24 
TRAVELS IN 
mountains about mid-way between the two bays. The grape 
is the Mufcatel, and the rich quaUty of the wine is in part 
owing to the fituation and foil, and partly to the care taken in 
the manufadure. No fruit but fuch as is full ripe, no ftalks 
are fuffered to go under the prefs, precautions feldom taken by 
the other farmers of the Cape. 
The vineyards, gardens and frulteries arc divided into fmall 
fquares, and inclofed by cut hedges of oaks, quince trees, or 
myrtles, to break off the fouth-eaft winds of fummer, which, 
from their ftrength and drynefs, are found to be deleterious to 
vegetation ; but the grain is raifed on open grounds. The 
produce of this article on the peninfula is confined chiefly to 
barley which, in this country, is preferred to oats for feeding 
horfes. None of the common flat-eared barley has yet been 
introduced, but that hexangular kind only is known, which in 
fome parts of England is called beer, and in others big. Corn 
is generally cultivated beyond the ifthmus and along the 
weftern coafl:, within the great north and fouth chain of 
mountains. The remote difl:nds beyond thefe furnifh a fupply 
of horfes, fheep, and horned cattle. 
The natural produdions of the Cape Peninfula, in the vege- 
table kingdom, are perhaps more numerous, varied, and elegant, 
than on any other fpot of equal extent in the whole world. 
Of thefe, by the indefatigable labors of Mr. Mafl'on, his 
Majefty's botanic garden at Kew exhibits a choice colledion ; 
but many are ftill wanting to complete it. Few countries can 
boaft 
