ON THE FLORA OF KENTANI 
3 
under their supervision for the benefit of the people ; these are therefore 
doomed to speedy destruction. 
A native has no idea of economy and will sacrifice the finest tree for the 
sake of a single branch, or even to get at a bees’ nest ! 
I have seen young mahogany trees used in the construction of the 
temporary hut ( Ipempe ) erected to shelter the women who frighten birds off 
the grain crops. 
As live stock is for the most part free to wander at will, its influence 
on vegetation must also be considered. 
Last December there were approximately 25,314 cattle, 41,379 sheep, and 
28,817 goats in the district. Since that date the mortality among cattle has 
been very great due to East Coast fever, but more goats have been brought 
in, and it is these which do most damage. 
Rainfall 
The average annual rainfall at Kentani village during the past ten years 
was 38*04 inches. 
It reached the minimum in 1904, being but 21*91 . In the following year 
1905 it reached the maximum, registering 50 51. 
It is said that Kentani is drying up, and it is certain that surface water is 
less, streams are smaller, and marshes have disappeared. 
Flowers once common are rare now, such as Satyrium longicauda, or 
depauperated as Drimia macrantlia. 
Perhaps increase of live stock, grass fires, and tree cutting may have 
something to do with this condition. 
Grass fires 
It has been asserted that if it were not for grass fires ticks would render 
Kentani uninhabitable — this was before compulsory dipping of cattle. 
Be that as it may, to lovers of nature fires are an unmitigated evil. 
If the season is dry and the fires late the coarse grasses which border the 
woods and which in some measure protect them from stock are entirely 
consumed and with them much undergrowth. 
Goats, which are particularly destructive, now find easy entrance, cattle 
soon follow, the damage thus done is deplorable, and each successive season 
finds the small wood with less powers of resistance. 
Unfortunately the obnoxious Helichrysum odoratissimum is not killed by 
grass fires, the spring rains even when light revive it, and as it blooms 
in November the seedlings have time to establish themselves before the 
next fire. 
Thousands of delicate plants must be destroyed, for years ago Kentani 
looked like a big flower garden, whereas now on the veld flowers are 
quite rare. 
1—2 
