357 
very largely predominates; it shows a preponderance of sand 
and sand-like substances and has a sufficient content of colloidal 
substances; it is rich in potash, phosphoric acid, and moderately 
so in nitrogen; it is deficient in lime, which occurs, however, 
in abundance in the formation of the pre-plateau zone. 
The land is nearly level with only slight declivities; it has a 
deep soil and is consequently easy to work, the use of powerful 
agricultural machinery being possible. 
According to the researches carried out (unfortunately only 
by fits and starts) on this table-land, there is an annual rainfall 
of about 1,300 to 1,700 mm. distributed over the period from 
September to April, with a slight break in January, and accom- 
panied by maximum day temperatures of about 30-32° and 
night temperatures of from 16-189 C. During the remainder 
of the year there is no rain and the temperature during the day 
is from 24-269 and during the nights from 4-6° C. 
The abundant rainfall on these lands which are easily per- 
meated, especially in the higher portions constituting the 
table-land, causes an abundant percolation on the sides of the 
valleys and in the streams which frequently cut through the 
table-land itself, thus giving a constant supply of water 
which can be utilized for small but numerous irrigation works. 
The native population, which permanently inhabits this table- 
land, cultivates maize, beans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes; 
the Portuguese merchants have introduced into their orchards 
oranges and lemons, medlars, peaches, and several other fruit 
trees: Large quantities of cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry 
are reared. 
There is plenty of good domanial land available, as the area 
cultivated by natives is very limited in extent in consequence 
of the latter having devoted themselves, up to the present, 
chiefly to the trade in and the conveyance of rubber, etc., from 
the internal districts to the coast. 
There consequently exist, all over the table-land of Benguela, 
favourable conditions, not only for agriculture of the industrial 
type, conducted by whites as cultivators, and carried out by 
native labour, but also for a colonization carried out directly by 
white farmers. 
LA GUINEE PORTUGAISE. 
Par CarLos PEREIRA, 
Ancien Gouverneur de la Guinée. 
[No abstract supplied by the author. ] 
