44 JOURXAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The Natural Waters of the Uniox. 



As far as concerns a cliemical survey of the natural waters of the 

 Union, nothing- very extensive has yet been done, but attention may 

 be directed to tlie series of articles in the Cope of Good Hope Agricul- 

 tural Journal of May — July, 1908, in which I discussed the under- 

 ground waters of the Cape Province. The purest waters examined 

 were (1) the soft waters of the Table Mountain geological series, that 

 is to say, those flowing from the ranges of lofty mountains which 

 extend southwards from the neighbourhood of Van Rhynsdorp to 

 Paarl and Stellenbosch, and eastwards from Swellendam to Humans- 

 dorp, and (2) those of the Stormberg series, i.e. the belt of country 

 bordering on the Drakensberg, in the north-east of the Province. 

 The total mineral salts dissolved in the Table Mountain waters are 

 generally under 10 grains per gallon. In the waters of the Karroo 

 formation lime and magnesium compounds abound, rendering them 

 hard, either temporarily, owing to the presence of calcium and 

 magnesium carbonates, or permanently on account of the presence 

 of calcium and magnesium sulphates, together with sodium sulphate 

 and chloride. The total salts usually range between 80 and 150 

 grains per gallon. The waters of the Malmesbury beds contain a 

 wide range of salts in solution, from 50 up to 400 grains per gallon, 

 chiefly sodium and magnesium chlorides, and the salinity of the 

 Bokkeveld beds seems to be even higher, in one case over 700 grains 

 of salt per gallon having been found. Other geological formations 

 yielding very saline waters are the Dwyka and TJitenhage series. 

 The former stretches, in its widest extent, north-eastwards from 

 Calvinia to Kimberley, while the largest area covered by the latter 

 covers the Divisions of TJitenhage and Alexandria. Sodium chloride 

 and calcium carbonate appear to be the principal salts in those waters, 

 but in some cases large proportions of magnesium chloride are also 

 found. In the TJitenhage formation the saline contents of various 

 waters have been found to be 500, 800, 1100, and even 2200' grains 

 per gallon. 



The whole subject discussed in these pages needs, however, 

 fuller inquiry, not only from the point of view of the distribution of 

 various types of saline and hard waters within the Union, but also 

 in regard to the effect of these different types of water on sheep and 

 cattle dips. 



South African Jams. 



x4.mended Statutory Pules and Orders governing the import prices 

 of colonial jams in the United Kingdom have recently been issued, 

 which provide a much better price for Cape gooseberry jam than 

 formerly. The inclusion in the schedules of jams made from melons 

 will also help them. It has been decided that komfijts do not fall 

 under the definition of jams, and they will, therefore, be admitted 

 without restriction of prices. The amendments are mainly due to 

 representations made by the Acting Trade Commissioner in London 

 to the authorities concerned, and o\:r thanks are due to Mr. Canham 

 for liis efforts. 



