PBEFACE. T 



in endeavouring to develope the resources and agricultural capabilities 

 of Southern Africa, though nothing should be done in my life-time 

 towards caiTying out my suggestions in regard to the application of 

 remedial measures to prevent the occurrence of devastating torrential 

 floods. I am quite aware that time is required for information to 

 permeate any community, and that this is more especially the case 

 where the population is sparse and pre-occupied with pastoral and 

 agricultural operations. 



To meet this disadvantage as far as I can, I have made arrange- 

 ments similar to those made in regard to the treatise on the 

 Hydrology of South Africa, for copies being transmitted to any Post 

 Office in the world accessible by the Book Post from Britain. And 

 in anticipation of what may be done at some future time to employ 

 plantations of trees as a means of preventing the occurrence and the 

 destructive effects of torrential floods at the Cape of Good Hope, I 

 may here put on record that appended to Report of Colonial Botanist 

 for 1863 are — (1) A memoir on the Conservation and Extension of 

 Forests as a means of counteracting disastrous consequences following 

 the destruction of Bush and Herbage by fire ; (2) A Letter to Rev. 

 W. Stegman, Adelaide, on the spread of the Rhinoster Bush ; (3) A 

 letter to Mr Hay ward, Swellendam, on the planting of trees by water- 

 courses. Appended to Report of Colonial Botanist for 1865 are — 

 (1) A letter to J. F. J. Wrensch, Esq., Secretary to Divisional Council 

 of district of Albert, on trees deemed suitable for culture in that and 

 similar districts ; (2) A letter to J. H. L. Schumann, Esq., Aberdeen, 

 South Africa, on trees deemed suitable for culture in the Karroo and 

 Sweet veldt ; (3) A letter to E. L. Layard, Esq., on trees suitable for 

 culture at Cape I'Agulhas and other districts exposed to a strong sea 

 breeze ; (4) A letter to Dr Mueller (Baron von MueUer) Government 

 Botanist and Director of Melbourne Botanic Garden, relative to 

 shrubs and trees used at the Cape for fences, avenues, and burying- 

 grounds; (5) A letter to "Walter G. Fry, Esq., Victoria Tannery, 

 Bristol, relative to Tannin-yielding plants growing in the Colony. 

 And appended to Report of Colonial Botanist for 1866 is— (1) A list 

 of South African trees, shrubs, and arborescent shrubs, upon the 

 natural history, or botanic character, or economic uses of which a 

 report had been prepared ; (2) An abstract of memoir on the forests and 

 forest lands of Southern Africa, with details of the extent and contents 

 of the different forests of the Colony of the Cape, of Kafiir-land, of 

 Natal, and of the regions beyond to the mouth of the Zambesi, and 



