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Plate 

PRETORU 

WEST 

ARE 

RACECOURSE 

' 

PRETORIA   W£ST 


POWER   STATION 


Plate  II. 


UNION     BUILDINGS. 


The  City  of 
Pretoria  and 
Districts.    ^ 


An  Official  Handbook  describing 
the  Social,  Official,  Farming, 
Mining,  and  General  Progress 
and  Possibilities  of  the  Adminis- 
trative Capital  and  Surrounding 
Districts.  .... 


Issued  under  the  joint  auspices  of  the  Pretoria 

Municipality  and  the  General  Manager, 

South  African  Railways. 

Publicity  Department, 

South  African  Railways 
Johannesburg, 

December,  1913. 


Pretoria 

The  Government  Printing  and  Stationery  Office 

1913 
R.  2409— 25/8/13— 15,000 


2>T 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

■^    I    Introductory 5 

V^  II    A  Backward  Glance 5 

j^lll    Historic  Pretoria 21 

^IV   The  Modern  City 36 

*    V   Tours  around  Pretoria 44 

VI    General 52 

Vll    Pretoria  Municipality 70 

Vlll    Pretoria  Architecture 83 

IX  Flora 95 

X  Farming 103 

XI    Mining 146 

Index 157 

List  of  illustrations I65 


30563S6 


Introductory. 


CHAPTER  I. 


^ 


"^"^HE  Union  Building  at  Pretoria  is  now  neariug 
^^  completion.  When  finished  it  will  be  in 
many  respects  the  most  unique  building  in 
the  country,  for  in  it  will  be  accommodated  the 
bulk  of  South  African  officialdom — the  Ministers  of 
the  country  and  the  advisers  of  the  Ministers  ;  the 
departmental  heads  and  the  technical  experts ;  the 
agricultural,  the  pastoral,  the  mining,  the  commercial, 
the  financial,  and  the  political  specialists,  as  well  as 
the  hundreds  of  other  ofiicials  upon  whom  the  adminis- 
tration and  the  advancement  of  the  Union  so  largely 
depend. 

The  building  is  worthy  of  the  purpose  for  which  it 
is  intended,  and  its  formal  opening  will  be  an 
occasion  of  general  interest  and  national  importance. 
Nationally  it  will  signalize  a  new  era  of  administrative 
centralization  for  the  better  conceiving  and  diffusing 
of  concerted  harmonious  policy  ;  socially  it  will  be  the 
function  of  the  year.  Who  can  be  in  Pretoria  will  be 
there  then.  Who  cannot  come  will  seek  to  know 
something   of   what    happens,    and   something   of   the 


Inlroducior}i/. 

place.  Pretoria  will  loom  large  in  the  public  attention, 
and  to  many  the  reason  will  not  be  apparent,  for  it 
is,  after  all,  a  city  with  which  the  country  at  large  is 
not  as  well  acquainted  as  should  be  the  case.  People 
generally  do  not  know  Pretoria  as  intimately  as  it 
deserves  to  be  known,  as  intimately  as  in  their  own 
interest  they  should  know  it. 

The  moment  is  opportune  for  remedying  tnis.  The 
dexterous  Capucliins,  to  quote  Macaulay's  text,  never 
chose  to  preach  on  the  life  and  miracles  of  a  saint 
until  they  had  awakened  the  devotional  feelings  of 
their  auditors  by  exhibiting  some  reUc  of  him — a  thread 
of  his  garment,  a  lock  of  his  hair,  or  a  drop  of  his 
blood.  Similarly,  advantage  may  well  be  taken  of  the 
lively  but  possibly  transient  interest  which  the  forth- 
coming opening  will  excite  to  say  something  about  the 
progress  and  possibilities  of  Pretoria  ;  to  gauge  its 
relative  importance  am.ongst  the  towns  of  South 
Africa  ;  to  indicate  what  \dsitors  may  see,  and  the 
significance  of  what  they  see  ;  to  show  what  there  is 
about  Pretoria  to  please,  what  to  displease;  to  weigh 
advantages  and  disadvantages  fairly,  and  prove  that 
though  expansion  may  not  have  been  as  great  as  at 
Union  the  optimists  predicted,  it  nevertheless  has  been 
considerable  and  promises  to  increase,  judging  from 
all  augurs,  at  a  ratio  more  rapid  than  ever. 

Everywhere,  increasingly,  investors  and  workers  are 
turning  to  places  with  such  rapid  developing  powers  ; 
everywhere  tourists  seek  new  fields.  It  therefore 
cannot  but  be  in  the  general  interest  to  reveal 
Pretoria  as  it  was,  is,  and  probably  will  become. 


A   Backward   Glance. 


CHAPTER  II. 


0^ 


-^Tribulations  attend  the  growth  of  every 
^^  covmtry,  and  South  Africa  has  had  its  share. 
Native  war  and  civil  strife,  drought,  flood, 
and  pestilence  have  been  its  frequent  lot.  They 
however  mark  rather  than  mar  its  history,  prove  a 
high  national  spirit  and  indomitable  grit  rather  than  a 
general  incompetence  or  lack  of  perseverance,  for  dis- 
sensions which  threatened  disruption,  spread  bitterness, 
and  caused  intense  hardship,  though  they  might  by 
more  temperate  counsels  have  been  lessened,  if  not 
avoided,  were  by  unusual  adaptability  and  resource 
generally  turned  from  looming  calamity  to  a  greater 
expansion — a  seeking  of  fresh  pastures  and  better 
understanding,  an  adoption  of  improved  methods  and 
an  opening  up  of  new  country  :  a  wider  spreading  of 
settlement  and  an  increase  in  stability  When  two 
sections  of  the  population  disagreed,  the  weaker 
generally  withdrew  to  develop  the  unoccupied  hinter- 
land ;  when  drought,  flood,  or  stock  disease  assailed, 
they  entailed  loss  but  taught  a  sometimes  needed 
lesson. 


A  Backward  Giance. 

The  contemplation  of  the  past  is  therefore  profitable 
as  indicating  that,  whatever  our  present  obstacles  and 
differences  of  opinion  may  be,  they  are  minor  to  those 
already  successfully  surmounted ;  from  which  may 
reasonably  be  inferred  that  rapid  and  considerable 
though  past  development  has  been,  the  Transvaal 
development  now  afoot  is  Ukely  to  be  greater  and 
more  rapid.  For  conditions  are  better,  the  outlook 
brighter,  than  ever  before.  South  Africa,  or  at  least 
that  portion  which  is  now  the  Union,  has  changed 
radically  for  the  better.  The  white  races  have  been 
united,  the  wilds  reclaimed,  the  natives  tamed  by  law 
and  order.  Greater  security  and  comfort,  more  and 
happier  homes,  exist  than  when  civil  strife,  kaffir 
risings,  and  the  toll  of  pioneering  swept  tragedy 
through  every  camp  and  desolation  to  every  outpost 
household.  Danger  has  gone,  and  with  it  much  of 
hardship  ;  fang  and  claw  no  longer  prey  around  the 
outspan  ;  no  impis  lie  within  the  kopje's  shadow, 
waiting  to  stab  and  murder  when  the  time  arrives  ; 
peace  and  prosperity  are  assured.  But  the  change, 
though  greatly  beneficial,  has  not  been  all  gain. 
The  aesthetic  has  suffered.  Much  that  made  even 
a  hard  uncertain  life  more  attractive  than  the  soft 
ease  and  surety  of  the  present,  much  of  the 
picturesque,  and  much  of  the  romantic,  has  also  gone. 
The  myriad  deer  no  longer  flit  across  the  moonlit  plain. 
The  rhinoceros  has  forsaken  his  haunts,  the  elephant 
takes  his  midday  ease  in  other  shades.  No  free-gift 
farm  or  foundling  state  awaits  the  trekker  ;  no  mighty 
herds  entice  the  hunter  ;  no  dreams  of  untold  wealth 
are  dreamt  in  crazy  mining  huts.  The  drifts  are 
unchurned,  the  clean-aired  bush-girt  by-ways  are 
unfurrowed,     the     solemn    silences     and     sun-washed 


"Plate   III. 


::i. 


A  Backward  Glance. 

solitudes  of  the  veld  unruffled  by  coach  or  transport 
wheels  ;  for  the  railways  carry  all,  swiftly  and  with- 
out ostentation,  and  where  the  adventurous  once 
rode  ;in  open  exultation,  the  noiseless  plough  now 
plies  in  hidden  field  or  the  miners  burrow  unseen 
within  the  earth. 

It  is  therefore  not  only  profitable  for  future  guidance, 
but  pleasurable  for  present  recreation,  occasionally  to 
take  a  backward  glance,  to  reconstruct  the  past,  recall 
the  days  of  long  ago,  and  visualize  the  scenes  and 
circumstances  in  which,  deliberately  or  by  chance,  men, 
and  gentle  women  and  little  children,  on  lonely  farms 
and  distant  mission  stations,  in  pioneer  towns  and 
rough  wild  mining  camps,  on  trek  and  in  the  laager, 
suffered  and  sometimes  died  that  the  sovereignty  of 
the  white  man  might  be  proclaimed  and  maintained, 
that  unity  might  arise,  and  peace,  progress,  and  pro- 
sperity follow,  so  that  out  of  the  wilds  cities  like 
Pretoria  might  be  reared. 

It  is  well  to  recall  how  great  and  how  wonderful 
has  been  the  progress,  especially  throughout  the 
Transvaal,  since  the  days  when  the  hyena  howled 
where  the  smoke-stacks  of  the  Rand  now  belch,  since 
Moselekatse  harangued  his  slayers  of  a  million  \dctims, 
where  the  stately  Union  Building  in  Pretoria  now 
stands,  since  the  white  inhabitants  fought  each  other, 
where  the  brave  of  both  sides  now  lie  buried  beneath 
the  wreaths  of  a  nation's  united  esteem. 

Thus  Pretoria,  though  not  founded  until  1855,  owes 
its  existence  primarily  to  disruptive  events  such  as 
those  we  have  cited — to  the  events  of  1836,  which  had 
their  inception  in  Cape  Colony,  and  caused  so  much  of 
the  dissension,  so  much  of  the  strife,  but  indirectly  and 


A  Back'Oard  Gland. 

ultimately  so  much  of  the  good  which  has  attended 
South  Africa  ! 

The  means  have  generally  justified  the  end,  but  in 
1830-36  the  outlook  was  discouraging.  It  was  one  of 
the  darkest  periods  through  which  the  country  has 
passed.  No  white  men,  excepting  occasional  hunters, 
explorers,  or  squatters,  had  penetrated  or  could  claim 
intimacy  with  what  are  now  the  Free  State  and  Trans- 
vaal Provinces.  Excepting  for  a  few  pioneers  in  Natal, 
settlement  was  confined  to  Cape  Colony ;  and  the 
position  of  the  settler  there,  especially  in  the  remoter 
districts,  was  an  unenviable  one.  He  was  harassed  by 
native  raiders.  He  was  goaded  by  the  policy  of  a 
Government  which  would  neither  attempt  to  check  the 
raider  nor  allow  the  raided  to  do  so.  He  was  faced 
with  the  prospect  of  consequent  ruin,  or  if  by  chance 
that  were  staved  off,  then  by  the  prospect  of  heav^' 
loss  through  the  ill-starred  regulations  for  the  emanci- 
pation of  slaves  which  allotted  to  the  Colony  a  third 
the  compensation  its  slaves  were  worth,  and  then 
insisted  that  the  large  portion  of  that  inadequate  com- 
pensation should  escape  the  local  slave-owners  through 
the  obstacles  placed  against  obtaining  payment.  No 
payments  were  to  be  made  in  South  Africa  for  released 
slaves.  No  force  was  to  be  sent,  or  locally  raised,  to 
protect  the  remoter  settler.  He  was  on  the  horns  of  a 
dilemma,  and,  turn  as  he  would,  relief  seemed  possible 
only  by  leaving  the  Colony. 

The  blame,  however,  excepting  possibly  in  the  pay- 
ment of  slave  compensation  and  inapt  social  legislation 
for  which  the  Colony  was  unripe,  was  not  wholly  on 
one  side.  The  position  of  the  governing  was  hardly 
less  trying  than  that  of  the  governed.  Conditions  of 
life  were  very  different  to  what  they  now  are ;    the 


A  Backward  Glance. 

native  problem,  though  still  great,  was  greater ;  white 
settlers  were  fewer  and  more  widely  scattered  ;  the 
vast  native  hordes  were  more  turbulent. 

The  Kaffir  was  a  man  differing  widely  from  his 
modern  descendant.  He  had  not  been  subdued  by 
contact  with  civilization.  His  ardour  had  not  been 
tamed  by  industrial  labour.  Circumstances  had  not 
forced  him  into  town  or  mine.  In  his  own  domain  his 
women,  as  now,  did  the  work — tilled  the  fields,  hewed 
wood,  and  carried  water  for  the  tribe.  The  Kaffir 
himself  collected  cattle  and  practised  arms,  and  of  the 
two  occupations  that  of  fighting  was  the  main.  This 
was  natural.  Cattle  were  the  symbol  of  a  native's 
wealth  and  status.  As  such  their  possession  was  to  be 
coveted.  But  the  very  existence  of  the  tribe  depended 
on  its  fighting  strength.  There  was  no  law  but  that 
of  might.  A  man  of  courage,  versed  in  the  use  of  the 
stabbing  spear  and  battle-axe,  and  deft  in  his  own 
protection  with  the  ox-hide  shield,  was  an  asset  to 
every  chief  and  as  such  esteemed.  Consequently  every 
adult  Kaffir  was,  or  affected  to  be,  a  fighting  man — a 
fighting  man  first,  and  a  rancher,  cattle  thief,  tribal 
minstrel,  or  hunter  after.  The  prevalent  spirit  was  a 
warlike  one. 

Then  were  the  people  amongst  whom  the  remoter 
Cape  settlers  had,  apart  from  their  farming  difficulties, 
to  maintain  themselves  and  families  as  best  they  could. 
In  such  circumstances  conciliation  had  little  prospect 
of  being  effective.  The  native  had  nothing  to  gain 
from  peace,  and  no  natural  preference  for  it.  War 
was  the  object  of  his  whole  system — to  defend  his 
possessions  when  compelled,  to  augment  them  by 
looting  when  possible.  Victory  or  defeat  in  battle 
were  the  only  arguments  he  appreciated ;  the  rifle 
alone,  not  the  indaha,  had  the  power  to  sway  him. 


A  Backward  Glanct. 

