SOUTHERN AFRICA. 17 
Between the town and Table Mountain are fcattered over the 
plain a number of neat houfes furrounded by plantations and 
gardens. Of thefe the largeft and neareft to the town is that in 
which the government houfe is eredled. It is in length near 
1000 yards, and contains about forty acres of rich land divided 
into almofl as many fquares by oak hedges. The public walk 
runs up the middle, is well (haded by an avenue of oak trees, and 
enclofed on each fide by a hedge of cut myrtles. The Dutch of 
late years had entirely negleded this excellent piece of ground ; 
but the fpirit of improvement that has always adluated the 
minds of the Englifh in all their pofleffions abroad, will no 
doubt fhew itfelf at this place, and convert the public garden 
into a place not only ornamental to the town but ufeful to the 
country. A part of it, in fadt, has already been appropriated, 
by order of the Earl of Macartney, for the reception of fcarce 
and curious native plants, and for the trial of fuch Afiatic and 
European produdions as may feem mofi: likely to be cultivated 
with benefit to the colony. 
Among the foreign productions that might be introduced, 
and in all probability cultivated with fuccefs at the Cape of 
Good Hope, may be reckoned the different varieties of the 
cotton plant. Many of thefe have been already tried, and 
found to fucceed extremely well in the light fandy foil that 
generally prevails in the country. Two fpecies of indigo grow 
wild in feveral parts of the colony ; and the cultivated plant of 
India is now on trial. Different fpecies of the cadus, the 
plant on which the cochineal infect feeds, grow juft as well 
here as on the oppofite continent. The tea-plant has long 
D been 
