"' ^' ^^«^e Col/ege 



PREFACE 



South African agriculture, by reason of extremely diversified 

 climatic conditions and peculiar economic factors, presents a 

 great variety of problems to the beginner, and especially to the 

 settler, who is unfamiliar with local conditions. It is unfor- 

 tunate, too, that the supply of local agricultural literature is 

 very meagre and often difficult to obtain. 



The aim of the authors has been to give a concise account 

 of the cultivation of crops in the Union, in the hope that it will 

 be of service to our farmers and prospective farmers. It has 

 been written not only for these, but to assist students and 

 teachers at the various institutions where agriculture is taught. 



To some it may not be sufficiently technical, to others it 

 may appear too much so. The former will have to supplement 

 their reading by the use of more specialised works, a selected 

 list of which is given below ; the latter are advised to pass over 

 technical descriptions, and it is hoped that sufficient practical 

 information will be found to be useful. 



No doubt a great deal that is contained herein will need to 

 be revised as more data are accumulated ; owing to lack of con- 

 clusive data, much is necessarily speculative. It is, therefore, 

 the earnest wish of the authors that criticisms and additional 

 information will be sent to them, so that if a new edition is 

 called for, it may benefit by such criticism and information. 



A great many publications have been consulted and duly 

 acknowledged. In some cases, however, there may have been 

 unwitting omissions, and here the authors crave the indulgence 

 of those whose publications may have been consulted without 

 due acknowledgment. 



This opportunity is taken to thank Dr. J. C. Eoss for 

 reading the manuscript of certain chapters, and for his valuable 

 suggestions in regard to Chapters III. and IV. We are 

 especially indebted to him for the account given under " Brak 

 Soils." The authors also wish to express their appreciation of 

 Mr. H. W. Taylor's kindness in allowing them a free use of 

 his articles on tobacco. 



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