426 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



of Bechuanaland, of Swaziland, and of the still more 

 distant and probably immeasurably richer country 

 of Mashonaland, will, within the next ten years, 

 entirely transform Southern Africa ; as certainly 

 the Cape Colony will, through her railroads and in 

 other ways, undoubtedly share in the general 

 prosperity now just dawning. 



It is probable that in the near future, well-devised 

 systems of irrigation, fencing, and tree planting, will 

 have marvellously altered the face of the Colony. 

 In the last few years these questions, which affect, 

 not partially, but in an absolutely vital degree, the 

 general welfare and the agricultural and pastoral 

 progress of the community, have moved rapidly to 

 the front. When the early settlers landed at the 

 Cape, they found a land immeasurably richer in the 

 vegetable productions of nature than at present. 

 The mighty plains were covered with rich grasses 

 and shrubs that have too often been overstocked 

 and trampled to death by the farmers' flocks. 

 Many of the mountains that now stand drear and 

 barren were shaded by cedars, olives, and other 

 trees, while every stream and water-course was 

 margined by sturdy thorn trees, that had flourished 

 and perpetuated themselves for untold centuries. 

 The rainfall was then more abundant. But with 

 a fatuous disregard for the future, the Boers set 

 themselves to destroy hurriedly, and at haphazard, 

 these bountiful gifts. Trees have everywhere 

 been ruthlessly cut down, farms overstocked, the 

 vegetation destroyed and trampled out, and grasses 

 burnt off by periodical fires a most short-sighted 

 policy. The country has in consequence become 

 year by year more desiccated, fountains and rivers 