This  the  remoter  Colonists  saw  and  urged  ;  but  the 
danger  was  easier  to  discern  than  to  avert.  The 
niihtary  forces  of  so  sparsely  populated  a  country  as 
the  Cape  were  admittedly  inadequate  for  the  proper 
protection  of  so  extensive  a  territory  as  the  roving 
instincts  of  the  Colonists  had  caused  them  to  spread 
over.  Those  resources  could  be  made  adequate  only 
at  a  cost  out  of  all  keeping  with  the  comparative 
poverty  of  the  Colony.  It  seemed  good  to  the  authori- 
ties to  conciliate  rather  than  fight  the  turbulent  native. 
But  as  the  native's  instinct  and  aspirations,  natural 
taste,  and  whole  training  were  for  war,  this  policy 
proved  impractical.  A  scuffle  with  an  outpost,  which 
resulted  in  the  death  of  a  minor  chief,  was  by  the 
natives  made  a  pretext  for  vengeance ;  and  then 
ensued  a  period  which  forms  one  of  the  ghastliest  in 
our  history.  Within  a  few  days  fifty  of  the  scattered 
settlers  were  butchered  ;  scores  of  homesteads  were 
plundered  and  destroyed  ;  many  thousands  of  cattle 
were  swept  to  the  Kaffir  kraals. 

Nor  was  this  all.  Either  because  for  the  time  being 
the  natives  were  glutted  with  success,  and  so  more 
than  usually  pliable,  or  because  the  settlers,  stirred  to 
their  utmost,  excelled  themselves,  the  reprisals  which 
followed  quickly  resulted  in  the  marauders  being  driven 
into  more  distant  territory.  Neutral  tribes  were  settled 
as  a  buffer  between  them  and  the  settlers,  and  it  may 
have  been  that  affairs  would  have  remained  so 
indefinitely,  necessitating  alertness  and  occasional 
encounters,  no  doubt,  but  on  the  whole  a  state  of 
affairs  not  intolerable.  Exeter  Hall,  however,  thought 
differently.  The  measures  had  been  taken  purely  on 
local  initiative.  They  were  measures  of  self-defence, 
but  they  were  not  approved  oversea.     The  authorities, 

10 


A  Backtoard  Glance. 

probably  mindful  of  the  minor  chief's  death,  reversed 
the  Colonists'  action  as  far  as  possible,  removed  the 
neutral  human  barrier,  gave  back  to  the  warriors  their 
old  territory  ;  and  did  so  on  the  contention  that  the 
native  had  been  provoked  by  the  settler. 

On  top  of  all  came  the  slave  trouble.  The  owners 
agreed  that  the  slaves  should  be  freed,  but  wanted 
them  freed  in  batches,  so  as  to  disorganize  industry 
as  little  as  possible,  and  so  as  not  suddenly  to  throw 
on  the  country  a  numerous  horde  of  free  but  largely 
irresponsible  people,  unaccustomed  either  to  the  joys 
or  the  cares  of  independence.  The  case  had  its  strong 
points,  but  the  issue  was  one  of  human  liberty,  and  if 
one  man  were  to  be  released  from  bondage  there  was 
no  justice  in  retaining  another  through  no  fault  of  his 
own.  The  slaves  were  released  en  masse,  and,  without 
police  or  military  supervision,  without  the  compulsion 
to  work,  threatened  at  least  to  thieve,  if  not  worse. 
The  compensation  was  absurdly  low.  and  payable  onlj^ 
in  lyondon. 

Unprotected  against  the  exultant  native  enemy,  not 
only  deprived  of  the  labour  of  their  slaves,  but 
threatened  by  their  depredations,  and  often  nearly 
ruined  by  monetary  losses  through  the  unfair  com- 
pensation, the  settlers  were  in  a  worse  position  than 
ever.  To  a  large  number  of  them  it  seemed  to  threaten 
ruin.  To  the  Dutch-speaking  portion  it  proved  in- 
tolerable. Prone  at  the  best  of  times  to  take  matters 
into  their  own  hands,  restraint,  especially  in  the 
face  of  strong  provocation  and  calamity,  was  little 
to  their  taste.  Large  numbers  decided  to  leave  the 
old  Colony.  North  of  the  Orange  River  the  country 
was  mostly  unoccupied,  and  apparently  claimed  by  no 
one.     Life  there  would  necessarily  be  one  of  hardship 

II 


A  Backward  Glanct. 


and  isolation.  It  would  mean  separation  from  all  the 
amenities  and  prestige,  but  also  from  the  burdens  and 
irritations  of  British  rule.  There  in  the  vast  and 
little-trodden  solitudes  a  man  might  live  his  life  accord- 
ing to  his  notions  of  right  and  wrong,  establishing  such 
government  as  seemed  to  him  best,  pursuing  such 
ideals  as  fitted  his  mood.  Ordeals  of  unusual  rigour 
and  the  diiability  of  remoteness  from  the  civilized 
world  would  be  his  lot  ;  but  so  would  freedom  and 
justice,  no  power  being  near  enough  to  restrict  the  one 
or  interested  enough  to  tamper  with  the  other. 

So,  in  1836,  the  Great  Trek  began,  that  movement 
from  which  two  fine  States  were  to  grow.     The  magni- 
tude of  the  undertaking,  the  sense  of  strong  grievance 
which  alone  could  grompt  it.  and  the  sterling        A 
qualities  required  to  bring  it  to  a  successful 
issue     can      hardly     be 
exaggerated.     Not   the 
versatility       which 
decentralizes 


13 


A  Backward  Glance. 

aim,  the  restlessness  which  hinders  sequence,  or  the 
imagination  which  anticipates  difficulties  and  pictures 
miseries  yet  to  come  ;  but  solid  patience,  deep  faith, 
and  a  large  indift'erence  to  the  vagaries  of  fate  were 
the  qualities  most  likely  to  turn  such  an  undertaking 
to  success.  These  qualities  the  Voortrekkers  had. 
They  were  a  sober,  slow-going,  but  a  sagacious, 
courageous  race.  They  lacked  the  vivacity  of  the 
townsman,  were  largely  without  his  imagination,  had 
not  his  stock  of  varied,  though  often  superficial, 
experience.  But  they  did  possess  the  talents  and 
attainments  natural  to  their  situation — the  quick  eye, 
the  patient  resourcefulness,  the  strong  sense  of  rough 
but  ready  justice.  They  had  the  bodily  and  mental 
stamina  to  sustain  fatigue  and  disappointment  ;  they 
were  strengthened  by  adversity,  toughened  by  struggle. 
Their  courage,  self-denial,  and  endurance  were  admir- 
able. Their  history  is  rich  in  acts  of  heroism  and 
devotion.  Their  hospitality  and  natural  kindliness 
were  pronounced. 

Such  were  the  people  who  ventured  forth,  in  little 
bands,  to  conquer  the  wilderness  and  tame  the  bar- 
barian ;  who,  like  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  opened  the 
way  to  comfort  and  happiness  for  the  thousands  that 
were  to  follow.  They  rose  superior  to  every  dis- 
couragement, ultimately  surmounted  every  obstacle — 
and  such  obstaces  !  To-day  a  journey  through  any 
part  of  South  Africa  presents  few  inconveniences. 
The  traveller  knows  exactly  where  he  is  going  and 
what  for.  He  travels  in  security,  comfortably  and 
even  luxuriously.  Seventy  years  ago  it  was  different. 
A  journey  to  the  interior  was  not  lightly  undertaken, 
even  by  the  hunter  accustomed  to  imperil  his  life  and 
trained   to   elude   danger.     To   uproot   whole   families 

13 


A  Backward  Glance. 

and  send  them  there  was  heroic  and  uncertain  in 
the  extreme.  No  one  could  foretell  what  dangers 
would  be  encountered  or  what  destiny  awaited  the 
pioneers.  It  was  a  matter  of  chance.  On  every  side, 
once  the  border  was  crossed,  the  country  was  fraught 
with  danger  :    and  beyond  lay  the  Great  Unknown. 

Nor  were  the  inevitable  hardships  less  than  the 
probable  perils.  Transport  facilities,  as  we  know  them 
to-day,  were  almost  entirely  lacking.  Between  the 
advancing  voortrekkers  and  the  Colony  they  were 
leaving,  there  were  practically  no  lines  of  communica- 
tion :  an  occasional  dispatch-rider,  perhaps  ;  but  no 
railways,  no  intermediate  depots  for  refreshment  arid 
replenishing  stores  ;  no  postal  or  telegraph  services  ; 
no  hope  of  assistance,  in  the  event  of  trouble,  from  the 
Colony  behind.  Once  they  crossed  the  border,  inter- 
course with  the  outer  world  would  for  years,  perhaps 
for  generations,  be  infrequent  and  uncertain,  owing  to 
the  hostility  of  marauding  native  tribes,  the  greatness 
of  the  intervening  distances,  and  the  absence  of  roads. 
And  that  the  native  hostility  to  encroachment  on 
domains  previously  little  used  by  them  was  anything 
but  passive,  the  records  prove.  Only  too  often  did  it 
happen,  especially  when  the  trekkers  travelled  in  small 
separated  bands,  and  more  especially  when  such  isolated 
bands  were  surprised,  that  suddenly  from  the  stillness 
the  war-cry  rose  from  thousands  of  savage  throats  ; 
and  when  the  little  laager  could  no  longer  hold  out, 
when  the  scherms  were  broken  and  the  ammunition 
spent,  when  the  firing  was  over  and  the  spears  were  at 
rest,  the  last  heart-throb  of  the  gallant  white  band 
had  beaten. 

The  commissariat,  too,  was  a  source  of  weakness 
and  anxiety.     A  little  bartering  for  food  with  natives 

14 


"Plate    VII. 


"Plate     VIII. 


ou)  fR^m\  ^^^^^m 


L0^ 


"l 


JfneA/rUJl-i- 


A  Backward  Glance. 

temporarily  friendly  might  be  possible,  but  was  uncer- 
tain. Game  was  abundant  but  migratory,  and  for  all 
that  was  known  to  the  contrary  might  be  scarce  at 
seasons  and  in  places.  What  the  trekkers  would  require 
in  the  years  to  come  had  therefore  mostly  to  be  brought 
with  them.  Grain  for  seed  and  for  sustenance  until 
crops  could  be  grown  had  to  be  found  room  for,  though 
for  months  the  trekkers  lived  mainly  and  sometimes 
exclusively  on  the  game  they  shot,  as  not  much  grain 
could  be  carried,  wagon  space  being  limited  and  largely 
occupied  by  the  first  essentials — powder  and  shot,  and 
by  the  women  and  children,  the  cooking  utensils,  farm 
implements,  and  a  little  clothing  and  bedding.  Few 
luxuries  were  carried,  excepting  sugar,  coffee,  and 
tobacco ;  little  furniture.  Water  was  a  matter  of 
chance.  It  was  a  frugal  existence  to  which  the  trekkers 
vowed  themselves. 

They  started  in  different  parties  from  various  centres, 
at  various  times,  under  various  leaders.  Finally  the 
day  for  departure  came.  The  loads  were  carefully 
apportioned,  the  flocks  and  herds  assembled.  Such 
articles  as  at  the  last  moment  could  be  crowded  on  the 
wagons — a  few  simple  pieces  of  furniture,  heirlooms 
with  many  poignant  associations — were  loaded.  The 
bullock  teams  were  inspanned  ;  the  women  and  children 
took  their  places  beneath  the  hoods  of  the  wagons. 
The  shrill  cries  of  the  Hottentot  herds  and  the  sing- 
song droning  of  the  drivers  mingled  with  the  lowing 
of  the  cattle,  the  creaking  of  the  axles,  and  the  sighs 
of  those  who  felt  a  parting  pang.  From  horizon  to 
horizon  the  plains  smoked  with  the  dust  of  many 
hooves  and  wheels,  as  the  farmers,  turning  their  backs 
on  abandoned  homes  and  hopes,  faced  the  North  and 
whatever  it  might  hold. 

15 


A  Backward  Glance. 

Over  the  plains  the  slowly  moving  emigrant  train 
wended,  scores  of  wagons,  one  after  another — wagons 
which  for  months,  and  in  some  instances  for  years, 
were  to  be  the  only  homes  the  trekkers  were  to  know  ; 
their  only  tie  with  the  civilized  world  ;  their  shelters 
from  summer  heat  and  winter  frost  ;  their  refuge  in 
sickness  and  in  peril ;  their  monuments  and  their 
epitaphs  when  the  barbarian  attacked,  and  the  trekkers, 
having  scattered  in  small  bands,  were  slain  ;  derelict 
wagons  stranded  on  lonely  plains,  the  ragged  remnant 
of  their  bucksail  flapping  dismally  in  the  sighing  winds, 
and  telling  in  after  years  the  tale  of  what  befell. 
Ponderous,  lumbering,  groaning  wagons,  uncouth  to 
look  at  and  unwieldy  to  handle,  but  the  very  tiling 
for  pioneering  in  a  rough  wild  country  :  the  wagons 
which  have  made  South  Africa. 

The  trekkers  travelled  slowly,  grazing  their  herds  as 
they  went,  hunting  a  little,  repairing  wagons  and  kit 
when  necessary,  and  camping  where  water  and  safety 
suggested,  for  the  village  and  the  cultivated  farm  were 
now  far  behind,  and  the  pioneers  had  to  fend  for  them- 
selves, taking  what  came.  Over  the  southern  grass- 
lands they  passed  into  the  higher  altitudes  of  the 
parched  alkali  flats  of  the  Great  Karoo,  where  water 
is  scarce  and  the  air  so  thin  and  tonic  that  the  mere 
act  of  breathing  is  a  joy.  Finally,  the  Orange  River 
was  behind,  and  when  what  is  now  the  Free  State  was 
well  entered  it  was  decided  that  of  the  more  important 
emigrant  bands,  which  had  converged,  one  portion 
should  branch  off  to  what  is  now  Natal,  the  other 
continue  north. 

