LAND AND SOIL 321 



some of the soil, but could be readily added. The 

 soils are also at present unfavourably affected by 

 the annual burning of grass, which drives off the 

 nitrogenous constituents and disproportionately 

 increases the mineral. 



Professor Taruffi came to the conclusion, from 

 his analysis of fifteen soils from different parts of 

 the Benguella and Caconda highlands, that these 

 were deficient in limestone but fairly well sup- 

 plied with phosphoric anhydride, rich in potash, 

 and containing a varying but generally high pro- 

 portion of organic matter and nitrogen. He 

 comes to the conclusion that the soil of the up- 

 lands is fit for cereals and vegetables, especially 

 tuber plants and potatoes. 



The opinion seems on the whole favourable to 

 the agricultural value of the soils of large areas 

 of the Angolan highlands, if these are protected 

 from repeated grass burnings and enriched in 

 some places with readily obtained limestone and 

 other manure. 



This critical account of the soils of the plateaux, 

 based on the report of two independent observers 

 of great repute, should encourage a prospective 

 European settler, who is prepared to take up a 

 holding of at least 12,000 acres, and to use 

 mechanical methods. At present, small isolated 

 holdings are not suitable for the English settler in 

 Angola. 



By the Portuguese colonial land laws the 

 native is decreed a usufmctor, and the Govern- 

 ment as possessor of all lands in Angola can dis- 

 pose of them as it will, 



21 



