2 
but their numbers rose rapidly to 100,000 in 1845, and to 400,000 i 
3. They are mostly Zulus in the north, and Kaflirs in the south of 
the Colony. 
Much greater progress could have been made in Natal, in trade, 
agriculture, and manufactures if it had been connec roads and 
this railway was extended to the Transvaal gold mines at Johannesberg. 
In 1880 a a railway was constructed from Durban to Maritzburg, but 
only recently has it been pushed further inland, and it now reaches the 
confines of the Colony. Its further extension to Johannesberg is most 
important for the future prosperity of Natal. About one and a half 
ears ago a railway was made from Ladysmith in Natal to Harrismith 
in the Orange State. Natal is at present short of funds, ang this may 
partly explain why, having made a good start in forest co ', the 
Colonial Government has not had the resolution to persevere 1 ‘in it. 
as was trained at 
or service at the Cape 
De. A plo 
Nanc aser for t = st Se í 1 
in 1883. . Mr. Fo: urcade, of. the. forc Y è 
Natal for nine months in 1889, pe fae written Te yal r paper 
on the Natal forests, but he declined to quit the thie service permat- 
ently for that of Natal, and was succeeded in 1891 as chief forest officer 
there by Mr. Schöpflin, a Baden forest office 
work he undertook of organising. a = est department in Natal 
was full of difficulty, especially as S ae revenues were not expected 
to coyer the expenditure for a number of years, Ir respectively of the 
continual clearan for the extension of agriculture, forest 
fires, unregulated grazing, and wasteful timber felling have so exhausted 
the o Natai forests Rises the ey still. covered. ee brushwood. and forest 
are widely scattered over the country, and only a small. centage of 
aene is still State property. 
om the coast to altitudes of about 975 feet, with an average annual 
temperature of 67°-71°, the forest consists of numerous species belong- 
g to the tropical flora. ‘The woods are not more than 30-60 feet eet high, 
but something might be made of them, as several species yield valuable 
timber. a ately nearly all the coast forests are now private 
property. 
In a central zone ranging in altitude between 980 and 3450 feet, 
with an average annual “temperature of 59°-67° F., extensive tracts 
ares covered with so-called mimosa scrub, formed of several species of 
undergrow wth. The acacias bear plenty. of seed, and young growth 
exists, but is continually being destroyed by the annual grass ML 
If If only p protection could be afforded to these forests against fire, as has 
e for the last 30 years in British India, € “could be worked 
aie ed with short rotations—24 years, according to Mr. Foure 
pA od probable that most of this area will be saad: fot 
p 
esent area of the coast and acacia forests is estimated at — 
196,000 acres ut State forest, and 1,645,000 acres in private hands. ^ 38 
zone, from 3450 feet up to 9600 feet, with a temperate 
: dide and an average annual temperature of 52°-59°, the most 