It  was  a  pleasing  if  not  beautiful  country,  a  country 
to  warm  the  instincts  of  a  rancher  ;  and,  above  all, 
seemingly   a  peaceful   country  in  which  no  powerful 

i6 


A  Backtsard  Glance. 

enemy  need  be  feared.  A  rest  was  therefore  ordered, 
and  for  a  while  the  evening  pipe  of  peace  was 
smoked  in  thankfuhiess  beneath  the  Free  State  stars. 
Refreshed,  the  trekkers  resumed  their  journey.  Theirs 
was  now  a  pastoral  life  of  almost  Biblical  simplicity, 
resignation  tempering  hardship,  hope  for  the  future 
displacing  discontent  with  the  past.  But  it  was  not  a 
picnic.  Moselekatse,  the  murderous,  was  on  the  alert 
and  had  to  be  guarded  against ;  and  nature,  as  well  as 
the  barbarian,  added  trials.  To  traverse  the  desert  or  new 
country  in  which  the  water-courses  are  undefined  is  to 
know  either  the  horror  of  thirst  or  the  many  and  arduous 
expedients  necessary  to  locate  one  camping  ground 
before  another  is  vacated.  Whoever  has  been  racked 
by  fever  in  a  jolting  wagon,  far  from  skilled  attention 
and  consolations,  knows  the  despair  of  such  a  situation. 
Those  who  have  lain  with  the  transport  wagons  by 
the  drift,  in  strange  country,  the  waters  rising  steadily, 
the  rain  beating  in  fury,  night  as  dark  as  ink,  cattle, 
escaped  somehow,  running  amok  dazed  by  the  lurid 
lightning,  know  the  tedium  and  discomfort  of  days 
and  even  weeks  of  waiting  ;  when  water  oozes  every- 
where ;  when  earth  and  woods  are  sodden  and  all  is 
quagmire  ;  when  fires  will  not  burn  and  food  spoils  ; 
when  the  dawn  breaks  grey  and  dispiriting,  to  reveal 
the  carefully  placed  wagons  islanded  by  flood,  nails 
bleeding  and  limbs  exhausted  by  the  struggles  of  the 
night,  and  tempers  limp  as  the  sodden  clothes  and 
bedding  in  which  one  sleeps  and  wakes.  Whoever 
has  experienced  these  things  will  appreciate  some  of 
the  minor  difficulties  the  trekkers  had  to  contend  with. 
And  whoever  by  the  restlessness  of  the  animals  has 
been  awakened,  shuddering,  to  the  awful  sight  of  the 


17 


A  Backward  Glance. 

autumn  veld  on  fire,  miles  of  lurid  flame  crashing 
towards  the  camp,  will  realize  another  of  the  many 
obstacles  and  discouragements  the  trekkers  had  to 
encounter  and  surmount,  without  the  playing  of  bands, 
the  flying  of  flags,  or  the  cheering  of  crowds  at  the 
end  of  the  conquest. 

It  was,  as  we  have  said,  no  picnic.  When  the 
country  permitted  the  wagons  to  travel  abreast,  they 
were  so  sent  in  three  columns,  which  drew  together 
when  camp  was  made  and  formed  a  triangle  into  which 
the  stock  were,  as  far  as  possible,  driven  for  safety. 
In  the  spaces  between  the  wagons  thorn  bushes  were, 
whenever  practical  and  danger  threatened,  filled,  so 
that  nothing  might  enter  from  without  except  at  the 
appointed  place.  Each  man  slept  with  his  rifle  by  his 
side.  The  powder  and  shot  stood  ready.  And  on  the 
outskirts  the  sentinels  lay,  guardians  through  the  long, 
still  night. 

And  so,  steadily  but  surely,  in  spite  of  every  obstacle, 
the  emigrant  parties  progressed,  some  to  find  early 
graves,  some  to  found  republics. 

The  party  bound  for  Natal  is  not  our  main  concern 
in  this  sketch  of  the  events  which  led  to  the  founding 
of  Pretoria.  The  party  which  had  elected  not  to  go 
to  Natal  again  divided.  One  section,  under  Trichardt, 
passed  on  to  the  extreme  north  of  what  is  now  the 
Transvaal,  to  the  Zoutpansberg.  The  other  section  of 
the  party,  under  Potgieter,  obtained  from  a  minor 
chief  a  large  portion  of  the  Free  State,  and  elected  to 
stay  there,  for  the  time  being  at  all  events.  Mosele- 
katse  was  now  ripe  for  trouble.  Convinced  of  his  title 
to  the  land,  or,  at  any  rate,  not  desirous  that  white 

i8 


A  Backioard  Glance. 

settlers  should  have  it,  he  sought  what  to  him  was  the 
only  argument,  and  dispatched  an  impi.  It  fell  on 
the  trekkers  near  what  is  now  Kroonstad,  and  was 
happily  defeated  with  such  severe  loss  that  Moselekatse 
retired. 

So  the  Free  State  was  by  the  trekkers  accounted 
theirs  by  right  of  conquest,  and  in  1837  Winburg  was 
chosen  as  the  seat  of  government.  Winburg  is  now 
little  more  than  a  village,  and  the  political  importance 
it  once  possessed  has  waned  ;  but  historically  it  will 
always  be  of  interest,  for  it  was  mainly  from  there 
that,  as  time  went  on,  the  trekkers,  whose  numbers 
had  yearly  increased  by  additions  from  the  Cape, 
extended  into  the  further  north  which  the  Zoutpans- 
berg  party  had  already  entered,  settling  in  small  com- 
nmnities  in  Potchefstroom,  Lydenburg,  and  Rusten- 
burg. 

Thus  settled,  each  little  community  had  its  own 
head  and  its  own  aspirations.  Each  professed  the 
dignity  but  lacked  the  strength  of  a  state.  There  was 
jealousy  between  the  leaders  and  danger  from  the 
natives.  To  counteract  the  jealousy  some  government, 
more  regular  than  hitherto  necessary,  was  required  ; 
to  avert  the  native  danger  an  amalgamation  of  white 
strength  was  essential.  Union  was  decided  upon.  In 
1856  an  attempt  was  made  to  join  the  divergent  parties, 
Martinus  Wessels  Pretorius  being  appointed  President. 
In  the  following  year  Pretoria  was  chosen  as  the  seat 
of  government  and  Potchefstroom  as  the  administrative 
capital,  but  the  I.ydenburg,  Zoutpansberg,  and  Utrecht 
burghers  held  aloof  from  the  arrangement.  In  i860 
renewed  efforts  were  made  to  induce  the  settlers  in 
these  districts  to  ratify   the   Union,   but   it   was    not 


19 


A  Backward  Glance. 

until  1864,  and  after  bloodshed,  that  all  were  incor- 
porated, Pretoria  became  the  sole  Capital  of  the  South 
African  Republic,  and  the  last  eddies  of  the  much 
disturbed  Great  Trek  subsided. 


30 


Historic    Pretoria, 


CHAPTRR  III. 

3^ 

'^^^HE  past  of  Pretoria  has  in  a  way  been  as  romantic 
^^  and  the  architectural  growth  in  some  respects 
ahnost  as  astonishing  as  that  of  neighbouring 
Johannesburg  ;  but  in  the  early  days  there  was  Uttle 
to  suggest  this  destiny.  The  town,,  though  the  Capital 
of  the  Transvaal,  was  a  very  modest  one  in  1864,  when 
union  between  the  Transvaalers  was  established. 
Indeed,  Pretoria  was  the  merest  village.  It  contained  only 
about  three  hundred  white  inhabitants.  Building  ma- 
terial was  costly,  money  scarce  ;  and  the  houses,  hardly 
three  score  in  number,  were  consequently  small,  squat, 
and  unimposing — too  few  in  number  and  too  scattered 
to  form  streets,  too  poor  in  structure  and  scant  in 
conveniences  to  afford  much  comfort.  Mud  floors,  and 
mud  walls  that  softened  and  caved  and  fell  under  the 
summer  rains,  were  common ;  the  sanitation  was 
primitive,  and  of  municipal  services  there  were  none. 
Such,  in  an  age  when  water-borne  sewerage  and  gas 
installations,  trams  and  railways  were  common  else- 
where, was  the  principal  town  in  a  country  destined 
to  be  proved  one  of  the  richest  in  the  world. 


21 


Hl$lorlc  Pretoria. 

It  was  a  pioneer  town  of  small  pretensions,  yet  a 
town  not  without  its  attractions.  If  there  were  little 
animation  and  less  kerbing  on  its  paths,  if  no  fine 
buildings  graced  its  embryo  streets,  there  was  at  least 
the  minor  compensation  that  the  view  of  the  natural 
surroundings  was  unobstructed,  surroundings  not  per- 
haps strikingly  impressive  in  their  grandeur,  but 
certainly  pleasing  and  inviting  in  their  picturesque- 
ness.  No  mighty  mountains  held  the  eye  ;  no  stately 
river  or  mystic  woods  or  tended  parks.  But  the  hills, 
though  small,  were  during  most  of  the  year  green  and 
soothing  ;  the  valleys  were  wooded  and  watered  and 
filled  with  game  ;  the  grassy  plains  were  wholesome. 
The  setting,  in  short,  was  attractive.  It  was  a  setting 
than  which  no  finer  had  been  encountered  by  those 
who  had  come  from  the  Cape.  The  climate  was  health- 
ful, at  times  even  delightful ;  sport  was  abundant  ; 
and  existence,  if  now  and  again  monotonous  and  even 
a  little  objectless,  was  on  the  whole  so  enjoyable,  being 
unconventional  and  healthy,  that  in  after  years  many 
meanwhile  acquainted  with  the  best  elsewhere  often 
looked  back  with  longing  to  the  Pretoria  of  the  later 
sixties. 

As  a  village  the  place  had  on  the  whole  been  delight- 
ful;  as  a  capital  "  City  "  it  was  at  times  destined  to 
be  disappointing.  The  period  of  transition,  during  the 
time  the  place  was  neither  village,  town,  nor  yet  fine 
city,  was  especially  trying.  Growth  was  slow.  What 
little  prosperity  had  been  attained  fluctuated,  waned, 
and  then  threatened  entirely  to  disappear.  There  was 
no  stability.  This,  under  the  circumstances,  was 
almost  inevitable.  There  was  nothing  to  give  an 
impetus  to  development ;  nothing  to  sustain  even 
what   development   had   taken  place.     Minerals,   both 

22 


Plate  XII. 


Plate   XIV. 


23 


Hhtorlc  Pretoria. 

precious  and  base,  the  country  had  in  abundance  ;  and 
the  farming  potentiaHties  were  good.  But  the  minerals 
had  not  yet  been  discovered,  and  in  the  absence  of 
railways,  markets  for  farm  produce  were  too  remote 
to  be  profitably  catered  for.  The  Boers,  as  a  nation, 
are  essentially  a  pastoral  people,  and  ostensibly  farming 
was  the  business  of  the  community  ;  and  catering  for 
the  farmers'  domestic  and  political  needs  was  the 
business  of  the  town.  But  though  the  Boers  all  held 
farms,  there  was  little  farming,  demand  for  produce 
being  low  ;  and  as  there  was  little  farming,  there  was 
little  spending  power — little  money  for  the  traders, 
little  revenue  for  the  officials.  It  was  necessary  to 
turn  to  some  additional  means  of  support.  Hunting 
became  a  trade. 

It  was  a  trade  after  the  Boer's  own  heart.  Inheriting 
the  disposition  which  in  earlier  days  had  sent  his 
ancestors,  the  voortrekkers,  into  the  unknown,  he 
retained  the  old  roving  instinct,  was  susceptible  to 
that  peculiar  South  African  visitation  known  as  "  trek 
fever."  Few  so  well  fitted  as  he  for  the  frugal,  arduous, 
danger-fraught,  dexterous,  exciting  life  of  the  hunter. 
Few  so  inured  to  hardship,  so  calm  in  face  of  danger, 
so  patient  amidst  obstacles,  so  callous  to  personal 
pain. 

In  those  days  hunting  paid.  Game  was  plentiful. 
The  elephant  still  roamed  the  country  in  herds  of 
mighty  tuskers.  The  feather  of  the  wild  ostrich, 
however  inferior  to  what  is  now  sold,  found  a  ready 
market  at  a  time  when  the  highly  technical  industry 
of  feather  farming  had  hardly  been  started.  The 
rhinoceros  and  giraffe  yielded  valuable  hides  ;  the  horns 
of  the  various  antelopes  fetched  good  prices,  and  better 
prices  when  resold  for  the  adornment  of  Parisian  salons 

24 


Hlttoric  Pretoria 

and  London  clubs.  The  business  of  hunting,  therefore, 
gradually  grew,  became  an  important  source  of  income, 
and  from  time  to  time  lured  its  devotees  further  and 
further  afield.  They  penetrated  the  malarial  swamps 
of  the  far  interior,  were,  familiar  with  the  natives, 
fauna,  and  general  conditions  of  Central  South  Africa, 
and  visited  the  Victoria  Falls.  But  except  around  the 
camp-fire,  where  a  gesture  or  a  grunt  conveys  much 
to  the  initiated,  little  was  said  of  these  things,  the 
Boer  of  that  day  being  a  man  of  action  rather  than 
of  words,  a  man  of  wide  sympathies  but  limited  voca- 
bulary, capable  of  feeling  but  not  apt  at  describing 
what  he  saw. 

In  such  wise  the  knowledge  of  the  country  grew, 
and  the  life  of  the  Republic  was  eked  out.  The 
quantity  of  tusks,  hides,  skins,  horns,  and  ostrich 
feathers  brought  to  Pretoria  for  exchange  was  enormous  ; 
and  a  feature  of  the  bartering  between  the  hunter 
and  the  storekeeper  was  the  almost  entire  absence 
of  coin.  There  was,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  little 
money  in  the  Republic.  For  the  average  individual, 
the  farmer  and  the  hunter,  there  was  little  use  for  it, 
so  simple  were  conditions,  so  remote  the  entanglements 
of  more  complex  societies.  Theirs  was  the  simple  life. 
Arcadian  was  their  system.  Were  a  commodity  pur- 
chased, its  equivalent  in  some  other  commodity  was 
given  in  exchange.  The  burgher  buying  a  length  of 
calico,  a  pocket  of  coffee  beans,  or  a  set  of  wheels  for 
his  wagon,  paid  for  his  purchase  a  measure  of  grain,  a 
number  of  ostrich  feathers,  or  a  consignment  of  ivory, 
hides,  or  skins,  as  the  case  might  be. 

These  trophies  were  the  only  Transvaal  products 
that  would  bear  the  cost  of  transporting.  They  were 
therefore   the    only  exports,  being   sent  principally  to 

25 


Hiiforlc  Pretoria. 

Natal  by  ox-wagon,  and  then  distributed  to  the  eagerly 
waiting  world,  which  had  nowhere  a  hunting  field  like 
that  in  Africa.  And  in  return  the  outside  world  supplied 
the  Transvaalers  with  sugar,  coffee,  and  cloth. 

