824 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1902. 
moreover, Darwin, in the account of his first voyage, states that the best 
developed mer he eyer saw were the workers in the copper-mines of the 
Corderillas, and they lived almost exclusively on lentils. 
Lanps East snp Sovrn-Easr or Care Conony. 
The Wynberg District may be taken as typical of this country. It has a 
mean height of some 600 feet above sea-level, and has a mean rainfall of some 
30 inches. The rainfall is seasonable, as it is everywhere in the south-western 
corner. The district is famed for its vineyards, which have been much hurt b 
phylloxera. Hardy American vines are in many localities replacing the depleted 
vineyards. Much of the grape juice is converted into brandy, which is very 
largely drunk by the natives, to their great detriment. If the resinous firs 
which are so common in Greece were introduced into the country, it might be 
possible to convert the grapes into the light resinate wines of the Greeks (wines 
which are manufactured by the smallest Greek farmers and largely consumed). 
These wines would dono harm to the native population, while they would 
insure their profits to the farmers. I make this suggestion with great diffidence, 
but any change from the brandy which the natives drink would be a change for 
the better. 
THe Brerpe River Vanier. 
This valley is east and south-east of Cape Town, and has rains in both 
winter and summer, though the winter rains are by far the most constant. The 
land may be taken as from 500 to 1,000 feet above sea-level. The Breede 
River seems to have an excellent discharge, which is searcely utilised. The 
river runs in a low trough, and expansive river and canal works will be needed 
to properly irrigate the district, but the works will well repay expenditure. 
The soil of the valley is well suited for irrigation, while the rainfall is only 
about 15 inches per annum in the places to be irrigated, and over twice that 
amount in the hills where the waters of the river come from. The perennial 
springs are all thoroughly utilised (as they are everywhere in the Cape Colony). 
It is the river water which is here allowed to run to waste. No gauges have 
ever been read on the river, and no discharges taken. At Robertson, on the 
12th August, 1901, the river was discharging about 800 cubic feet per second, 
and I was informed that this was the ordinary winter discharge. The summer 
discharge was very considerably less, while the January, February, and March 
discharges were assumed as infinitesimal. The river may be taken as a type of 
others in its neighbourhood. In such rivers the water is generally clear, while 
the flood waters are charged with sand, but never with clay. This peculiarity 
results in the formation of extraordinarily sandy foreshores, which will reduce 
very considerably the discharges of the canals traversing them. The river 
weirs at the heads of the canals should be made 12 feet high, and the canals 
taken out of the sandy foreshore as quickly as possible. Ifthe canals cannot 
be taken out quickly they must be allowed 33 per cent. extra section while in 
the sand, and planted thickly on both banks with willows and poplars. The 
cross drainage is considerable and complicated, and needs for its management 
canal engineers with practical and theoretical knowledge. Stone masonry flank 
walls and wrought-iron aqueducts and syphons should be freely provided for 
these cross drainages. In a country like the Cape Colony, where labour is 
exceedingly dear and occasional storms very sudden and very severe, the main- 
tenance charge of ill-considered works will be a very heavy item; I therefore 
recommend well-designed and solid works with low maintenance charges. lf 
the rivers carry sand and silt in flood, and few rivers carry neither, the canals 
should start with an initial slope of at least 2 fect per mile, changing gradually 
to 1; feet and 1 foot per mile, but all the changes should be gradual, and not 
completed in less than 6 miles from the head. Where the irrigation season is 
in winter, a duty of from 150 to 200 acres per cubic foot per second may be 
considered as a maximum. ‘The type of weir recommended will be described 
under a special heading called “ Dams and Weirs,” which will come later. 
