20 



The total area from which these 442 samples of soil were collected em- 

 braces about 27,000 square miles, i.e., about one-tenth of the entire Colony, 

 so that, on an average, one sample was taken from every sixty square miles 

 of country. 



(2) Apart from this scheme of soil investigation, samples were taken, 

 from time to time, at various spots of special interest, as occasion offered, 

 by one or other of the analytical staff, while advantage was taken of sun- 

 dry journeys into different parts of the country by Mr. A. C. MacDonald, 

 subsequently Assistant Director of Agriculture in the Transvaal, Dr. E. 

 A. Nobbs, and other officials of the Agricultural Department, to procure 

 additional specimens. Means were thus afforded for the analysis of many 

 soils collected within the following Divisions of the Colony : Albany, 

 Aliwal North, Barkly West, Cape, Gordonia, Hopetown, Humansdorp, 

 Kenhardt, Kimberley, Prieska, Robertson, Somerset East, Stellenbosch, 

 Steynsburg, Taungs, and Tulbagh. 



(3) We are also indebted for the collection of many of the samples 

 whose analyses appear in the following tables to unofficial persons, far- 

 mers and others, who, in many cases, kindly responded to requests con- 

 veyed to them to send specimens of particular soils which, for some reason 

 or another, it was thought desirable to analyse. For several reasons, most 

 of which are obvious, it is not possible to give as much detail regarding 

 these soils as in the case of those collected in pursuance of the systematic 

 survey scheme. Amongst the soils which, were thus procured were sam- 

 ples from the following Divisions : Albert, Barkly West, Beaufort West, 

 Bredasdorp, Caledon, Cape, Ceres, Clanwilliam, Colesberg, Elliot-Slang 

 River, Fort Beaufort, George, Graaff-Reinet, Hanover, Kenhardt, Kim- 

 berley, King William's Town, Knysna, Kuruman, Maclear, Mafeking, 

 Malmesbury, Mossel Bay, Mount Cuirrie, Mount Frere, Namaqualand, 

 Paarl, Piquetberg, Port St. John's, Queenstown, Richmond, Robertson, 

 Stellenbosch, Steynsburg, Stockenstrom, Tulbagh, Uitenhage, Umtata, 

 Umzimkulu, Victoria East, Vryburg, Willowmore, and Worcester. 



The soils included under this category have been separately 

 tabulated and are distinguished from the others by being marked 

 " privately collected," inasmuch as it has not always been abso- 

 lutely certain that in every case the samples so taken, however specific 

 previous instruction on the point may have been were thoroughly repre- 

 sentative, or that they were collected in the manner officially prescribed. 

 For these reasons the soils known to have been taken according to the 

 specific directions have been distinguished as " officially collected." 