Thus  arose  that  traffic  which  some  day  will  no  doubt 
have  its  epic  poet  to  sing,  in  a  style  becomingly  elevated 
and  heroic,  the  comedies  and  the  tragedies  of  con- 
veyance by  ox- wagon.  The  days  of  South  African 
transport-riding,  like  the  old  coaching  days  of  Britain, 
had  a  picturesqueness  of  their  own,  but  are  now  gone. 
Along  the  highways,  to  centres  such  as  Pretoria,  Johan- 
nesburg, and  Barberton,  the  crack  of  the  ox-whip,  the 
cries  of  the  naked,  sweating,  odorous  native  drivers, 
the  rumbhng  of  the  heavy  wagons,  are  now  seldom 
heard.  Railways  carry  all,  and  the  romance  has 
departed  from  South  African  transportation.  No 
longer,  in  the  intense  blistering  sunshine,  do  the  plains 
shimmer  with  the  dust  from  many  wheels,  or  in  the 
close  and  sultry  night  do  the  camp-fires  glow  around 
the  outspan.  No  more,  in  the  keen  and  fragrant  dawn, 
does  the  subtle  perfume  of  the  veld  assail  the  nostrils 
of  cosmopolitan  hundreds — adventurers  of  all  kinds, 
good  and  bad — prospectors,  speculators,  storekeepers, 
gamblers,  ruffians,  tenderfeet,  ne'er-do-wells,  and  what 
not  from  the  world's  ends.  No  longer  do  the  placid, 
slowly  plodding  teams  wear  out  their  lives  to  connect 
the  Transvaal  with  the  world.  But  in  the  seventies  it 
was  different.  Ox- wagon  was  the  principal  mode  of 
conveyance.  All  goods  were  carried  by  it  ;  and  twice 
or  three  times  a  year  every  rural  family  took  to  the 
road,  and  in  the  tent-wagon  travelled,  sometimes  for 
hundreds  of  miles,  to  celebrate  Nachtmaal. 

The  bartering  trip  from  Pretoria  to  Natal  and  back 
occupied  from  two  to  four  months,   according  to  the 

26 


27 


Historic  Pretoria. 

state  of  the  weather,  of  the  grazing,  and  of  the  veld 
track  which  was  oftener  than  not  a  quagmire  or  else 
a  dusty  thing  of  singular  annoyance.  The  dry  season 
was  usualty  selected  for  transport-riding,  but  was  not 
always  convenient.  When  in  the  rainy  season  the 
wagons  sank  to  the  axles,  they  had  to  be  dug  out, 
sometimes  several  times  a  day.  At  flooded  rivers  they 
were  sometimes  delayed  for  weeks.  Travelling  was 
slow,  but  by  no  means  monotonous,  because  for  mutual 
protection  the  wagons  usually  went  in  convoys,  and 
there  was  no  knowing  at  what  moment  the  transport- 
riders  might  have  to  light  for  their  lives — either  in  the 
hunt  against  lion  or  elephant  or  in  the  dawn  against 
native  attack. 

So  matters  went  on  for  a  time.  But  evil  days 
were  at  hand.  In  a  few  years  the  hunting  trade  died 
out,  game  becoming  scarcer  and  scarcer  in  their 
former  haunts,  then  almost  completely  disappearing, 
slaughtered  or  frightened  north.  The  prosperity  of  the 
Republic  waned  to  its  former  level ;  farming  paid  less, 
trade  was  as  slack  as  ever.  A  railway  was  essential 
to  development.  With  this  idea  President  Burgers 
visited  Europe  to  raise  sufficient  capital  for  a  line 
between  Pretoria  and  Delagoa  Bay.  The  line  was  not 
completed  till  many  years  later,  when  the  least  expected 
of  all  romantic  destinies — that  of  gold-supplier-in-chief 
to  the  world — had  befallen  the  Transvaal.  Meanwhile 
the  outlook  was  gloomy  and  darkened  when,  on  the 
President's  return  in  1876,  the  Bapedi  natives  rebelled. 
As  strong  a  force  as  the  resources  of  the  country  afforded 
took  the  field,  but  was  unsuccessful.  There  was  no 
money  in  the  Treasury,  no  assets  in  the  country  on 
which  to  raise  the  wherewithal  to  extend  military' 
operations.     The  country  was  suffering  from  depression 

28 


Historic  Pretoria. 

Discontent  was  rife,  counsels  were  divided.  One 
section  of  the  burghers  desired  outside  aid,  even  annexa- 
tion ;  another  section  counselled  delay.  No  course 
required  less  effort  than  that  of  doing  nothing  while 
events  turned  themselves,  and  as  that  course  was 
adopted  it  was  perhaps  unreasonable  of  those  who 
urged  it  to  quarrel  with  the  turn  events  did  take.  The 
natives  remained  a  menace  to  the  Repubhc  and  an 
incentive  to  natives  in  adjoining  territories.  So  in 
1877  the  British  Government  intervened.  Sir  Theo- 
philus  Shepstone,  accompanied  by  only  a  small 
troop  of  mounted  police,  hurried  to  Pretoria  and 
annexed  the  Transvaal.  Without  bloodshed  or  osten- 
tation, the  flag  of  the  Republic  was  lowered  and 
the  Union  Jack  hoisted  in  its  place.  Some  protested 
formally,  others  concurred  ;  and  so  the  voortrekkers, 
who  had  suft'ered  so  much  for  their  independence, 
found  the  burdens  of  state  too  much  for  them, 
and  by  sheer  force  of  circumstance  became  British 
subjects  again. 

The  Zulus,  however,  had  an  old  boundary  grievance 
against  the  Transvaal,  and  on  the  annexation  of  the 
Republic  transferred  the  dispute  to  Britain.  It  was 
an  unreasonable  claim,  and,  being  dismissed  accord- 
ingly, war  resulted.  The  peace  finally  arranged  with 
the  Zulus  upset  the  Basutos.  British  forces  sent  to 
subdue  them  met  with  little  success.  Hostilities 
rapidly  spread  towards  the  Transvaal.  And  so, 
from  one  cause  and  another,  Pretoria  became  a 
garrison  town  and  the  centre  of  quite  an  official 
community. 

It  was  a  different  Pretoria  to  that  of  the  sixties. 
The  awkwardness  of  early  growth  had  been  replaced 
by   something    of   symmetry.     The    town    had    grov>rn 

29 


Historic  Pretoria. 

pretty,  its  amenities  had  become  polished.  Streets  had 
been  evolved,  and  each  street  was  bordered  by  delight- 
ful gardens.  Rose  hedges  separated  the  houses,  and 
the  houses  stood  in  spacious  grounds,  in  gardens  where 
the  violet  and  the  honej'suckle  ran  riot  with  the  rose 
and  lent  to  the  town  a  colour  and  a  fragrance  wholly 
charming.  Cool  shady  orchards  gave  relief  from 
sunnner  heats,  and  down  each  sidewalk  crystal-clear 
streams  were  led  from  the  fountains. 

And  the  environment,  like  the  town,  was  pretty 
Around,  on  all  sides,  lay  the  low  and  verdant  hills, 
dominated  by  the  bolder  outline  of  the  blue  and  purple 
Magaliesberg ;  and  the  Aapies,  though  a  small  and 
turbid  stream,  flowed  through  many  a  cosy  picnic 
glen. 

The  population,  too,  had  increased  to  about  4000 
and  had  grown  more  cosmopolitan.  Added  to  the  Boer 
element  were  many  English,  Dutch,  and  Germans. 
The  patriarchial  hospitality,  kindliness,  and  manly 
worthiness  of  the  older  population  had  been  augmented 
by  the  vivacity  of  the  new-comers,  among  whom  was 
found  much  of  general  culture  and  social  accomplish- 
ment ;  all  of  which  added  to  the  gaiety  of  the  town, 
a  gaiety  the  more  infectious  for  its  novelty,  and  the 
more  novel  for  its  peculiar  setting.  Theatres  and  other 
places  of  amusement  were,  of  course,  absent,  and 
nobody  went  to  the  coast  for  the  summer,  the  coach 
being  tedious  and  expensive  ;  but  there  was  no  lack 
of  recreation  and  pleasure — balls,  dinners,  and  garden 
parties  for  those  in  the  whirl ;  picnics,  alfresco  concerts, 
and  mild  shooting  for  all. 

Whatever  of  strife  the  outside  world  suffered,  the 
presence  of  the  garrison  assured  the  peace  of  Pretoria  ; 
and  the  burgher,  in  his  wide  orchard,  beneath  the  shade 

30 


T>late  XVIII . 


^'^^</^^y^  ^^/lyy^  S^^^^o/^. 


Olid    ^n=]-ricDH    y/=if^c:>- 


Historic  Pretoria. 

of  the  fig  and  the  walnut  tree,  though  he  might  shake 
hi?  head  at  these  newer  ways,  at  last  found  that  con- 
crete quiet  and  security,  if  not  the  abstract  indepen- 
dence and  contentment,  for  which  he  had  sought  and 
suffered  so  long.  For  whatever  the  political  aspect  of 
the  situation,  it  was  a  pleasant  and  prosperous  era  for 
the  town.  Under  the  aegis  of  Britain,  confidence 
returned.  Money  was  again  attracted  and,  by  the 
garrison  and  newly  arrived  civilians,  freely  circulated. 
The  farmer  had  a  market  at  last.  There  was  work  of 
some  sort  for  all.  Living  was  cheap.  And  so  for  a 
while  fortune  smiled  on  Pretoria. 

The  Basuto  war  was  long-drawn,  and  the  continued 
occupation  of  the  Transvaal  by  the  British  became 
irksome  to  a  section  of  its  former  rulers.  More  money 
was  in  circulation,  trade  had  improved  ;  but  it  was  for 
independence  that  the  Boers  had  laboured,  and  it  was 
their  independence,  whatever  its  cost,  that  many  of 
them  now  began  to  desire  back.  Deputations  to 
Britain  were  sent  without  result.  An  appeal  to  arms 
was  decided  on.  A  small  commando  at  Heidelberg 
issued  a  declaration  of  independence,  and  towards  the 
end  of  1880  hostilities  commenced. 

Potchefstroom,  Rustenburg,  and  Lydenburg,  as  well 
as  Pretoria,  were  garrisoned  by  the  British.  In  Pretoria 
itself  martial  law  was  proclaimed.  Those  whose  profits 
depended  on  or  whose  sympathies  were  with  the  British 
remained.  Those  who  thirsted  for  a  return  of  the  power 
they  had  tasted,  who  forgot  the  ills  of  the  old  regime, 
or  who  in  sheer  and  perhaps  mistaken  patriotism  at 
any  cost  desired  the  country  back  under  the  old 
regime,  sided  with  the  burghers  and  were  allowed  to 
leave. 


31 


Historic  Pretoria. 

The  town  settled  down  to  withstand  a  siege.  It 
lasted  three  months.  A  cordon  of  armed  burghers, 
not  strong  enough  to  attack,  but  able  to  cut  off  the 
town  from  the  country  generally,  lay  around  Pretoria. 
Further  afield  the  Boers  under  General  Joubert  were 
doing  valiant  deeds.  In  rapid  succession  the  battles 
of  Laingsnek  Bronkerspruit,  and  Majuba  were 
fought.  In  1881  the  Transvaal  was  handed  back  to 
the  republicans,  Paul  Kruger  becoming  President  and 
continuing  in  that  office  until,  in  igo2,  the  Transvaal 
finally  became  a  British  colony. 

As  usual  after  almost  every  war,  a  period  of  depres- 
sion followed  the  events  of  1881  ;  as  usual  in  South 
Africa,  when  the  outlook  seemed  darkest  it  brightened. 
Gold  was  discovered  in  payable  quantities  at  Barberton, 
and  by  1886  in  undreamt  of  quantities  on  the  Rand. 
This  changed  the  position,  and  a  development  of  the 
erstwhile  languishing  state  followed,  so  romantic  and 
so  rapid  that  it  has  hardly  a  parallel  anywhere.  People 
of  every  nationality  flocked  to  the  Transvaal  from 
every  corner  of  the  world.  From  the  somnolence  of 
Devonshire  lanes  and  the  roar  of  London  streets,  from 
the  pits  of  Cornwall,  the  crofter's  Highland  patch,  and 
the  Irish  homestead  ;  from  Indian  heat  and  Russian 
snow  ;  from  gay  Parisian  boulevards,  Continental  spas, 
American  backwoods,  and  the  sampans  at  Chinese 
river  mouths  ;  from  ducal  mansion  and  city  slum ; 
from  the  barrister's  bench  and  the  coster's  barrow  ; 
from  pulpit  and  from  bar  saloon,  they  came,  all  classes 
and  conditions  of  men.  Yet  all  formed  in  the  same 
primary  mould — all  in  the  end  having  the  same 
passions  and  ambitions — all  yielding  to  the  potent 
lure  of  gold. 

32 


Historic  Pretoria. 

On  every  side  there  was  feverish  bustle.  The  weak 
and  halt  jostled  the  strong  and  hale  :  in  search  of 
fortune  and  adventure,  or  both,  and  health.  Jew  and 
Gentile,  believer,  unbeliever,  and  sheer  pagan  ;  white, 
yellow,  and  black  ;  on  foot  and  in  coach,  in  transport 
wagon,  private  conveyance,  donkey  cart,  crowded  the 
roads  that  led  to  the  gold.  There  were  found  the 
footsore,  friendless,  and  forlorn,  as  well  as  the  sleek, 
the  well  financed,  and  the  exultant. 

At  first  lyydenburg,  then  Barberton,  and  then  with 
a  hundredfold  intensity  the  Rand,  attracted.     Of  the 


WW^^^^WT'^W^^f^^r^^. 


Hutoric  Prttorla. 

three  fields  the  Rand  was,  of  course,  by  far  the  richest, 
but  the  mining  around  Barberton  was  in  many  respects 
noteworthy. 

It  was  Hke  a  romance  from  Bret  Harte.  The  scenery 
was  magnificent,  the  mountains  grand  beyond  com- 
parison. Only  to  see  the  place  was  to  be  thrilled. 
The  journey  alone  was  enough  to  inspire  the  digger 
with  hope ;  it  was  elevating,  ennobling,  sustaining. 
The  tortuous  mountain  road  winds  between  botilders 
and  huge  cliffs,  alongside  awful  precipices.  Mist- 
wrapped,  or  tinted  in  all  varieties  of  gorgeousness, 
range  upon  range  of  mountains  extend  into  the  dis- 
tance. Tropic  trees  and  ferns  and  creepers  fill  the 
gulleys.  Beautiful  waterfalls  pour  down  in  cascades. 
For  nine  miles  the  road  ascends  the  mountain  side. 
On  top  is  the  Devil's  Office.  It  is  well  named  :  the 
country  around  is  extremely  wild.  Below,  completely 
surrounded  by  peaks,  the  De  Kaap  Valley  lies,  called 
by  the  natives  the  Valley  of  Death.  Opposite  is  the 
little  town  of  Barberton. 

