8 



CHAPTER II 



off, while negligible in England, becomes extraordinarily severe 

 in South Africa. Instances are by no means uncommon in 

 the Karroo, where the precipitation during 48 hours has 

 equalled the average annual rainfall for that part. 



Local Annual Fluctuations. — These should be noted 

 most carefully, particularly in those parts of the country where 

 the rainfall is below 30 inches per annum. The following 

 examples will serve to emphasise the importance of this 

 point : — 



Average 13.31 ins. Average 18.80 ins. Average 23.69 ins. 

 Griquatown, Bethulie, Zeerust, 



C.P. O.F.S. Transvaal. 



Presuming these to be areas where crop production is 

 general, which they doubtless would have been were the fluc- 

 tuations more infrequent, and the rain less torrential, then an 

 examination of these figures would tend to show that the 

 farmer at Griquatown growing a crop which might be expected 

 to give fair yields on 13.31 inches per annum would have crop 

 failures during the years 1903, 1905, 1908, 1910 and 1913, while 

 during the three years 1902, 1904 and 1906 he would have 

 three veiy indifferent crops. Thus out of the thirteen years he 

 would have five normal yields, five total failures and three 

 probably poor crops. Out of the six years at Bethulie, the 

 grower, relying on an average of 18"80 ins. per annum, would 

 have two normal crops, three failures and an indifferent one. 

 At Zeerust, relying on a rainfall of 23"69 ins., he would have 

 five failures and five normal crops. A summary of this nature, 

 while very theoretical, shows how often the expectation of an 

 average annual precipitation might lead to disappointment. 



