some instances early in the i9th one, when France was far in the: 

 van of Horticultural progress and knowledge, in fact to an extent 

 that we think is scarcely recognised to-day, and when the in- 

 fluence of France probably passed into Belgium and over the 

 eastern frontier, settlers at the Cape were up-to-date and well to 

 the front in the varieties that were being introduced. Whether 

 this was due to the enterprise of the old Dutch East India: Com- 

 pany, or whether to individual effort we are uncertain, but we 

 incline to favour the former theory, as we know r that the Dutch 

 East India Company were fully alive to the necessity of the 

 Agricultural development of their Colonies ; in fact, we have 

 no hesitation in saying that probably they did infinitely more for 

 the Colony than our Agricultural Department since its establish- 

 ment in this respect. We are pleased to notice, however, a great 

 improvement in the last few years. We practically have this 

 position : during the last century and also in the earlier half of 

 the present one, the best varieties of fruits were being introduced 

 as they created for themselves a reputation in Europe, and these 

 varieties were disseminated through the country, being as a matter 

 of fact widely scattered. We would take it in the usual -way that 

 prevailed in those days, that when a farmer trekked further into* 

 the country, he would accept from his neighbours a few trees of 

 the varieties they favoured to stock his orchard in his new home. 

 It is indeed a most interesting study to work out and follow up> 

 the Horticultural History of the Dutch and other settlers. 



We are satisfied, as we said before, that under the Dutch 

 regime the best and most popular European varieties were intro- 

 duced as they forced themselves into public notice. Thus we can 

 to-day trace they were planted out in the Peninsula, also in 

 Hottentots Holland. They include, among others, well-known old 

 sorts in Pears. Bon Chretien, Easter Beurre, Glou Morceau, 

 Beurre Diel, Beurre Clairgeau, Winter Nelis, Bergamotte 

 Crassane, Louise Bonne de Jersey, White Doyenne, Duchess 

 I)' Angouleme, Doyenne D'Ete, St. Germain, Van Mons Leon le 

 Clerk. 



No doubt many other varieties were introduced at the same 

 time, but in the operation of natural selection, the survival of the 

 fittest has been going on for such a long period of years that 

 undoubtedly very many have been discarded long ago. 



Let us follow up the history of the introduction of these 

 varieties. As we said before, they were all planted in the vicinity 

 of Cape Town, giving at the time a wide selection of fruit,, 

 covering many months of ripening and having every quality pos- 

 sible, and having been amply tested at home before their intro- 

 duction. We would, however, take it that, although our theory 

 is that the Government introduced them, this Government did not 

 through experts or by any means take care to demonstrate and' 