In  such  surroundings,  amidst  so  much  natural 
nobility,  the  diggers  cast  their  lot,  erected  their  tin 
huts  unashamed,  plied  pick  and  dice-box,  made  and 
lost  fortunes,  returned  whence  they  came,  or  left  their 
bones  in  hostage  with  malaria.  On  that  beautiful 
scene  the  kerosene  lamps  of  the  ramshackle  bar-saloon 
nightly  shed  their  brazen  ra3^s,  and  in  solitudes  where 
only  fever  and  silence  had  reigned  the  balls  of  the 
billiard  table,  the  banging  of  the  card-pack,  the  "  tin- 
pot  "  piano,  and  the  ribald  song  resounded,  as  nightly 
the  bearded,  sun-burnt,  muscular  diggers  caroused. 
Then  the  boom  of  Johannesburg  came  and  the  exodus 
from    Barberton    commenced.     Wealth    in    abundance 


34 


Historic  Pretoria. 

flowed  into  the  coffers  of  the  RepubHc.  Projects  long 
in  mind  were  carried  out.  Roads  were  made,  railways 
and  telegraphs  constructed,  public  offices  and  buildings 
erected,  and  general  improvements  effected  throughout 
the  country.  It  is  from  that  era  that  modern  Pretoria 
dates,  and  commenced  its  rapid  and  in  many  respects 
remarkable  architectural  growth  and  social,  political, 
and  industrial  expansion. 


■^/'|V^!'l?l/Si>^f/'-  ^/^ 


35 


^^^^^ 


The    Modern    City. 


m 


CHAPTER   IV. 

[Y   gradual   steps,    therefore,    and    through    many 
vicissitudes.  Pretoria  evolved  to  the  status  of  a 
city,   and  in   1910  became  the  Administrative 
Capital  of  the  Union  of  South  Africa. 

It  has  to-day  much  to  recommend  it.  But  it  is  not 
a  Manchester,  a  Boston,  or  a  Cairo ;  not  even  a 
Johannesburg  or  a  Capetown.  It  is  not  a  populous 
manufacturing  town,  a  centre  of  fashion,  an  historic 
health  resort,  a  gold  metropolis,  or  a  world-famed  spot 
of  singular  beauty.  Within  its  boundaries  there  is  not 
the  throb  of  intense  industrialism,  the  parade  of  a 
nation's  gaiety,  the  crumbling  monuments  of  an  age 
when  the  world  was  young  ;  no  roar  of  mining  batteries 
and  incidental  wealth  ;  no  mist-wreathed  peaks  and 
pine-clad  slopes  of  a  Table  Mountain.  Pretoria  is  not 
remarkable  for  any  of  these.  To  represent  otherwise 
would  be  to  mislead.  It  would  even  be  unnecessary, 
for  after  all  manufacturing,  fashion,  old-world  historical 
interest,  gold  mining  bustle,  and  singular  natural  beauty 
are  not  the  only  criterions  of  a  town's  claim  to  attention. 
They  are  not  the  only  standards  by  which  its  importance 


36 


The  Modern  City. 

and  attractions  may  be  judged.  A  place  may  have 
none  of  these  and  yet  be  deservedly  popular.  It  may, 
to  take  an  extreme  case,  have  the  haunting  glamour, 
the  indescribable  but  all-compelling  fascination  that 
sets  at  nought  all  shortcomings,  hardships,  and  trial, 
and  lures  again  and  again  those  who  once  have  known 
it,  as  do  the  Sahara  towns  and  villages,  the  Drakens- 
berg  Mountains,  and  the  wilds  of  Rhodesia.  Or  a 
place  may  offer  exceptional  opportunities  for  found- 
ing comfortable  homes,  as  does  Canada  ;  or  it  may 
have  an  enticing  quaintness,  as  has  Japan.  Or  it 
may  have  none  of  these  characteristics  pronouncedly, 
but  all  or  many  of  them  to  a  minor  degree,  so 
blended  as  to  combine  in  an  attractiveness  as  potent 
as  any. 

That,  as  we  conceive,  is  Pretoria's  claim  to  attention. 
It  has  not,  perhaps,  any  single  characteristic  of  out- 
standing prominence,  but  it  has  a  number  of  charac- 
teristics which,  together,  make  a  stiong  appeal  to  the 
tourist,  to  the  convalescent,  to  the  investor,  and  to 
the  worker.  Pretoria  and  district  offer  what  after  all 
are  the  main  considerations,  means  of  comfortable 
livelihood  and  even  ultimate  affluence  to  the  man  with 
energy  and  a  little  capital,  and  many  attractions  to 
the  tourists.  It  is  rich  in  unexploited  mining  and 
farming  resources.  It  is  interesting  historically  and 
scenically.  It  has  a  history  that  gives  significance 
and  interest  to  even  its  unpaved  back  streets  ;  a  chmate 
the  salubrity  of  which  would  make  even  squalor  and 
poverty  endurable ;  a  prettiness  that,  though  not 
remarkable,  is  pleasing  and  refreshing.  It  therefore 
has  attractions  which,  if  they  differ  from  those  sup- 
porting the  popularity  of  other  cities,  are  in  their  way 
as  capable  of  sustaining  a  high  reputation. 

37 


The  Modern  City. 

Pretoria  is,  however,  not  a  city  of  all  the  attractions, 
or  even  a  finished  city  bearing  comparison  with  leading 
cities  oversea.  To  represent  otherwise  would  be, 
consciously  or  unconsciously,  to  be  ironical.  Its  well- 
wishers  would  be  well  advised  to  dissuade  any  such 
attempt.  There  are  blemishes  on  the  general  fairness 
of  Pretoria  that  no  one  can  overlook,  but  the  ^airness 
of  the  place  is  such  as  can  bear  many  blemishes  and 
yet  on  the  whole  attract,  and  the  imperfections,  such 
as  they  are,  are  being  gradually  removed.  Certain 
disadvantages  the  place  still  suffers,  but  the  advantages 
so  far  outweigh  the  disadvantages  as  to  make  the  latter 
negligible  in  a  final  balancing.  Everything  considered, 
Pretoria  is  a  city  in  which  a  life-time  or  a  holiday 
might  be  happily  and  healthfully  spent  Little  more 
could  be  said  for  any  place.  Pretoria  will  therefore 
gain  most  not  by  being  misrepresented,  however  good 
the  intention,  but  by  being  shown  exactly  as  it  is. 
Not  by  heightening  the  light  and  dispelling  the  shadow, 
to  produce  a  vivid  but  fanciful  and  misleading  daub  ; 
but  by  so  blending  light  and  shade  as  shall  give  a 
faithful  picture,  revealing  what  is  good,  and  not  hiding 
what  is  otherwise. 

Pretoria  is  on  the  whole  not  yet  an  impressive  city, 
because  it  is  a  very  young  city,  the  days  of  which 
were  once  less  palmy,  the  tendencies  to  expansion  and 
ornamentation  fewer,  than  now.  Consequently  small 
and  humble  dwellings,  and  small  and  even  dingy  shops, 
rear  their  fronts  on  even  the  better  streets.  There 
was  little  systematic  tree-planting  in  the  old  dorp. 
Until  comparatively  recently  there  was  no  well-con- 
ceived town  planning  to  harmonize  the  architecture 
of  the  place.  Much  that  detracts  is  accordingly  met 
at  every  turn  :    streets  that  lack  balance  ;    streets  that 

38 


Plate  XXII. 


The  Modern  City. 

are  miles  long,  but  in  height  seldom  rise  above  the 
second  story ;  rambling  streets  in  which  beautiful 
structures  stand  cheek  by  jowl  with  some  pioneer 
shanty  ;  gardens  in  disorder  ;  trees  that  one  might 
think  were  grown  by  chance,  so  irregular  is  their 
arrangement,  so  various  and  often  unhappy  the  taste 
that  guided  their  selection. 

Trees  there  are  in  abundance,  and  beautiful  gardens  ; 
but  the  trees  are  mostly  climped  according  to  the 
unrestrained  fancies  of  their  planters,  and  such  gardens 
as  are  attractive  are  themselves  heightened  in  beauty 
by  the  proximity  of  desolate  or  unkempt  spots,  but 
in  turn  emphasize  how  far  the  scene  as  a  whole  is  from 
the  idyllic.  There  are  no  stately  avenues,  as  in  Stellen- 
bosch  or  Keuilworth  ;  no  acres  of  consistently  beautiful 
grounds,  as  in  Parktown.  In  fairness  to  prospective 
visitors  this  must  be  admitted.  But  when  it  has  been 
admitted  the  worst  has  been  said.  Suburbs  such  as 
Arcadia  and  Sunnyside,  though  somewhat  new  and 
straggling,  contain  many  charming  residences,  have 
been  consistently  well  planned,  and  promise  to  be 
delightful  when  older  and  fuller  grown  and  the  Jaca- 
randa  trees  have  had  time  to  bloom.  Streets  like 
Market  Street  contain  some  of  the  noblest  structures 
in  South  Africa,  such  as  the  railway  station,  the  new 
library  and  the  museum,  to  say  nothing  of  the  Union 
Building,  which  dominates  the  better  part  of  the  town. 
Nooks  like  the  area  around  the  P'ountains  and  around 
the  Zoological  Gardens  are  wholly  delightful.  And  the 
Square  is  beyond  question  the  handsomest  in  the 
country. 

The  fact  is  that  the  aesthetic  sense  of  present-day 
Pretorians  is  well  developed  and  so  well  pursued  that 
on  all  sides  Pretoria  is  showing  signs  of  rapidly  growing 

39 


The  Modern  City. 

beautiful.  Its  natural  environment  and  its  developing 
prospects  are  such  that  in  a  few  years  it  will  be  second 
to  no  South  African  city,  not  perhaps  in  point  of  size, 
but  in  architectural  beauty.  But  to  describe  it  as 
already  a  fme  city  of  imposing  streets,  splendid  suburbs, 
and  a  general  floral  magnificence  is  to  be  either  a 
literary  libertine — or  a  prophet. 

However,  the  sterling  efforts  of  the  present  regime 
have  been  so  whole-hearted,  so  courageous  in  spite 
of  disheartening  obstacles,  and  on  the  whole  so 
successful,  and  the  natural  winsomeness  of  the 
place  is  such,  that  criticism  is  disarmed.  One 
admits  that  in  many  respects  Pretoria  is  incongruous, 
but  one  is  forced  also  to  admit  that  there  is  a  degree 
of  charm  in  that  very  incongruity,  and  that  when  the 
city  has  attained  its  fuller  splendour  there  may  be 
more  to  admire,  but  less  to  love  ;  more  of  the  stately 
and  superb,  less  of  the  picturesque  and  winsome.  One 
therefore  enjoys  while  one  may  the  attractions  found 
in  few  cities,  but  which  in  their  way  are  as  potent 
as  any. 

There  is,  for  instance,  a  serenity  in  the  atmosphere 
of  Pretoria.  The  chmate  is  nearly  perfect.  No  doubt 
trying  spells  occur  in  summer,  but  so  they  do  even  in 
temperate  Europe,  and  South  Africans  and  Anglo- 
Indians  have  before  now  been  prostrated  by  the  heat 
of  a  summer  day  in  London.  Speaking  generally, 
however,  the  Pretoria  climate  is  delightful,  never  too 
cold  and  on  the  whole  seldom  too  hot — a  wholesome, 
exhilarating,  bracing  climate. 

The  difference  in  altitude  makes  a  sojourn  in  Pretoria 
extremely  beneficial  as  a  change  from  Johannesburg. 
The  air  is  a  soothing  mellow  air,   breathed  without 


40 


The  Modern  City. 

effort ;  an  air  that,  as  it  were,  relieves  the  tension 
caused  by  higher  altitudes  and  comforts  the  respiratory 
economy  of  a  man.  And  as  a  change  from  coastal 
cHmates,  the  Pretoria  air  is  positively  tonic — abiding 
and  irresistible  in  its  recuperative  effect.  If  only  for 
the  pleasure  of  feeling  well,  a  trip  to  Pretoria  is  a 
sound  investment.  But,  as  we  shall  soon  see,  it  is 
an  investment  that  returns  additional  dividends,  gives 
various  pleasures. 

There  are  in  Pretoria  public  buildings,  private  dwel- 
lings, shops,  cafes,  hotels,  and  other  places  of  public 
entertainment  as  good  as  any  in  the  country  ;  and 
some  are  as  bad.  There  are  beautiful  and  there  are 
unkempt  gardens ;  there  are  tree-lined  streets  and 
streets  almost  devoid  of  foliage.  A  Pretoria  street 
therefore  presents  pleasing  or  displeasing  features, 
according  to  how  one  views  it.  In  detail,  examined 
closely,  it  is  often  unimpressive  in  many  respects. 
Seen  in  long  perspective,  it  is  otherwise.  Seen  from 
the  corner  of  Schoeman  Street,  for  instance.  Market 
Street  would  command  hardly  a  second  glance.  Seen 
from  the  eminence  on  which  the  railway  station  stands, 
it  is  far  otherwise.  Especially  at  early  morning  or  at 
sunset,  the  view  is  delightful  if  one  can  disregard  the 
immediate  foreground.  Below,  in  the  farness,  He  the 
same  hills,  the  same  trees,  the  same  buildings,  that 
on  nearer  view  prompted  little  notice  ;  but,  such  is  the 
illusion  of  the  evening  haze,  the  hills  are  raised  to 
nearly  Alpine  height,  the  dome  of  Government  Building 
is  gilt,  the  church  spires  in  the  distance  rise  burnished 
from  the  glistening  foliage — all  etherealized  by  the 
sunset,  all  beauties  heightened,  all  blemishes  subdued 
by  the  mystic  haze  of  the  afterglow. 


The  Modern  City. 

