Farming in the Early Cape Days. 531 



FARMING IN THE EARLY CAPE DAYS. 



By C. Graham Botha, ("hief Arciiivist for the Union. 



[At this stage of uiir agiicuUuial development when the t'litiue holds bright promise of 

 continuing expansinn, it is interesting and not without profit to ponder awhile over the 

 early days "f our history an<l the conditions under which the f. rmers of those times 

 labouied. We welcfime the foUowuig sketch tiom the pen of Mr. C. Giaham Botha, who was 

 recertly ap])i)inieil Chief Aichi\ist tov the Union ani-i [niblish it as affording a comparison 

 between the present and the distant past. — Acting Editor.] 



Iiv looking tliiough the records of several generations back there are 

 many which throw an interesting- light upon early farming at the 

 Cape. In comparison with present-day conditions it is observed 

 that while methods have improved, the trials and tribulations with 

 which the farmer still has to contend were ever jiresent in the years 

 gone by. Drought, rust in Avheat, cattle diseases, etc., were always 

 the dread of the agriculturist. In the following paragraphs I wish 

 to jot down a few facts of general interest whirli are to be found 

 in the records of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In 1652 

 the Dutch East India Company established itself in Table Valley 

 solely with the object of having a refreshment station to supply fresh 

 victuals to its ships passing to and from India. Its primary object 

 was to trade in the East Indies and various sub-stations, of which 

 the Cape was one. The first colonists to settle here were discharged 

 servants of the Company, who had been given their freedom in 1657 

 and grants of land along the Liesbeek River at Eondebosch to grow 

 corn and undertake farming. These were the first farmers of the 

 Cape Colony. They were at first designated as freemen to distinguish 

 them from those in the service of the Company, and the diary or 

 official journal gives many references to their manifold difficulties. 

 If it was not the failure of their crops then it was the devastation 

 by the Hottentots. An entry like this: "The freeman all warned 

 to be on their guard, in order not to be surprised, also not to go 

 about unarmed ; those unprovided with fire-arms to apply for some at 

 the Company's armoury," gives a good idea of the troubles thej' 

 encountered through the Hottentots. 



At first the Company considered that it could supply its ships 

 in the bay with fresh meat, vegetables, and grain by its own under- 

 takings, but this was found to be very unsatisfactory and expensive. 

 In the course of time colonists were encouraged to settle here, and 

 help was given them in setting up for themselves. By the beginning 

 of the eighteenth centurj^ a fair number of burghers had settled at 

 the Cape, most of whom were engaged in farming. Between 1671 

 and 1685 a few families from Holland settled in South Africa as 

 colonists, and a few years after came the French refugees. Before 

 1711 immigration had practically ceased, but the number of colonists 

 was increased by the dischargee of servants of the Company. The 

 latter had no fixed idea of making this country a colon}-, the primary 

 object being the maintenance of a refreshment station at the Cape. 

 During the course of two or three generations it became apparent 

 that the gradual extension and prosperity of the land was converting 



