226 
vided drinking water for their herds by means of boreholes and 
dams, but it seems a puzzle how the non-progressive farmers (and 
they are unfortunately in the majority) kept their stock alive, and 
how the wild bucks managed to subsist. As an example, we will 
take the south-west corner of the Somerset East district draining 
towards the Sundays River and the greater part of the Jansenville 
district. Here we were in what was nothing but a stony desert 
sprinkled over at intervals with plants, amongst which a cactaceous 
Kuphorbia (Z. coerulescens, Haw.), is the most conspicuous. It 
occurs in clumps about 3 ft. high. It is locally known as Noors. 
Now this plant, which is spiny, is liked by all kinds of stock. It is 
slashed by the farmers, and, when half withered, is greedily eaten 
d i 
succulent Euphorbia (Z. esculenta), which occurs in the same 
neighbourhood and which is even a better food for stock, is 
threatened with extermination. Our kind host on one occasion, 
. P. Weyer, of Toekomst, pointed out to us some other valuable 
stom plants which unfortunatel 
\ ) utiful rains fell in the Karroo (as much as 
14 in. at Graaff Reinet i 
tween Cradock and Naauwpoort. Owing to overstocking com- 
paratively little grass was seen outside these fences. The dwarf 
bushes were supreme. 
Visitors fresh 
Satie y owing to overstocking and kraaling the vegetation 
. rapi ily deteriorating. wing to kraaling well-defined paths 
Te made by stock which in rain becotne water-courses. These 
