308 On the Condition of tlie Inhalltanls 



market is from a hundred to a thousand niuids each, ac-- 

 cording to the quaiily of tnL-ir farm, but more commonly 

 to their skill and industry. They supply also the wme boor 

 and the grazier. The grain sold to these in the country 

 is subject to no tax nor tythe ; but a duty, amounting not 

 quite to one-tenth of the yalue, is paid at the barrier for all 

 grain passing towards Cape Town. Their parochial assess- 

 ments are the same as those of the wine boor. 



The colonists of the Cape are miserable agriculturists, 

 and may be said to owe tlieir crops more to the native 

 goodness of the soil and favourable climate, than to any 

 exertions of skill or industry. Their plough is an unwieldy 

 machine drawn bv fourteen or sixteen oxen, just skims the 

 surface, and, if the soil happens to be a little stiff, is as 

 frctjuently out of the ground as in it; hence in most of 

 tlieir corn fields may be observed large patches of ten, fif- 

 teen, or t\\ enty square yards without a stem of grain upon 

 them. Such grounds, when sown and harrowed, are infi- 

 nitely more rough than the roughest lea ploughing in Eng- 

 land. They have not the least idea of rolling the sandy 

 soils, which are sometimes so licrht as to be sown without 

 ploughing. Sometimes, towards the end of the ramy sea- 

 son, they turn the ground and let it lie fallow til! the next 

 seed-time; but they rarely give themselves the trouble ot 

 manuring, except for barley. 



For returns of corn in general they reckon upon fifteen 

 fold ; in choice places from twenty to thirty, and even 

 much greater where thev have the command of water. The 

 grain is not thrashed, but trodden out in circular fioors by 

 cattlt. The chsff and short straw of barley is preserved a;< 

 fodder for their horses, and for sale ; the rest of the straw 

 is scattered about bv the winds. Thev do not even give 

 themselves the trouble of throwing it into the folds where 

 their cattle are pent up by night, which would be the 

 means of procurins; them a very considerable supply of 

 manure, and at the same time be of service to their cattle 

 in cold winter nights. 



The following rough statement will serve to show the 

 circumstances of an ordinary cor;i boor of the Cape : 



Outgoings. 

 The price of the opstal or buildings on 



his loan farm - - R.D. 7000 



30 O.xen « i-5 Hd. - - 750 



Carried ovet 7750 



Bronsrht 



