138 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



leading to the subdivision of these farms among the families of the 

 farmers to the small extent which circumstances justify it. 



The average number of horned cattle on each of these farms is fifty, and 

 of the horses twelve. The former are left, at all times, to hunt up their own 

 food among the bushes. Horses, during the summer, when the country is 

 parched, require to be provided with hay, which is procured from barley or 

 oats sown for the purpose, and reaped before being fully ripe. In travel- 

 ing, the horse requires provinder of the same sort, and therefore is not so 

 convenient for long journeys as the ox ; for him there are provided reserves 

 of public lands along the roads, where he may pasture gratis. These con- 

 stitute the hotels of the country, the traveler's sleeping room being his own 

 wagon. 



Wool is becoming the staple product of the country. The average 

 number of sheep on each of the farms above mentioned is about 200 ; con- 

 sisting partly of the big tailed variety, the fat of which, when melted and 

 strained, serves for butter, or lard, or lamp oil. 



There are vast tracts of soil very fertile, occupying a great interior 

 region of the country, which, on account of the scantiness and irregularity 

 of the rains, cannot be put to use, though when rains do occur in abun- 

 dance, they are covered for a short time with a brilliant vegetation ; the 

 plants consisting of species having succulent stems, or tuberous roots, or 

 bulbs covered with chaffy scales. They remain alive under the hard brown 

 surface, until the rain refreshes and expands them into a glow of short- 

 lived beauty. These rains, in that interior region, come from the north- 

 west in the summer, with thunder storms. Along the coast the rains come 

 from the sea, in the winter, as it is termed, and are tolerably abundant and 

 regular. Nowhere except on high mountains does the temperature fall so 

 low as to produce snow or ice. The summer temperature is less excessive 

 than it is in this State or in Pennsylvania. 



Wheat is cultivated extensively, producing a fine hard, starchy grain, 

 the flour of which is, for some pui-poses, superior to that of America. 

 Indian corn is generally raised in small patches, as a sort of garden crop. 

 The use of it is more extensive to the eastward, where it seems to be sup- 

 planting the native millet. The sweet millet or impfee, has been immemo- 

 rially cultivated among the Kafiir tribes, to be chewed as a luxury. It 

 has not been raised for the purpose of producing sugar. About twenty- 

 five years ago I got an experiment to this effect made successfully ; but it 

 did not seem that its culture for that purpose would there be remunerative. 

 The crystalization was perfect, though the mode of manufacture was very 

 rude. 



Wine has long been a staple article of cultivation and export. The 

 varieties of the grape M'hich are in use, have been brought partly from the 

 countries round the Indian ocean, and partly from Madeira and from 

 Europe. The wines exported have not generally ranked high in character. 

 This is mainly due to the high temperature of the fermenting season, and 

 to the means which are in consequence employed to check the formation of 



