SOUTHERN AFRICA. 38J 
held by any other tenure, and fo, in fa£t, they are, though by 
no means brought to that degree which might be expected. A 
Cape farmer has no idea of bellowing much labour or employ- 
ing his capital in the profpe£t of a diftant profit. He is unwil- 
ling to plant trees, becaufe he may not live to reap the benefit 
of them. Yet, in this climate, there is no great interval of 
time between dropping the feed into the ground and the growth 
of the tree. The oak, the ftone-pine, the poplar, and the native 
fiiver tree ai e all of quick vegetation. One Van Reenen^ a brewer 
at the foot of the Table Mountain, on the eaft fide, planted a 
wood of the filver tree twelve years ago, on wafle ground, from 
which he now fupplies the town and garrifon with fuel j and 
for which he refufed the offer of between three and four thou- 
land pounds as it ftood on the fpot^ 
Eftates in the Cape remain but a fliort time in the fame fa- 
mily. Their defcent is feldom fettled, as by the laws of the 
colony all the children are entitled to equal fhares of the pro- 
perty at the death of the parents. The advantages to which 
primogeniture in fome countries entitles, are here entirely un- 
known. Superior in point of equity, as fuch a rule muft be ac- 
knowledged, the confequence of it is an indifference to all 
improvement of eftates beyond what will be productive of im- 
mediate profit. The proprietor endeavours to enrich himfelf by 
lending out money, increafing his ftock of flaves, of cattle, and 
furniture, or by purchafing other eftates, but he rarely thinks of 
improving them. He is little ambitious of leaving a name be- 
hind him, or of fettling any branch of his family upon the 
fume fpot that raifed himi to independence and affluence. Old 
Claetey 
