52 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 
WAYFARING NOTES FROM THE TRANSVAAL.—I. 
By R. F. Ranp, M.D., F.L.S. 
JoHanNEsBuRG Districtr.—The physical features of the country 
in the immediate neighbourhood of the town are sufficiently varied. 
The hills vm mostly of bare ener but tbe dales are fertile near 
the small streams, which are only too rare. There is a great 
scarcity of pie trees; for ‘this the woodcutter, veld-fires, and the 
clone cropping of bygone generations of antelope may be in vary- 
ing degree responsible. Hucalypti, acacias, cypresses, &¢., have been 
freely planted and have thriven. They relieve what would other- 
wise be bare veld, and give welcome shade ; they are, however, like 
our own co untrymen, mere immigrants, 
As to native trees. Several species of Protea flourish upon the 
terraced ledges of quartzite which form the extreme northern 
escarpments of the Witwatersrand range. Upon the scanty talus at 
their feet one finds native acacias, Dombeya, Kigellaria, among 
es, and various shrubs. The escarpments face north, and so 
— ond eee in ie ics Soke They have a broken surface, and, 
mong the rocks, shrubs and small trees cling wherever the soil 
yields ! ‘oothola. Cotyledon, aloes, and Vellozia abound. The species 
of Aloe most frequently seen is small, but upon the Klipriversberg, 
sees a shrub, Rhus, clasping the surfaces of a boulder, and mould- 
ing its shape closely upon it. In exposed places some a shrubs 
live, but they are mostly gnarled, woody, and wind-wru 
pon the open rolling veld, of native trees there are ere 
none. Here and there confused, untidy-looking heaps of stone 
mark some bared dyke of greenstone, and around and among these, 
shrubs and small trees may often be found. Native trees are plenti- 
ful in Rhodesia, so that the lack of them here is notewor rthy. The 
early spring flowers of the veld have charm, as the examples sent 
will show; but they are not so abundant, nor is their colour so 
ant, as those of the more tropical veld. 
I write early in October, having commenced collecting within 
told. The first ane rain fell in mid-September. As in other 
me on winds, which are so prevalent, must influence plant- 
life to a considerable degree. Many of ae mente appear to be 
well fitted to meet this condition. The e firmly rooted, and 
Sneeentk Seececd nctomasonaac anti ind surface. They only 
shoot up their flower-stalks after the development of the flower in 
the bud is well advanced. g the period of owering, n notably 
in those with single-headed capitulum, the flower-stalk i 
