FORESTRY. 5 



on the Caledon Mountains see a pamphlet by the author, entitled 

 "Cluster Pine at Genadendal," reprinted in 1904. 



Pinus pinea (Stone-pine). This tree seems to have been intro- 

 duced by the early settlers before the Cluster-pine. About the 

 old farms there are some noble specimens of this picturesque tree, 

 with its flat umbrella top, so strongly recalling Southern Italy. 

 Unfortunately, about thirty years ago it was attacked by a fungoid 

 disease which has been pronounced to be a species of Peronospora. 

 This disease has almost exterminated the Stone-pine, and has 

 led to its being placed entirely outside the operations of the Forest 

 Department. 



Quercus pedunculata (English Oak). This is a favourite tree 

 around the homesteads of the early Dutch settlers in the south-west 

 of Cape Colony, and it has been planted with success within the heavy 

 rainfall area of the eastern mountains, particularly along the Ama- 

 tolas, north of King William's Town. It does not flourish in the 

 drier parts of the Colony, but in all the more fertile parts it is highly 

 prized for its incomparable beauty in Spring and its heavy yield of 

 acorns. To the farmers the acorns are a valuable crop; indeed, it has 

 been truly said that the Oak in South Africa is more a fruit than a 

 timber tree. The Oak in South Africa bears acorns abundantly 

 every year, and these acorns average almost double the size of those 

 commonly seen in England and northern Europe. The foliage of 

 the Cape Oak is also denser than that of the same tree in Northern 

 Europe. 



Populus alba (White Poplar). This tree was probably one of 

 the first to be introduced to South Africa, and is now completely 

 naturalised, in vleys and damp places from Cape Town to the 

 Northern Transvaal. The Poplar bush is a standing institution in 

 many up-country farms, and the Poplar in South Africa furnishes 

 a light useful timber for farm purposes and second-rate house 

 building. 



Populus nigra (Black Poplar). This tree has also been long 

 introduced to South Africa, but it is less hardy and less wide-spread 

 than the White Poplar. It is usually seen in the form of the Lom- 

 bardy Poplar, and as such is used as a break-wind in the vineyards 

 and fruit orchards of the South-west of Cape Colony. 



Populus monilifera has been introduced more recently, but it 

 seems quite at home, and is very fast growing. 



Eucalyptus globulus (Blue-gum). This was not introduced to 

 South Africa till 1828, but is now the most wide-spread and generally 

 hardy tree on the sub-continent. From Cape Town to the Northern 

 Transvaal, wherever trees are planted, the Blue-gum will be seen 

 generally occupying the largest space. It commends itself to 

 farmers on account of its hardiness and rapid growth. But the 

 efforts of the Forest Department are now directed to replacing it 

 by other Eucalypts which may be equally quick-growing and pro- 

 duce a timber of superior value. 



Eucalypts Generally. Of the 150 odd species of Eucalypts 

 nearly all have now been planted in South Africa. There are nearly 



