though few. really good and suitable European 

 novelties failed to be represented in some South African collection, 

 and to be distributed in accordance with merit and adaptability. 



Plant Collections. 



From 1770 to 1820, however, the flow of plants took the opposite 

 direction, the extraordinary wealth of South Africa in certain floral 

 lines having attracted attention and brought numerous and ardent 

 collectors both of living plants and of dried specimens, to these 

 shores. Besides private collectors, the Royal Gardens, Kew, and 

 the Royal Horticultural Society, several nursery firms were repre- 

 sented, and the material sent home, including as it did many species 

 of Pelargonium, Proteacese, Mesembryanthemum, Oxalis, Helichry- 

 sum, Gladiolus, Ixia, Crinum, Agapanthus, Clivia, Kniphofia, 

 Bulbine, Gloriosa, Aloe, Asparagus, etc., created quite a sensa- 

 tion, and brought into existence a very miscellaneous and meritorious 