If,  in  conteaiplation  of  this  scene  from  the  railway, 
one  turn  to  the  left,  it  is  to  be  disappointed  :  the  fore- 
ground is  disreputable  and  the  distance  indistinguish- 
able. But  to  the  right  it  is  far  otherwise.  It  is  like 
a  slice  from  an  Irish  scene  :  low  emerald  hills  and  on 
their  flanks  red-tiled  villas  girt  with  gardens. 
|o'iliere  is  in  this  mixing  of  the  urban  and  rural  some- 
thing wholly  delightful,  something  peculiarly  Pretorian. 
One  is  in  a  city  and  yet,  as  it  were,  in  a  rural  back- 
water. In  large  towns  elsewhere  the  consciousness  of 
being  in  a  town  is  continuous  ;  one  enjoys  the  advan- 
tages, but  suffers  the  disadvantages,  of  town  life.  In 
Pretoria  it  is  otherwise.  All  the  conveniences,  all  the 
comforts  of  a  well-appointed  modern  town  are  there. 
Except  for  one  dispiriting  corner.  Church  Square  would 
do  justice  to  the  modernity  and  architectural  pre- 
tensions of,  say,  Brussels.  But  even  in  Church  Square, 
in  the  heart  of  the  city,  there  is  something  of  rusticity. 
In  that  centre  of  official  and  commercial  stir  there  is 
a  constant  suggestion  of  rural  proximity.  The  green, 
lonely  slopes  of  the  Daspoort  and  Magaliesberg  Ranges 
are  quite  close.  One  can  feel  that  not  far  away  the 
herds  graze,  undisturbed  by  the  city's  nearness.  Indeed 
an  air  as  of  the  countryside  blows  over  the  place.  The 
square  itself  is  fresh,  clean,  and  wholesome  as  the  veld 
from  which  it  sprang,  animated  and  bustling  at  times, 
no  doubt,  but  on  the  whole  quiet  and  peaceful,  like  a 
stately  Spanish  piazza  during  the  midday  siesta  ;  a 
soothing  scene  beneath  a  blue,  calm,  sunlit  sky  ;  no 
smoke  or  dust  or  racket ;  a  delightful  change  from  the 
average  town. 

Pretoria,  to  be  properly  appreciated,  should  therefore 
be  compared  not  with  what  other  cities  are,  but  with 
what  it  was  ;    should  be  judged  by  its  romance  and 


42 


The  Modern  City. 

history,  as  well  as  by  its  appearance  ;  should  be  appre- 
ciated not  for  qualities  common  to  other  towns,  but 
for  unusual  qualities  in  which  the  unvitiated  and  novel 
predominate.  For  Pretoria,  though  now  up  to  date, 
has  lost  little  of  its  pristine  wholesomeness,  retains 
suggestions  still  of  those  moving  pictures  of  the  life, 
actions,  manners,  and  appearance  of  a  pioneer  people, 
white  as  well  as  black,  whose  like  has  now  practically 
vanished  from  the  earth.  The  Pretoria  surroundings 
remain  as  alluring  as  when  they  attracted  the  voor- 
trekkers,  and  the  breeze  blows  as  cleanly  as  once  it 
blew  across  the  kraals  when  the  snipe  rose  from  the 
marsh  where  now  the  city  stands  and  the  warriors,  in 
greeting,  reared  lance  and  buckled  shield  as  dawn 
heralded  day  across  the  breasts  of  the  brooditig  IMagalies- 
berg. 


43 


Tours    Around    Pretoria. 


CHAPTER   V. 


-yO 


HIvTHOUGH  the  age  is  an  age  of  travel,  the  art 
and  object  of  spending  a  holiday  on  tour  is 
comparatively  little  studied.  In  the  main  the 
tendency  is  to  travel  aimlessly,  leaving  much  to  chance  ; 
everybody  who  can  afford  it  travels  for  pleasure,  but 
comparatively  few  take  the  pains  to  extract  the  utmost 
pleasure  from  their  travels.  More  and  more  they  feel  the 
need  for  occasionally  leaving  the  familiar  to  seek  change 
in  the  refreshment  and  inspiration  of  new  scenes,  new 
faces,  new  thoughts  and  habits,  but  do  not  sufficiently 
realize  that  the  success  with  which  this  is  accomplished 
depends  as  much  on  the  temperament  of  the  tourist 
as  on  the  characteristics  of  the  places  toured. 

As,  therefore,  the  extent  to  which  a  resort  will  appeal 
depends  largely  on  circumstances  and  the  individual,  it 
is  unsafe  to  dogmatize  about  any  place.  Some  people 
are  habitually  unimpressionable,  unmoved,  if  not 
actually  bored,  by  scenery  and  old  associations,  or  at 
best  susceptible  only  to  what  is  urban  and  stirring. 
Others  can  enjoy  themselves  almost  anywhere,  having 


44 


Tours  Around  Pretoria. 

the  imagination,  the  quick  perception,  and  the  keen 
appreciation  to  find  satisfaction  in  every  experi- 
ence, however  trivial,  provided  it  is  new  and  contrasts 
with  everyday  routine  experience.  They  find  pleasure 
in  the  suggestiveness  of  anything  that  is  strange,  in 
the  unfamiliarity  of  new  places,  new  incidents,  new 
sounds,  new  fragrances,  colourings,  and  atmosphere — 
in  the  contemplation  of  nature  away  from  the  towns, 
in  the  peace  of  tranquil  wayside  evenings,  in  the  allure- 
ment of  voices  that  call  from  the  veld. 

With  these  reservations,  and  leaving  tourists  to 
decide  for  themselves  what  their  predilections  and 
capacities  for  enjoyment  are,  it  may  be  affirmed  that 
for  those  with  the  eyes  to  see  and  the  minds  to  com- 
prehend, there  are  several  places  in  the  Pretoria  Dis- 
trict which  well  repay  whatever  exertion  or  expense  is 
incurred  in  reaching  them.  Situated  at  distances  of 
from  three  to  twenty  miles  from  the  city  and  reached 
by  road  or  rail  are  such  places  as  the  outskirts  of  the 
bushveld,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Crocodile  River  and 
Commando  Nek  ;  The  Fountains,  Wonderboom,  Hen- 
nops  River,  Baviaans  Poort. 

None  of  these  places  aflord  accommodation  or  are  of 
a  nature  to  warrant  a  prolonged  stay,  but  each  is  worth 
visiting  with  the  necessary  lunch  basket ;  each  has 
some  claim  to  attention. 

There  is  not  about  this  Pretoria  environment  the 
almost  endless  variety  found  in  the  sea,  mountain, 
and  woodland  attractions  of  certain  coastal  resorts. 
Indeed  there  is  a  degree  of  sameness  about  Pretorian 
resorts,  and  especially  about  the  roads  that  lead  to 
them,  which  at  first  is  disconcerting.  But  gradually 
the  attraction  grows.     There  is  just  sufiicient  variety 

45 


Tours  Around  Pretoria. 

to  prevent  ennui,  but  not  sufficient  to  cause  the  rest- 
lessness prompted  by  attempts  to  stir  the  mind  to 
fresh  appreciations  at  ever>'  turn.  The  verj'  absence 
of  starthng  changes  becomes  restful  and  comforting. 
You  feel  3'ou  would  hardly  wish  it  otherwise.  You 
are  lulled  into  a  state  of  semi-somnolence,  irritating 
sensibility  deadens,  and  for  once  you  feel  peace  and 
contentment. 

That  these  resorts  are  not  as  much  v-isited  as  inferior 
resorts  elsewhere  is  perhaps  attributable  to  the  bias  of 
the  interested  or  the  injustice  of  the  irresponsible, 
whose  descriptions  have  been  somewhat  misleading 
because  conflicting,  and  conflicting  because  either 
extravagant  or  inadequate.  It  has,  for  instance,  been 
claimed  that  the  scenery  compares  with  any  in  the 
Transvaal,  not  excepting  the  mountainous  glamour  of 
Barberton  or  the  sub-tropical  splendour  of  the  low 
veld  :  and  as  a  counterblast  it  has  been  affirmed  that 
the  rivers  are  sluits,  the  ranges  insignificant,  and  the 
plains  and  valleys  on  the  whole  uninteresting.  The 
tendency  has  been  either  unduly  to  laud  or  unfairly 
to  belittle.  The  result  has  been  in  the  one  case  expecta- 
tions few  places  could  satisfy,  and  in  the  other  case 
apathy  :  not  because  the  attractions  of  the  district,  if 
justly  assessed  and  temperately  proclaimed,  are  on 
their  own  unbolstered  merits  otherwise  than  well 
calculated  to  appeal  to  visitors,  but  because  of  a  certain 
insensibility  to  the  fact  that  just  as  in  human  beings 
character  influences  more  than  appearance,  so  in  tourist 
resorts  charm  appeals  more  than  even  beauty.  There 
is  an  even  natural  beauty  that  leaves  one  cold  ;  there 
never  was  a  charm  that  did  not  stir.  Excepting 
ephemeral  colouring,  elusive  light  and  shade  efl^ects, 
and  the  glow  of  cosmopolitan  picturesqueness,  there  is 

46 


'Plate   XXII!. 


e. 


'Plate  XXVI. 


MESl 


Toun  Around  Pretoria. 

little  or  no  beauty  about  Egypt  ;  but  there  is  a  spell 
and  a  suggestiveness  even  for  those  unversed  in  historj' 
which  is  stronger  in  its  appeal  to  the  imagination,  than 
any  scenery  or  modern  pageantry  could  be. 

This  is  the  claim  for  the  Pretoria  District.  It  is  not 
without  beauty,  if  rightly  gauged  ;  not  the  vivid  beauty 
that  astonishes  one  into  admiration,  but  the  subdued 
beauty  that  by  its  very  quietness  compels  one's  liking. 
But  the  district  has  charm  rather  than  beauty  ;  it  is 
in  many  respects  alluring,  but  its  lure,  properly  under- 
stood, does  not  arise  from  rushing  waters,  towering 
peaks,  or  picturesque  foliage.  There  is  little  that  is 
impressive  about  Pretorian  streams,  little  grandeur 
about  the  Magaliesberg,  little  sublimity  about  the 
grassy  or  even  the  remoter  wooded  plains.  But  there 
is  about  the  Pretoria  district,  as  there  is  about  an 
indescribable  perfume  or  a  plaintive  melody,  a  certain 
subtlety,  a  wistful  something,  a  spell  more  vague, 
more  intangible,  yet  more  potent,  than  concrete  beauty 
— a  spell  that  stirs  till  you  not  only  see,  but  for  once 
in  a  while  feel,  feel  sensations  exquisitely  new,  experi- 
ence a  mood  that  is  singularly  pleasing.  It  is  not 
perhaps  happiness,  but  the  emotions  that  constitute 
happiness  when  fixed  in  retrospect  and  looked  back 
upon  as  remembrances.  One  realizes  this  when  one 
has  toured  the  district,  more  than  when  actually  in 
it ;  for  having  returned  whence  one  came,  it  is  to  be 
assailed  by  that  loneliness  even  in  cities,  and  that 
restlessness  and  longing  even  in  urban  repletion,  which 
the  veld,  whatever  its  shortcomings  and  whatever  its 
hardships,  breeds  in  all  who  have  known  it,  so  that 
they  return  again  and  again,  or  live  continuously  in 
the  hope  of  doing  so,  from  the  sickly  air  of  cities  to 
the  tonic  air  of  the  wilds,  from  the  leaden  skies  of  the 

47 


Tours  Around  Pretoria. 

North  to  the  great  snn-washed  splendours  of  the  South — 
to  the  South  African  veld,  and  not  least  of  all  to  the 
veld  around  Pretoria  and  district.  There  those  who 
lived  the  life  of  the  veld  found  that  success  was  pro- 
portionate to  desert.  The  hardships  and  the  reverses 
were  many,  but  so  were  the  compensations — the  clean 
life,  the  swift  eye,  the  clear  brain,  and  subtle  muscle, 
rather  than  the  length  of  the  banking  account,  ancestral 
prestige,  or  well-cut  garments  being  the  criterion  of  a 
man's  worth.  It  was  a  natural  socialism  possible  only 
in  a  land  where  a  man's  wants  were  simple,  and,  being 
simple,  were  abundantly  provided.  There  the  big 
game  roamed  in  thousands,  and  the  hunters,  alluvial 
diggers,  and  transport-riders  led  lives  of  adventure. 
It  was  the  home  of  the  lion,  the  leopard,  and  the 
elephant  ;  the  land  of  the  swollen  rain-fed  ford,  the 
dusty  trail,  and  the  shimmering  plain  where  the  hot 
air  quivered  at  noon.  There,  in  the  old  days,  death 
lurked  on  every  hand,  carried  by  most  living  things, 
from  the  lion  in  pursuit  of  the  scudding  giraffe  to  the 
mosquito  injecting  malarial.  But  still  it  was  a  land 
to  rave  about,  a  wonderland  in  which,  while  it  lasted, 
the  full  joy  of  living  was  felt.  It  was  a  land  etherealized 
when  at  evening  the  slender  fingers  of  the  setting  sun 
thrilled  over  kopje  and  krantz,  and  the  stately  koodoo, 
the  dainty  impala,  the  bushbuck,  and  the  minor  ante- 
lope, like  noiseless  wraiths  from  other  worlds  glided 
in  elfin  beauty  through  the  shaaow>'  kloofs. 

Such,  in  the  summers  of  long  ago,  was  the  bushveld 
around  the  Barberton  and  Lydenburg  Districts.  Such, 
to  some  extent,  were  also  portions  of  the  Pretoria 
District,  as  one  realizes  when,  having  crossed  the 
Crocodile  River  where  it  flows  in  an  uninteresting 
phase  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  city,  one  traverses 

a8 


Tourt  Around  Prelorh. 

the  cutting  in  the  low-lying  range  and,  through  Com- 
mando Nek,  enters  the  silenced  outskirts  of  the  once 
teeming  bushveld.  The  shadows  come  and  go  as  then 
they  did,  and  the  sunbeams  quiver  through  the  per- 
fumed dusk  of  the  resinous  foliage  ;  but  the  actors  are 
gone.  They  no  longer  outspan,  those  hardy  pioneers 
of  old,  by  the  creeks  and  the  water-holes.  No  longer 
does  the  evening  lilt  ascend  from  the  digger's  cabin  or 
the  embers  of  the  dying  camp-fires  glow  by  the  wagons. 
For  the  trekking,  the  hunting,  and  the  digging  days 
are  over  or  devoid  of  adventure  ;  the  game  paths  are 
empty,  the  wagon  road  deserted,  and  the  bushveld,  as 
glimpsed  from  Commando  Nek,  is  a  solitude  in  which 
deep  silence  reigns.  It  is  a  sunlit,  bush-clad,  hill-girt 
land  grown  drowsy.  A  quiet  restful  land  where  nothing 
stirs  save  the  leaves  that  flutter  in  the  hot  still  sun- 
shine. Nothing  more  vocal  is  heard  than  the  lulling 
drumming  of  the  tock-tockie  beetle,  nothing  more 
vibrant  felt  than  the  rustle  of  the  tall  tambuki  grass 
where  a  wandering  wind  sighs  through  it.  It  is  a 
lonely,  wistful  land  lost  in  reverie  and  veiled  in  hazy 
blue,  a  land  of  soft  colouring  and  soft  sounds,  where 
evening,  in  place  of  the  old-time  stir,  now  brings  only 
the  whirring  cadence  from  some  partridge  covey  over- 
head or  the  mournful  cry  of  a  belated  khoraan  home- 
coming. Then  the  moon's  white  blaze  pours  on  the 
empty  veld  and  the  wide-flung  plains  lie  hushed. 

