EASTERN AREA. 

 XATAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, 



PlETERMARITZBURG, NATAL, 



12th November, 1920. 



To the Director of the Botanical Survey of the 

 Union of South Africa, Pretoria. 



DEAR DR. POLE EVANS, 



I have the honour to transmit to you an account of a recent 

 botanical survey trip made by my assistant, Mr. E. D. Aitken, and 

 one of my senior students. Mr. G. W. Gale, through north-eastern 

 Zululand. The country through which they passed has remained up 

 till now totally unexplored botanically. In spite of the fact that 

 Aitken and Gale's visit was made during the dry season, the report 

 they have made appears to me to be full of interest. It is a great 

 transitional area where sub-tropical conditions give way to tropical, 

 and this report enables us to obtain a very good general idea of the 

 main types of vegetation and their distribution. The discovery of 

 Raphia palm in the Kosi Bush, and the information regarding the 

 great abundance of Hyphaene crinita in the Ilala Palm Veld or Sand 

 Veld, each affords an excellent illustration of the economic importance 

 of botanical survey work. The list of species brought back which, 

 of course, does not include all those acutally seen and noted is a 

 valuable addition to our records. More than a dozen are altogether 

 new to Natal and Zululand. Though it is hoped that further work in 

 this area will be carried out in the near future, the present report is. 

 I think, of sufficient importance to justify its publication as it stands, 

 and I should like to recommend accordingly. 



I have the honour to be, 



Yours faithfully, 



J. W. BEWS, 



Botanist in Charge, Eastern Area. 



