Book I. AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA. 179 



waters subside, and, filtering through the sand, break out in springs upon the surface, 

 vegetation is somewhat more hixuriant. In such situations the farm-liouses are generally 

 i placed ; and the patches of cultivated ground contiguous to them, like the " oases" in 

 the sandy deserts, may be considered as so many verdant islands in the midst of a bound- 

 less waste. 



1090. Soils, in this tract of 'countiy, are generally either a stiff clay, impenetrable by 

 the plough till they are soaked by much rain ; or light and sandy, tinged with red, and 

 abounding with small round quartzose pebbles. A black vegetable mould seldom ap- 

 pears, except in patches of garden-ground, vineyards, and orchards, that surround the 

 habitations, where, by long culture, manure, and the fertilizing influence of springs or 

 rills of water, the soil is so far mellowed as to admit the spade at all seasons of the year. 

 The extensive plains, known in the colony by the Hottentot name of " Karroo," which 

 are interspersed between the great chains of mountains, exhibit a more dismal appearance 

 than the lower plains, which are chequered with patches of cultivated ground ; and their 

 hard surfaces of clay, glistening with small crystals of quartz, and condemned to per- 

 petual drought and aridity, are ill adapted to vegetation. The hills that break these 

 barren plains, are chiefly composed of fragments of blue slate, or masses of feltspar, and 

 argillaceous limestone. However, in those I^rroo plains that are tinged with iron, and 

 that are capable of being watered, the soil is extremely productive. In such situations, 

 more especially in the vicinity of the Cape, they have the best grapes, and the best fruit 

 of every sort. The great scarcity of water in summer is much more unfavorable to an 

 extended cultivation than either the soil or the climate. 



1091. Landed property was held by the original Dutch from the government of the Cape 

 on four different tenures. The first tenure was that of an yearly lease, renewable for ever 

 on condition of payment of a certain rent, not in general exceeding eight-tenths of. a 

 farthing per acre: the second tenure a sort of perpetual holding, subject to a small 

 rent : the third a holding on fifteen years leases at a quit-rent, renewable : and the 

 last was that of " real estate " or freehold, the settler having purchased his farm at once for 

 a certain sum. The second tenure is the most common in the colony. The lands were 

 originally measured out and allotted in the following manner: a stake was stuck as 

 near the centre of the future estate as could be guessed, and a man, starting from thence, 

 walked for half an hour in a straight line, to each of the four points of the compass ; 

 giving thus the radii of a circle that comprised a space of about 6000 acres. 



1092. Of these extensive farms, the greater partis, of course, mere sheep and cattle 

 walks. They break up for tillage, patches here and there, where the plough can be 

 directed with the least difficulty, or the soil is most inviting for the purpose. A slight 

 scattering of manure is sometimes used, but more frequently none at all ; and it is 

 astonishing to see the crops this soil, and even the lightest sands, will produce, with so 

 little artificial stimulus. Seventeen successive crops of wheat without any manure have 

 been taken. When the land is somewhat exhausted by a succession of crops, they break 

 up fresh ground, and the old is sutFered to lie fallow, as they term it, for many years ; 

 that is, it is permitted to throw up plentiful crops of huge bushes and heath till its turn 

 comes round again,- which may be in about seven years, when there is the trouble of 

 breaking it up anew. The sheep and cattle are permitted to stray at pleasure, or are, 

 perhaps, intrusted to the care of a hottentot. 



1093. The agriciiitural products of the Cape farmers are chiefly wheat and other grains, 

 pulse, wine, and brandy, wool, hides, and skins, dried fruits, aloes, and tobacco. The 

 returns of grain and pulse are from ten to seventy, according to the nature of the soil 

 and the supjily of water. Barley, i. e. bear or bigg, is very productive, and is used only 

 for feeding horses. Rye and oats run much to straw, and are chiefly used as green 

 fodder. Indian corn thrives well, and is very productive ; and various kinds of millet, 

 kidneybeans, and other pulse are extensively cultivated. The wheat is generally heavier, and 

 yields a finer flour than that of England. It is all spring-wheat, being sown from the 

 month of April to June. The returns are very various in the different soils : some 

 farmers declare that they have reaped sixty and eighty for one ; the average may be from 

 twenty to thirty ; but it is impossible to come to a true estimate upon this point, as no 

 farmers can tell you the exact quantity sown upon a given quantity of acres. 



1094. The vine, however, is the most profitable, and what may be considered the staple artiple of culture. 

 Better grapes are not produced in any part of the world ; but the art of making wine and brandy from them 

 admits of much improvement. Ten or twelve different kinds of wine are at present manufactured, 

 having a distinct flavor and quality, according to the farms on which they are produced. 



1095. The celebrated Constantia mine is made on two farms of that name, close under the mountains 

 between Table bay and False bay. The white wine of that name is made on the farm called Little Con- 

 stantia, and the other produces the red. The grape is the muscadel, and the rich quality of the wine is 

 owing partly to the situation and soil of the vineyards, and partly to the care taken in manufacturing the 

 wine. No stalks and no fruit but such as is fully ripe, are suffered to go under the press ; precautions 

 rarely taken by the other farmers of the Cape. The mus<"adel grape grows at every farm, and at some 

 farms in Drakenstein, the wine pressed from it is equally good, if not superior, to the Constantia, though 

 sold, on account of the name of the latter, at one sixth-part of the price. When they find that the wine 

 i.s to be sent abroad, they adulterate it with some other wine : for, according to their own returns, th 



N 2 



