AGRO-GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA. 15 



(4) The Karroo. — As a whole these are probably the most 

 fertile in the Union. In some cases, due largely to the aridity 

 of this part, alkali has proved a serious obstacle. Further, 

 the heavy charges of silt carried in the irrigation waters of this 

 part have an injurious effect on crops like lucerne. The Karroo 

 abounds in dolerite, which accounts largely for the fertility of 

 the soils found there. 



(5) IS! orth-E astern Cape and Griqualand East. — This area 

 is to a great extent the extension of the Karroo area. In the 

 Albert division a red sandy clay is found. Some very fertile 

 soils are found, but in some parts of East Griqualand some 

 extremely infertile soils occur. Throughout the soils are 

 extremely variable in character and fertility. 



(6) Eastern Orange Free State and Transvaal Highveld. — 

 These soils are somewhat sandy in character, but much superior 

 to the inferior soils of the south-west Cape and Namaqualand. 

 On the whole they are deficient in phosphates. In both the 

 Transvaal and the Orange Free State large tracts of heavy soils 

 sometimes occur, which, because of their undesirable phj^sical 

 characteristics, are generally not well suited for the growth of 

 ordinary crops. 



(7) Natal. — Natal soils may be divided roughly into three 

 types, viz. : — 



(a) A compact calcareous clay loam, found in the sweet- 

 veld and in most parts where crops are successful. 



(b) An open red soil deficient in lime on which crops do 

 badly. 



(c) Soils of a very ferruginous character of poor physical 

 condition. Aeration and soil moisture movement are poor, 

 resulting in crop failures because of water-logging in wet seasons 

 and drought in dry seasons. 



(8) Western Orange Free State. — In the south the soils 

 resemble those of the north-eastern Cape ; possibly alkali is 

 more prevalent, and in the north they are of a very sandy 

 character, though fairly productive. 



Labour. — As compared with North America, farm labour, 

 generally speaking, is plentiful, cheap and at present inefficient. 

 The South African farmer in many areas finds difficulty in 

 obtaining labour because of the higher wages paid by the organ- 

 isations of the big mining companies. 



In the cotton growing areas, which coincide with the 

 densely populated native areas, labour is plentiful and suffi- 

 ciently efficient for the requirements. Much might be done to 



