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desirable. In Veld, that is left unburnt, they gradually 

 diminish or almost disappear. In many places, especially on 

 farms, where stock diseases are prevalent, this aspect of the 

 subject may be found most important of all. Autumnal aspect 

 societies, however, increase in Veld that is left unburnt. 



Stock-grazing. The most obvious effect of grazing on the 

 Grassveld is the tendency for the more nutritious grasses to 

 be kept in check, and even eaten out altogether. The latter 

 result, however, only happens when the Veld is over-stocked. 

 Sheep and horses graze the herbage closer than cattle, and 

 some species of grasses suffer more from sheep and horses in 

 consequence. Ostriches eat the associated plants, and grasses 

 increase on ostrich farms. Such natural consequences of 

 grazing are to a certain extent unavoidable, and the only 

 remedy is of course to grow fodder, and cut it, or in other 

 words to bring the veld into cultivation. 



There are, however, other effects of grazing, which are 

 not quite so obvious, and of these the most important is the 

 influence of the constant tramping on the soil. The surface 

 layer is hardened and the run-off of water is increased. The 

 peculiar ribbed appearance of hillsides and grassy slopes so 

 universal in South Africa is due to the cattle always walking 

 along the contour lines as they feed. The contour lines are 

 marked out by cattle tracks one above the other at intervals 

 of a few feet. The favourite watering places have cattle tracks 

 leading to them also from all directions. Water runs along 

 them and they soon deepen into channels, and then into 

 dongas or ravines, the whole process being accelerated by the 

 increased run-off of water. The phenomenon constitutes one 

 of the most serious problems facing the farmer in South 

 Africa. The remedy, which I have had an opportunity of 

 seeing in operation, particularly on the farm of Mr. T. L. 

 Fyvie, of Estcourt, is to fence the Veld into small paddocks. 

 The cattle are thus prevented from continually and aimlessly 

 roaming about, since they are not allowed to move on to fresh 

 pasturage until they have grazed down one small paddock at 

 a time. It is not a complete remedy but undoubtedly it helps, 

 and in Mr. Fyvie's opinion, it does so to an extent which 

 easily justifies the initial expenditure on the fencing. 



The influence of stock grazing on the soil, and on the 

 vegetation directly, leads to the establishment of more primi- 

 tive grassland very much in the same way as burning the 

 grass, the same species of Aristida, Eragrostis, and Sporobolus 



