ti60 Journal op the Department of Agriculture. 



THE AGRICULTURE AND SOILS OF THE CAPE 



PROVINCE. 



By Arthur Stead, Ti.So., F.C.8., Eeseaicli Chemist. (Tinntfontein 

 School of Agriculture, Middelburg, Cape. 



Witkop— Burghersdorp. 



[The previous instalments ot this article ai)peareJ in the Maj^, July, and August 

 numbers of the Journal. — ACTING Editor.] 



K.\LKF0NTE1N : Mr. C. S. CoLLETT AND Mr. DE KlERK. 



Upstream troni Paardenverlies the country rises g'radually until at 

 Mr. Collett's lioniestead — the homestead of the original Kalkfontein — 

 the altitude is some 400 feet liigher than that of the homestead of 

 Paardenverlies. 



For the most part Xalkfontein overlies Molteno Beds, which are 

 flanked on three sides by heig-hts of Eed Beds, these latter on the 

 western side forming' part of the mountain chain known locally as 

 the Kapok Hoogte, viz.. the Snow Hills. Surmounting the Red Beds, 

 particularly on the mountains above Mr. Collett's homestead, there 

 are considerable masses of dolerite, the leachings from wliich have 

 doubtless given rise \o the ''lime"" spring whicli gave the farm its 

 name. 



Around the homestead there is a goodly number of splendidly 

 grown trees, including oaks, poplars, and gums ; specimens of the 

 elder shrub are also to be seen there in a thriving condition. Notice 

 able also around the homestead are outcrops of reddish-tmted. 

 glittering sandstone of very coarse grain. 



From just below the homestead a vlei runs in the direction of 

 Paardenverlies. From the central portion of it No. 607, a composite 

 sample of virgin soil, was taken. The vegetation of the vlei consists 

 of koel biesjes, rooi platbaar, en blauw and rooi ruigte grasses — 

 both much relished by cattle — with Icweek grass and, in places, tulp. 

 There is also an abundance of a yellow-flowered legume (a trefoil), 

 whose roots were found to be well covered with nodules of nitrogen- 

 fixing' bacteria. The kweek grass occurs only where the vlei soil is 

 covered with an inch or so of reddish sandy " wash " from a flanking 

 outcrop of Molteno Beds •, it would therefore seem that the sandy 

 covering has n great deal to do with the presence of the kweek grass. 

 The occurrence of koel biesjes points to the presence at no great depth 

 of a plentiful supply of underground water. 



No. 610 represents a composite sample of virgin soil taken at the 

 boundary of Mr. Collett's and Mr. de Klerk's lands, and is repre- 

 sentative of a " vlakte " soil* which overlies Molteno Beds, but 

 which doubtless also to a considerable extent has been derived from 



* A "\iakie" is a '"flats." 



