15 



which forms the greater portion of the standing stock, Upright Yellowwood, 

 growing stunted, and only found sparingly, Gnai, Red Pear, Zwartbast, and 

 Beukenhout ; Ironwood is very scarce. There is no Outeniqua Yellowwood, 

 Stinkwood, Sneezewood, or Spokewood (Cryptocarya). The quantity of Hard 

 Pear may be estimated at 400 cubic feet to the acre. Hard Pear is an 

 exceedingly useful and durable wood, and its abundance gives a special value to this 

 forest. Young trees are not plentiful, though saplings of Upright Yellowwood and 

 Zwartbast are conspicuous. The timber cut in this forest is said by wagonmakers to be 

 harder and tougher than the average. As a rule, trees on rocky hillsides grow more 

 slowly, and the wood is stronger and more durable, than that in the case of those of 

 lowland forests, with naturally deeper and richer soil. The Hlatikulu forest is not easily 

 reached from the roads leading to Estcourt and Weston, which themselves are of the 

 roughest description. The cost of transport to either town is about two pounds for a 

 load of 800 feet ; but it could be reduced to thirty shillings with continued work. The 

 Crown land suitable for grazing has been much reduced in extent during the last four 

 years. There still remained at the time of my visit a small piece under the forest ; but 

 most of it has been recently sold to Mr. R. Whittaker, and the future working of the 

 forest will have to depend on the consent of the surrounding proprietors. Wagonwood 

 was formerly cut on a large scale under the one pound a month system, and, with the 

 exception of Hard Pear, there now remains very little useful timber. The forest is sup- 

 posed to be in charge of one Saponze, a Native. Saponze states that he was placed at 

 the forest by Mr. Wheelwright, the former Magistrate, to prevent people cutting without 

 permits. He could not say that he had seen a permit for the last three or four years, 

 though wattles, poles, and kraalwood appear to have been cut largely since that time. I 

 believe that the chief destruction has been effected by this Native, who has inealie 

 gardens in bush ground recently burnt by himself, and still full of charred stumps 

 for a hundred yards and more from the present limit of the forest. Numbers of Natives 

 are said to be constantly removing firewood ; they cut timber trees down, and use the 

 wood after it has become dry in the forest. I myself saw several Hard Pear trees that 

 had been recently cut for the purpose. The Natives are accustomed to drive for game in 

 this forest, and bucks are almost extinct. 



Within a mile of the Hlatikulu, but on the north slopes of the hill, near the summit, 

 there is another piece of forest 40 acres in extent, at most. It contains the 

 species prevailing in the larger forest, but the trees grow more stunted owing to the ex- 

 position. Though practically inaccessible, it should be included in the Hlatikulu Reserve 

 if it is found that it is not situated within the location that stretches across the valley of 

 the Bushman's River. 



