JARDINAGE. 93 
of value in timber has been destroyed through the reckless 
‘behaviour of these individuals, and those in their employ- 
ment, igniting the grass, which has caused fearful destruc- 
tion. There are a few other small patches and stripes of 
bush; but, comparatively speaking, they are nothing, only 
adapted for fuel; most of the valuable timber has been 
removed, and by fire greatly destroyed. The great evils 
are:men cutting without licences, and grass fires. 
‘To my knowledge, there is on an average 40 loads of 
fuel, poles,.and spars removed weekly to Port Elizabeth 
from the forests between the Gamptoos and the Van 
Staden Rivers, for cutting timber for which I have never 
issued one licence for the benefit of Government. I feel 
convinced that it all comes from the Crown forest; but as 
it isa case of disputed boundary and licences, I am not 
empowered to move in the matter. If this state of things 
continues much longer, the whole of the forest will be 
eradicated and destroyed.’ 
Such an issue as is thus indicated may be considered 
the second stage of the destruction of forests under primi- 
tive Jardinage, the conversion of forests into bush. In 
Krakakamma, between the Zitzikamma and Port Eliza- 
beth, there is a good deal of arborescent vegetation, but it 
can scarcely be reckoned forest; the same may be said of 
the Kadouw Bush, between Port Elizabeth and Grahams- 
town; and such, I am informed, is the present condition of 
what within the last thirty years was an extensive forest 
in the valley of the Kowie, in the neighbourhood of Bath- 
urst: the old timber having been destroyed, but not re- 
placed, the forest character has been lost. 
But this second stage of the progress of the work of 
destruction is not unfrequently succeeded by a third, in 
which even the arborescent bush may disappear. From 
more than one of my correspondents I have heard of the 
mountainous country around Somerset having abounded 
in forest trees of various kinds—Yellow-wood (Podocarpus), 
Iron-wood (Olea), Assegai-wood (Curtisia), but all of these 
