303 



is that the snows and fogs of winter usually cease lower down In 

 the forest zone, leaving the upper zone dry and serene. The 

 climate of Moupine is very rigorous and unpleasant ; the winter 

 cold, with much snow, which lies in the sheltered valleys till May 

 or June. During the rest of the year there is almost daily rain, 

 and the atmosphere is always fully charged with moisture. 

 Davidia grows in the partial shade of larger trees, such as a 

 Gerasus with small red fruits ; a gigantic Gnrylus ; a Querent 

 having a corky bark ; numerous Lauraceae and Ficus, both erect 

 and of great stature, and climbing. 



W. B. H. 



known 



r ^. J..J.1.. j.. Afc . uj.u-1, i'.u.io., wen jiuuwu, uy xiid wiibiiig& <n x»'t»M, 



to all students of the vegetation of South Africa, has presented to 

 Kew a copy of his magnum opus, bearing the above title, and the 

 date, 1906. It is a quarto, with 361 pages of letterpress, illustrate'! 

 by 160 plates drawn by the author, and representing 312 species. 

 We are so apt to consider Cape Colony as almost devoid of forest, 

 that a large book on Cape forests comes almost as a surprise. It is 

 true, however, that the forest area is relatively very, very small : 

 a fact confirmed by the opening words of the author's preface. He 

 Says : ** The Colony of the Cape of Good Hope has during man y 

 centuries suffered, "and it still continues to suffer, climatically, us 

 well as economically, through the absence of a fair proportion of 

 forest-covered surface. In both these respects the position went 

 rapidly from bad to worse during the first three-quarters of the 

 last century, mostly through the malign influence of man, and it 

 is only in more recent years, and more particularly since the pas- 

 sing of the Forest Act in 1888 that a serious endeavour, on 

 scientific lines, to maintain and improve the quality of the Crown 

 forests has been made, or even became possible." It is satisfac- 

 tory to note that a beginning has been made in establishing a well 

 organised and effectively administered Forest Department, and, 

 not least among the means to success is the excellent book com- 

 piled by Mr. Sim, who was formerly District Forest Officer at 

 King William's Town, Cape Colony, and who now holds the 

 position of Conservator of Forests in Natal. Mr. Sim has had the 

 advantage of the co-operation of all the leading botanists and 

 forest officers in South Africa, and the Governments of Cape 

 Colony, Transvaal, Orange River Colony, and Rhodesia nave 

 united in defraying the cost of publication. 



The subject matter is set forth and discussed in 

 which it may be useful to give the headings :— I. The Forests of 

 Cape Colony Described ; II. Area and Value of Cape Forests ; 

 HI. Economic Composition of the Forests ; IV. Factors affecting 

 the Forests ; V. Gradual Reduction of Forest Areas in the Fast, 

 and the Retrogressive Nature of the Forests ; VI. Factors affect- 

 ing the Distribution of Species ; VII. Economic Value of Cape 

 Timbers ; VIII. The Protection and Exploitation of the Forests ; 

 IX. Artificial Afforesting ; X.' Epitome of the History of Cape 

 Forestry ; XI. Species reserved under the torest Ac ; X1J. byn- 

 optical Index of the Classification ; XIII. Artificial key to the 



chapt 



