Departmental Activities. 21 



The Inspector of Grain of this Department recently visited a 

 farm about 10 miles outside of Pretoria to inspect this same variety, 

 and he reports that only 25 lb. were sown, and that the yield was 

 20 bags, each 203 lb., true-to-type " Sahara." It was sow^i under 

 dry-land farming- conditions, depending* entirely on the usual rain- 

 fall. This variety was also introduced in the high veld (Standerton 

 and Heidelberg Districts) by the Division, and from all reports 

 received proved to resist drought very well, and is also a good 

 yielder. Seed can now be had (25 lb.) on application to the Govern- 

 ment Agronomist, Department of Agriculture, Pretoria, under the 

 usual co-operative experiment system, the conditions of which are 

 that the farmer must return to this Department double the quantity 

 of seed after harvesting season. This variety should be sown 16 to 

 20 lb. per morgen. Farmers growing this variety can be assured 

 that their maize, if properly cleaned, will pass for export under 

 Grade No. 4, " Flat Yellow." It may be mentioned that 10 lb. seed 

 of this variety were imported by the Government Agronomist some 

 years ago from the Argentine. Small samples of seed were distri- 

 buted to many farmers, and the " Sahara " is claimed to resist 

 drought on much poorer soils than most other varieties. The con- 

 ference of crop investigators decided that there> are two similar 

 strains to " Sahara " Yellow in this country. 



BOTANY. 



" Bothalia." — During May there was published the serond part 

 of Bothalia which is the official record of original research carried 

 out in the National Herbarium. Part TI contains the following 

 papers : — 



1. " South African Ascomycetes in the National Herbarium," 



Part II. This consists of descriptions of 35 microscopic 

 leaf fungi, of which 21 are new species. 



2. " The Thorn Pears " (Scolopia spp.). giving the most recent 



information we have on the distribution of these forest 

 trees and shrubs. A new species, S. Thorncroftii, is de- 

 scribed. 



3. " The Genus Ochna," to which belongs the well-known 



" Rooihout." The number of species now recorded for 

 vSouth Africa is nine. Two new species, one from the 

 Transkei and one from the Woodbush Forest, Transvaal, 

 were brought to light. 



4. " The Genus Olinia " to which the well-known Knysna 



tree " the Hard Pear " belongs. Prior to working this 

 o'enus it was thought that only two species M'ere found in 

 South Africa, but a third very distinct species has been 

 separated. 



5. "The Genus Cvclopia, Vent." Several species of this 



genus provide local bush teas, and the genus was revised 

 as a basis for any future cultural work which mav be 

 undertaken with these plants. Several species hitherto 

 unrecorded have been described. 