Far  otherwise  is  the  place  known  as  "  The  Foun- 
tains," three  miles  from  Church  Square.  As  Pretoria 
gradually  grows  into  the  populous,  outstanding  city  it 
is  destined  to  become,  "  The  Fountains  "  will  no  doubt 
become  its  Hyde  Park,  where  in  the  cool  of  the  evening, 
beneath  the  willows  and  the  soothing  blue,  under 
branches    that    arch    above    the    avenues    where    the 

4q 


Toun  Around  Pretoria. 

diminutive  river  flows,  society  will  take  its  daily  outing 
by  the  turbid  but  not  unpicturesque  Aapies.  The 
foliage  is  rich  and  pleasing,  and  the  surrounding  hills 
intensely  green  for  the  longer  part  of  the  year,  and 
one  can  imagine  them  in  the  days  to  come  crowded  with 
villas  and  sweet  smelling  gardens. 

The  Hennops  River,  about  fourteen  miles  from 
Pretoria,  is  a  popular  picnic  resort.  Not  only  the 
place,  but  the  journey  to  it  is  pleasing,  if  not  thrilling. 
One  passes  through  a  land  of  low  green  hills  and 
verdant  pastures.  It  is  somewhat  tenantless  and 
lonely,  no  doubt,  but  has  the  charm  of  tranquil  pastoral 
homeliness — cattle  and  sheep  upon  the  hillsides  and 
drowsy  herd  boys  nodding  in  the  noontide  heat,  \vith 
here  and  there  little  farmsteads  dotted,  and  a  golden 
ghnt  upon  the  maize  fields. 

The  river  itself  is  unremarkable,  small  almost  to  the 

point  of  meanness  and  far  from  cr>'Stal-like  ;    but  it 

flows  through  an  extreme^  picturesque  setting — through 

a  witchery  of  colouring,  colour  in  the  rocks,  in  the  water, 

in  the  foliage,  in  the  atmosphere  :   and  where  the  water 

ripples  musically,   albeit  somewhat  turbidly,   over  the 

pebbled  shallows,  a  sense  of  charm  pervades,  and  one 

feels  the  place  to  be  not  perhaps  outstanding,  but  a 

place   such    as   Wordsworth    may   have   had   in    mind 

when — 

"  Pleased  if  some  souls  (for  such  there  needs  must  be) 
Who  have  felt  the  weight  of  too  much  liberty 
Should  find  brief  solace  there  as  I  have  found." 

But  perhaps  the  quaintest  and  in  a  way  the  most 
insinuatingly  suggestive  place  of  all  is  Baviaans  Poort, 
about  fourteen  miles  by  road  from  Pretoria.  It  is  a 
place  worth  travelling  further  to  enjoy.  Excepting 
the  mile-long  gum  avenue  half-way,  at  Silverton,  where 

50 


Tours  Around  Pretoria. 

a  small  stream  flows  through  a  sylvan  retreat,  the 
country,  until  one  reaches  the  hills,  is  flat  and  unex- 
ceptional, but  far  from  uninviting.  It  is  an  exhilarating 
gallop  across  the  plains,  in  the  cool  of  an  autumn  day, 
under  the  magic  of  mighty  wind-swept  spaces  ;  and 
an  even  more  delightful  journey  by  motor,  on  a  dewy- 
summer  morning,  when  the  early  rains  have  set  the 
grasses  free,  and  on  every  hand  mile  upon  mile  of 
refreshing  green  stretches  into  the  distances  where  the 
hills  stand  blue  in  the  morning  haze. 

Then,  leaving  the  roj^  i,  one  enters  a  cutting  in  the 
hills,  and  suddenly  the  scene  is  changed.  The  place 
within  is  wild  and  lonely.  The  hills  themselves  are 
comparatively  low,  but  so  abrupt  and  startling  in 
their  contours  as  to  seem  imposing,  and  so  fantastic 
in  their  arrangement  as  to  appear  a  little  weird.  But 
it  is  an  inviting  place  on  the  whole,  this  one-time  tavern 
of  the  monkey  folk,  especially  when  the  shadows  fall 
from  the  naked  sun-kissed  krantzes,  and  he  around 
the  stunted  bushes,  and  throw  broad  spokes  across  the 
little  stream  that  babbles  and  calls,  babbles  and  calls 
unceasingly,  perhaps  to  those  who  once  abode  there. 


51 


General. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


-rO 


(1)    THE    MUSEUM. 

®FTEN,  no  doubt,  a  museum  is  regarded  merely 
as  a  tedious  array  of  exhibits  :  musty  smelling 
and  possibly  instructive  to  the  interested,  but 
conveying  little  to  the  uninitiated.  Rightly  regarded, 
however,  it  should  be,  to  those  with  a  little  imagination, 
a  place  of  recreation  and  learning,  almost  as  entertaining 
and  certainly  as  instructive  as  a  theatre.  For  a  museum 
is  history  in  the  concrete,  the  record  of  man's  achieve- 
ment ;  in  it  are  the  trappings  of  the  past,  somewhat 
dingy  at  times,  perhaps,  and  even  inanimate,  but 
potent  with  significance  for  those  who  can  take  and 
develop  a  hint.  What,  for  instance,  could  be  more 
stirring  than  the  train  of  thought  aroused  by  the 
contemplation,  in  the  Pretoria  Aluseum,  of  the 
2000-years-old  mummy  suggestive  of  an  age,  of  customs, 
peoples,  and  scenes  when  the  world  was  young,  of 
splendours  and  mysteries  now  unfathomable,  of  cities 
and  nations  dead,  buried,  and  forgotten  beneath  the 
modern  cities  and  nations  of  ancient  Eg>'pt  ! 


52 


General. 

A  Venetian  sequin  or  a  vSpanish  dollar,  what  romantic 
adventures  were  not  theirs,  from  the  days  when  the 
Cape  was  the  tavern  for  all  who  fought,  trafficked,  and 
intrigued  between  East  and  West  to  the  day  when 
these  relics  found  a  resting  place  in  Pretoria  ! 

Or  to  come  nearer  our  own  history.  Is  there  not 
poignant  suggestiveness  and  even  tragedy  equal  to  that 
of  any  staged  drama  in  contemplating  the  crude  but 
lovingly,  laboriously-engraved  little  tombstone  wrought 
and  erected  by  some  lonely  saddened  survivor  to  the 
memory  of  the  first  English  lady  who  found  an  exile's 
grave  in  the  remote  wilds  of  Matabeleland  nearly  a 
hundred  years  ago  ? 

One  visualizes,  too,  times  that  were  passing  strange, 
and  to  a  peaceable,  security-loving  generation  almost 
incomprehensible,  when  musing  on  the  history  of  the 
wonderful  cannon  made  almost  without  facilities  by 
the  voortrekkers,  and  the  implements  of  destruction 
used  by  the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  maybe  against 
some  Oriental  slaver  or  European  buccaneer.  How 
many  hopes,  how  many  fortunes,  how  many  lives 
depended  on  the  efficacy  of  these  rude  weapons  ? 
Could  they  but  talk,  what  acts  of  heroism  and  devotion, 
what  tragedies  and  comedies,  would  stand  revealed  ? 
One  can  only  surmise,  but  in  the  surmising  there  is 
much  that  is  profitable  and  entertaining,  the  only 
cause  for  annoyance  being  that  the  collections,  though 
good  of  their  kind,  are  far  from  complete  and  their 
histories  far  from  being  thoroughly  known  and  fully 
proclaimed.  For  these  omissions  our  ancestors  are  to 
blame,  but  they  had  other  and  more  pressing  things 
to  think  about.  The  moral  is,  however,  plain  :  in  a 
country  like  South  Africa,  where  so  many  of  the  old 


53 


General. 

conditions  and  implements  were  so  novel  and  are  so 
rapidly  passing  away,  it  cannot  but  be  in  the  interest 
of  all,  and  therefore  should  be  an  object  of  all,  thoroughly 
to  support  national  institutions  like  the  Pretoria  Museum 
by  saving  for  and  presenting  to  the  museum  everything 
worthy  of  such  a  destiny,  or  in  assisting  those  who  do 
this  by  supporting  the  museum  and  taking  a  live 
interest  in  it.  It  costs  so  little  either  in  effort  or  money  ; 
it  means  so  much  for  future  generations,  and  even  for 
ourselves.  It  is  desirable,  so  that  those  not  exclusively 
occupied  by  the  mundane  may  for  their  refreshment 
and  enlightenment  occasionally  step  from  the  modern 
everyday  world  into  the  dim  cloisters  of  the  past,  there 
in  imagination  to  live  for  a  while  as  our  forebears  lived, 
and  see  spread  out,  in  a  narrow  compass,  within  high 
walls  and  a  roof,  all  that  is  redolent  of  early  South 
Africa — of  the  Bushmen  and  the  Hottentots  and  the 
game  that  roamed  the  veld,  of  the  Kaffirs  when  they 
lived  in  barbaric  splendour,  of  early  settlers  on  pioneer 
farm  and  in  pioneer  tovv^n  :  the  life  of  the  kraal  and 
the  camp  and  the  mining  hut,  of  a  time  when  South 
Africans  were  in  many  respects  rougher  and  hardier 
than  now,  but  in  other  respects  more  romantic  and 
more  picturesque.  It  is  a  national  work,  this  con- 
servation of  what  is  of  South  African  historical  interest : 
a  work  in  which  all  should  help. 

The  Pretoria  Museum  was  commenced  in  1892  \vith 
a  small  collection  of  objects  of  national  interest.  Some 
years  later  natural  history'  specimens  were  added.  In 
1896  faunistic  work  was  started.  Since  then  the  object 
has  been  to  study  the  flora  and  fauna  of  South  Africa 
in  general  and  of  the  Transvaal  in  particular,  and  to 
make  the  collections  as  complete,  as  instructive,  and 
as  generally  interesting  as  possible. 

54 


Plale   XXVII. 


Plalc   XXIX. 


BAVIAANS     POORT. 


Plate  XXX. 


General. 

The  collections  at  present  accessible  to  the  pubhc 
are  exhibited  in  six  halls.  The  first  contains  mounted 
South  African  birds,  their  nests,  and  eggs  ;  the  second 
and  third  hall  contain  South  African  mammals,  reptiles, 
amphibians,  and  fishes,  as  well  as  exhibits  of  the  more 
important  internal  and  external  parasites  which  are 
capable  of  causing  so  much  damage  to  the  live  stock 
and  crops  of  farmers.  The  fourth  room  contains  what 
is  perhaps  of  most  general  interest — the  historical  and 
ethnographical  collections  and  coins,  and  the  other  two 
rooms  foreign  mammals  and  birds. 

An  important  part,  indeed  the  greater  part,  of  the 
historical  and  ethnographical  collections  is  not  on  view, 
being  stored  away  owing  to  want  of  room  in  the  present 
premises,  but  when  the  new  premises  in  Market  Street 
are  occupied  this  will,  of  course,  be  remedied. 

The  entomological  collections  are  also  inaccessible  to 
the  general  public  for  the  present.  Over  125,000  South 
African  specimens  have  been  named  and  classified,  but 
want  of  cabinets  and  space  prevents  the  scientific 
classification  of  thousands  of  exotic  insects.  The 
important  herbarium,  too,  is  inadequately  housed,  and 
the  reference  library  attached  to  the  museum  scattered 
variously.  No  doubt  this  all  detracts  from  the  general 
usefulness  of  the  institution,  not  only  because  many 
valuable  specimens  are  for  the  time  being  stored  away, 
but  also  because  even  the  specimens  on  view  are  in 
many  instances  so  huddled  through  want  of  space  that 
their  significance  is  dwindled.  This  will,  however,  be 
altered  when  the  palatial  new  building  in  Market 
Street,  which  is  to  house  the  museum  for  the  future, 
is  taken  over.  Accommodation  there,  if  not  ample, 
will  at  least  be  sufficient ;    and  it  may  confidently  be 


55 


General. 

expected  that  with  such  improved  housing  the  exhibits 
will  be  displayed  to  proper  advantage  and  catalogued 
and  classed  so  as  best  to  facilitate  inspection  and 
study. 


(2)    THE    PRETORIA    ZOO. 

Of  vSouth  African  zoological  gardens  that  at  Pretoria 
is  probably  the  most  charming  and  the  most  interesting. 
Few  places  are  better  worth  visiting.  The  grounds  are 
extensive  and  beautifully  laid  out,  and  accommodate 
a  collection  of  animals  that  is  both  large  and  varied. 
Just  to  saunter  through  the  flower-brightened  paths, 
or  to  rest  in  the  shade  of  the  silver-oaks  and  palms,  is 
distinctly  pleasurable  ;  and  at  every  turn,  in  the  cages, 
paddocks  and  ponds,  something  to  instruct  or  entertain 
will  be  found. 

The  zoo  is  a  miniature  world,  in  which  has  been 
gathered  something  suggestive  of  nearly  every  corner 
of  the  outer  world.  There  every  rank  and  grade  of 
the  animal  world  live,  if  not  in  amity,  then  at  least 
in  toleration.  There  the  aristocrat  and  the  proletariat 
from  the  forests,  mountains,  rivers,  plains,  valleys,  and 
seas  of  the  known  earth  live  in  a  kind  of  socialism,  all 
wants  being  provided  and  existence  rendered  effort- 
less. The  zoo  is  the  acme  of  cosmopolitanism — a  true 
democracy,  where  artificial  barriers,  save  in  the  matter 
of  bars  and  wire  netting,  have  been  levelled,  all  natural 
fears  and  preying  instincts  so  far  allayed  that  the  deer 
suckle  their  young  undismayed  by  the  roar  of  the 
adjacent  lion,  the  doves,  knowing  the  efficacy  of  netting, 
coo  openly  in  view  of  the  eagle  ;  there  the  leopard 
gambols  with  the  baboon,  the  vulture  preens  the  wing 
of  the  Nile  goose   and,    disregarding   dietics,    takes  a 

56 


General. 

friendly  interest  in  the  goslings.*  Food  and  comfort 
come  automatically,  and  the  incentive  to  kill  is  there- 
fore largely  reduced. 

