120 



The effect of continual grass burning on this climax 

 Grassveld is very marked, and is seen throughout the whole 

 region. The result is very simply expressed by the statement 

 that burning sends back the succession, and causes the replace- 

 ment of the climax stage by earlier or initial stages in the 

 sere. "Substituted" types in this case are simply primitive 

 types. Aristida junciformis (umgongoni) covers great areas of 

 the Midlands of Natal, and many other Aristida consocies 

 (e.g. A. congesta) in the Free State owe their origin to the 

 same cause. The associes Eragrostis plana-Sporoholus indicus 

 is another widespread type of the same nature. Eragrostis 

 curvula, too, forms consocies, especially along footpaths, and 

 the railway lines. As was noted for the Ehenosterveld of the 

 S. West, such types have a certain degree of stability a,nd 

 only slowly return to the climax stages, if the causes which 

 brought them into existence are removed, and if soil chances 

 have not been too extreme. 



Not only is burning of the grass a frequent cause of the 

 change, but over-stocking is often of equal or even greater 

 importance. The constant tramping of the soil, as has been 

 already pointed out, has very pronounced effects, the imme- 

 diate result being- an increase of the run-off of water and 

 increased erosion. The deepening dongas cause a general 

 drying out of the soil, and once the changes are initiated the 

 normal plant succession over great areas is rendered impos- 

 sible. With the substitution of the Aristida types, burning 

 becomes a necessity if the Veld is to be grazed, since cattle 

 refuse to eat the older tufts of herbage. The whole question 

 is of the greatest economic importance, and from the stand- 

 point of practical farming is full of the greatest difficulties. 

 This much may be said with certainty. Those parts of the 

 Yeld, which are still at the climax stage, should be carefully 

 looked after, and nothing should be done which is likely to 

 bring about the changes described. There are, however, 

 other changes which take place in much of the High Yeld, 

 if the grasses are left unburnt, which involve the development 

 ■of coarser, taller grasses representing a transition to Forest 

 or Scrub, and if it is found desirable to pasture stock in such 

 areas, then the grasses must be burned. This question will 

 09 discussed more fully later. 



Aspect Societies and Clans in Eastern Grassveld. 



As far as the grasses themselves are concerned, these have 

 already been noted. In addition to the grasses, there are many 



