NO. 6 SMITHSOXIAX EXTLORATIOXS. I92O 33 



our ])rairies. Here corn is the principal crop and the large ranches 

 with houses far apart, each with a clump of trees, make the resem- 

 blance to our prairies in the earlier days even more striking. 



The portion of the Transvaal north of Pretoria, known as low 

 Veld, consists of a scattered growth of relatively small trees over a 

 grass cover composed of rather coarse tall grasses. This is one of 

 the most widely distributed types and an exceptionally interesting 

 one. The grasses are burned off each year and only such trees as can 

 resist the fires can maintain themselves under this condition. This 

 type becomes somewhat modified at Lourengo Marques, where the 

 vegetation, although quite luxuriant, still showed signs of a prolonged 

 drought period. Here, as in the region north of Pretoria, the Kaffir 

 Orange (StrycJnws pungois) is abundant, and there are many species 

 of Acacia and Combretum. The Cashew Xut {Anacardium occi- 

 dental c) is everywhere a prominent tree and has the appearance of 

 being indigenous, although introduced from South America. It forms 

 a large evergreen tree and is never cut down by the natives, who prize 

 it both for the fruit and for the nut, from which they secure both food 

 and a .strong alcoholic beverage. Another tree of unusual interest 

 is the ^Morula (Sclcrocarya caffra), which has a valual^le oil and 

 edible nut, with a fruit useful for making jam and an alcoholic drink. 



Of the more strikingly beautiful trees of this section are the red 

 flowered and fernlike-leaved Dclonix rcgia, the beautiful blue 

 flowered Jacaranda, and the Mahogany Bean (Pohudia qi(a}i::cnsis) 

 which produces in its large pods a large black l)ean with a l)rilliant 

 scarlet cup-shaped aril at the base and is one (if the im])()rtant tim])er 

 trees. 



The vegetation at Salisbury reminds one of the low \ eld above 

 Pretoria, a grassland with scattered trees, singly or often in clumps. 

 At Bulowayo the grasses are less luxuriant and the trees smaller and 

 nifire xerophytic. The vegetation aljout X'ictoria I'alls, except for 

 the small forest irrigated by spray from the falls, is also xerophytic 

 in character. At Kafue the grasses seem more luxuriant l)ut the 

 trees arc much as at \'ictoria b'alls. Here a nunil)cr of iniportruit 

 fnn'ts were secured, most of which are still undetermined. A nut 

 tree of unusual interest, because of its value for food and oil and the 

 remarkably light weight of the wood, was secured liere. It has lucn 

 known as the Mankelti Xut { RuinodcndiDii ruiitoiiciiii ) . Here also 

 occurs the Ik'obab (Adansouia digilala), the largest tree in Africa, 

 useful to natives as a source of Bast fiber and as food. I'he ;uid 

 white pulp which fills the fruit and surrounds the seed is eaten or 

 <lissolved in water t(» produce a refreshing drink. 