The  environment  of  the  Pretoria  Zoo  is  so  beautiful 
that  thousands  of  visitors  are  attracted  yearly,  and 
so  admirably  adapted  to  the  widely  differing  tempera- 
ments and  needs  of  the  various  denizens  that  they 
make  it  their  home  and,  with  certain  limitations  of 
course  follow  their  usual  avocations,  chewing  the  cud 
of  utter  contentment,  bringing  forth  and  rearing  their 
young,  basking  lazily  in  the  comforting  sunshine,  and 
dreaming,  no  doubt,  of  the  jungle  they  once  trod  or 
the  seas  they  skimmed.  Each  cage  and  enclosure  is  a 
lattice,  so  to  speak,  through  which,  with  a  little 
imagination,  one  gets  a  glimpse  of  luxuriant  forests, 
snow-capped  Himalayan  peaks,  mighty  rivers,  lonely 
African  plains,  sun-scorched  deserts,  and  sparkling  seas. 

Blue,  3'ellow,  and  red  macaws  flash  their  gorgeous 
plumage  in  the  sun-flecked  shadows  of  the  entrance 
avenue,  and  a  parrot  in  green  screams  its  "  Hello  !" 
to  the  visitor.  Their  surroundings  are  very  different 
to  those  of  their  native  haunt  ;  but,  perhaps  because 
they  have  forgotten,  they  are  a  contented  party.  The 
overflowing  seed  dish  and  protection  from  kestrel, 
puma,  and  jaguar  are  perhaps  some  compensation  for 
the  absence  of  that  lurid  hot-house,  their  one-time 
home,  where  in  places  the  Amazon  flows  six  miles 
broad  and  forests  sweep  3000  miles  inland  to  the  Andes. 
The  tonic, air  and  the  brilliant  sunshine  of  Pretoria 
are  perhaps  some  compensation,  even  to  an  exotic 
bird,  for  the  sweeping  forests  and  tropic  vapours  where 
the  palm,  myrtle,  acacia,  and  mimosa,  gnarled  by  the 
centuries  and  shrouded  by  the  heavy  luxuriant  climbers. 

*  "  The  next  cage  shows  us  a  Cheetah  and  an  East  African  Baboon,  grown  up  together 
When  one  considers  that  a  baboon  is  always  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  moMt  exquisite 
delicacies  of  a  leopard's  menu,  one  may  really  marvel  at  the  absolute  friendship  of  thege 
two  animals,  who  by  their  constant  and  funny  play  make  one  of  the  most  attraotiva 
•zhiblta  In  tb*  (iektd»n»."—Sxtract  from  Curator  t  Report. 

57 


General. 

close  their  ranks  so  densely  that  beneath  the  tree  tops, 
in  the  hot,  miasmal  atmosphere  of  the  Amazon  banks, 
day  is  a  dim  affaii  of  faltering  twilight  and  night  an 
awesome  pall  of  utter  black.  It  is  a  distant  and,  one 
may  suppose,  an  unregretted  home,  for  on  their  Pre- 
toria perches  the  macaws  now  drowse  uncaring  through 
the  slumbering  afternoon  of  the  African  summer  and 
the  Amazon  parrot  utters  its  scrap  of  English  with 
something  akin  to  pride. 

The  pond  close  by,  among  other  denizens,  contains 
a  pair  of  seals.  The  day  can  at  times  be  hot  at 
Pretoria,  and  the  zoo  pond  is  often  discoloured.  One 
then  pities  the  seals,  taken  from  cool,  wholesome, 
sparkling  seas  and  dumped  a  thousand  miles  inland 
where  even  the  smell  of  the  ocean  is  denied  them. 
But  it  is  misplaced  pity,  for  suddenly  their  affectation 
of  lethargy  vanishes  and  in  a  very  whirlwind  of  admir- 
able, if  mistaken,  zeal  they  swim,  dive,  and  romp, 
with  a  gusto  and  dexterity  sadly  disconcerting  to  the 
other  inmates  of  the  pond. 

Perhaps  they,  too,  have  their  compensations,  for 
though  accustomed  to  congregate,  especially  in  the 
breeding  season,  and  though  now  isolated  far  from 
their  kind  (in  what  at  best  is  an  artificial  environment 
sans  ice  floe,  salt  spume,  dashing  wave),  the  female 
enjoys  the  attractions  of  monogamy,  and  the  old  male, 
though  deprived  of  the  harem  he  would  have  had  under 
the  old  regime,  is  on  the  other  hand  spared  the  necessity 
for  continuously  defending  it  from  adventurous  suitors 
and  himself  from  unceasing  domestic  squabbles  such 
as  turn  the  natural  breeding  places  of  the  seals  into 
places  of  din  and  turmoil. 

The  bear  den  contains,  among  other  interesting 
occupants,  a  denizen  from  the  far-off  Himalayas,  who, 

}« 


Gtneral. 

in  the  cool  of  Indian  evenings,  may  have  loitered  once 
by  the  banks  of  the  Brahmaputra.  Honey,  roots,  and 
a  little  flesh  formed  his  diet  in  those  days  and  were 
sought  in  divers  and  widely  differing  places,  ranging 
from  the  dry  icy  heights  of  the  "  snow  abode  "  to  the 
lower,  hotter,  and  wetter  regions  along  the  great  plain 
of  Asia.  His  was  the  saunter  from  the  aromatic  pine 
slopes  and  keen  air  of  the  upper  altitudes  down  to  the 
palms,  bamboos,  tree-ferns,  and  orchids  of  the  plains, 
where  the  sunbird,  the  vividly  coloured  trogon,  and 
the  beautiful  kingfisher  have  their  home  with  the  cobra 
and  the  python,  the  tiger  and  the  elephant. 

The  elephant  is  a  companionable  brute.  For  pre- 
ference, rather  than  for  protection,  it  wanders  in  herds, 
gambolling,  when  in  jovial  mood,  with  a  lightness 
that,  considering  its  size,  is  nothing  short  of  wonderful, 
or  lolling  in  the  jungle  shadows  during  the  noontide 
heat,  or  bathing.  The  solitary  female  at  the  zoo, 
musing  perhaps  on  such  past  jaunts,  is  inclined  at  times 
to  be  pensive,  when,  in  the  absence  of  water,  she  may 
be  seen  moodily  squirting  sand  over  ponderous  shoul- 
ders. Maybe  her  thoughts  are  with  the  calf  which,  in 
happier  circumstances,  would  be  by  her  side  amongst 
the  plantains  and  the  bamboos  of  an  Asiatic  home. 
But  she  is  an  amiable  and  gentle  though  a  somewhat 
heavy  dame,  and  whatever  her  thoughts  or  ambitions 
may  be  is  inclined  to  sink  them  on  the  advent  of  a 
banana  which  she  nimbly  but  courteously  filches  from 
the  spectator. 

The  lion  is,  in  a  paternal  sense,  essentially  a  family 
animal.  He  attaches  himself  to  one  mate  only  and 
lives  with  her  for  life — that  is  to  say,  for  her  life,  as 
instances  are  on  record  where,  in  the  stress  of  hunger 
or  wrath,  Uons  have  killed  and  eaten  their  consorts. 

39 


General. 

As  a  bachelor,  too,  he  is  in  many  respects  sociable. 
He  hunts  with  other  bachelors  until,  under  the  influence 
of  jealousy,  discord  ensues,  when  the  weaker  is  killed 
and  the  victor,  suing  the  lithe  one  of  the  contention, 
roars  nightly  in  the  wilderness  till  she,  stirred  by  the 
pairing  instinct,  slinks  from  her  family  circle  and  not 
without  a  certain  coyness  joins  her  fierce-blooded 
suitor  in  some  rocky  fastness  of  their  own,  killing  with 
him  only  when  hungry  or  annoyed,  rearing  her  cubs 
while  her  lord  hunts  for  their  food.  And  when  family 
affairs  have  been  eased  and  the  young  have  been  taught 
to  fend  for  themselves,  she  joins  her  savage  mate  in 
social  evenings  ;  when,  as  Gordon-Cumming  has  written, 
the  roar  of  the  assembled  lions  at  the  water-holes,  in  a 
unison  that  is  extremely  impressive,  constitutes  a 
nocturnal  concert  inconceivably  stirring  and  grand. 

There  are  two  lionesses  and  a  lion  at  the  Pretoria 
Zoo.  The  elder  of  the  former  is  somewhat  aged, 
extremely  brittle  in  temper,  soured  either  by  spinster- 
hood  or  confinement,  her  sociability  so  far  destroyed 
that  on  a  companion  being  placed  in  her  cage  she 
immediately  broke  his  back. 

The  male,  however,  seems  a  placid  animal,  largely 
given  to  basking  in  the  sun  with  a  dreamy  far-away 
look  in  his  yellow  eye,  and  a  nervous,  ceaseless  twitch- 
ing of  his  sinuous  tail  tip,  as  though  in  the  farness  he 
saw  visions  that  stirred  his  slumbering  passions  ;  or 
maybe  some  whimper  or  some  whiff  from  the  adjacent 
cage,  in  which  his  fierce  mate  suckled  her  newly  whelped 
brood,  may  have  roused  his  paternal  feelings,  stirred 
instincts  connected  with  freedom,  the  plains,  and  the 
hunt. 

Of  Diana  monkeys  there  are  a  pair  in  the  zoo, 
delicate,  refined,  almost  human  animals  from  the  fetid, 

60 


General. 

impenetrable,  excessively  rank  vegetation  of  the 
Equator,  where  the  mahogany,  the  teak,  and  the 
ebony  grows,  where  the  mighty  Congo  plunges  in 
gorges  and  rapids,  and  the  Arab  slave  raiders  once  had 
their  loathsome  strongholds. 

So  one  wanders  between  cages,  paddocks,  and 
aviaries,  seeing  continuously  something  to  instruct  and 
interest,  something  to  widen  the  horizon  of  one's  out- 
look by  reminiscences  and  suggestions.  Of  all  the  animals 
there,  the  hippopotamus  is  perhaps  the  most  curious, 
a  huge  ungainly  brute  like  some  relic  from  primeval 
times,  resembling  nothing  else  that  walks  the  earth 
to-day.  He  is  a  full-grown  bull,  exceedingly  ugly  and 
unwieldy,  but  capable  of  a  passionate  attachment  to 
his  native  keeper,  whose  frequent  admonitions  appear 
to  conve}^  something  to  whatever  understanding  lies 
behind  the  absurdly  small  eyes  in  that  wierdly  ponderous 
head. 

Though  the  cemented  pond  in  which  this  hippo, 
spends  most  of  his  time  is  small  and  gives  little  oppor- 
tunity for  the  dexteious  diving  and  the  perambulating 
on  the  river  bottom  in  search  of  adventure,  for  which 
hippos,  in  their  natural  environment  are  noted,  these 
deficiencies  are  no  doubt  made  up  for  by  the  fact  that 
the  zoo  rations  are  uncommonly  good.  Huge  slabs  of 
moistened  mealie  meal  slip  down  his  capacious  mouth 
and  are  swallowed  with  the  rapidity  and  ease  of  03'sters 
down  a  human  throat,  the  while  the  ridiculously  beady 
eyes  peer  greedily  for  more,  and  the  small  flexible  ears 
twitch  alertly  as  though  to  catch  some  distant  sound, 
some  grunt,  perhaps,  to  charm  a  lonely  captive,  such 
as  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Zambesi  is  nightly  heard  when 
the  hippos,  leave  the  water  and  walk  the  banks  in 
search  of  food  and  gallantry. 

61 


Ceneral. 

To  enumerate  all  the  denizens  of  this  zoo  would  be 
to  take  up  too  much  space  and  the  place  would  still 
be  done  less  than  justice.  There  are  bisons  from  the 
American  prairies,  bears  from  Japan,  pumas,  leopards, 
and  llamas ;  camels  from  the  burning  deserts  and 
tamarisk-shaded  oases  of  the  Sahara  ;  scores  of  different 
kinds  of  antelopes  and  birds  innumerable,  each  single 
specimen  oi  which  is  worthy  of  some  individual  atten- 
tion. 


(3)    THE    LIBRARIES    OF    PRETORIA. 

Of  the  numerous  departmental  libraries  for  the  use 
of  officials,  to  which  public  access  is  more  or  less 
restricted,  the  library  of  the  Agricultural  Department 
is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important.  Other  non- 
public, though  not  purely  departmental,  libraries  are 
the  Supreme  Court  Library  and  Legislative  Council 
Library,  The  one  librarv  is  lodged  in  the  Palace  of 
Justice  and  contains  several  thousand  legal  works, 
access  to  which  is  limited  to  members  of  the  Bar. 
The  other  library,  which  was  begun  a  few  years  before 
Union,  is  in  Government  Buildings.  It  contains  a 
wide  selection  of  books,  principally  of  a  reference 
character,  intended  primarily  for  the  use  of  members 
of  the  Pro\'incial  Council  and  officials. 

The  State  Library,  frequently  styled  the  Government 
Library,  is  the  old  "  Staats  Bibliotheek  "  of  the  Trans- 
vaal Republic,  and  fulfils  very  successfully  the  functions 
of  a  public  library.  It  is  also  a  depository  for  official 
publications,  and  contains,  among  its  50.000  odd  books 
and  documents,  many  valuable  collections  dealing  with 
the  history  of  South  Africa,  and  particularly  of  the 
Transvaal,  from  the  earliest  times. 

62 


Tlate   XXXI  y 


General. 

This  library  has  been  housed  for  the  past  nine  years, 
after  two  previous  changes  of  premises,  in  the  Church 
Street  buildings  formerly  known  as  the  "  Staats  Druk- 
kerij  "  of  the  Transvaal  Repubhc.  The  occupation  of 
these  premises  will,  however,  not  continue  long.  The 
library  will  shortly  be  transferred  to  the  more  imposing 
and  commodious  building  recently  erected  at  the  top 
of  Market  Street. 

This  library  was  started  in  1887  and  has  grown  from 
very  modest  beginnings  into  an  important  institution. 
Its  constitution  and  regulations,  as  now  in  force,  were 
approved  and  established  by  resolution  of  the  Executive 
Council  in  1893  and  confirmed  by  the  Government  in 
1903. 


(4)    THE    BACTERIOLOGICAL    STATION. 

A  few  miles  outside  Pretoria  is  situated  the  world- 
famed  institution  for  the  study  of  animal  diseases — 
the  Transvaal  Bacteriological  Station.  It  is  a  branch 
of  the  Union  Agricultural  Department  and  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  £60,000,  which  in  an  extensive  stock- 
breeding  country,  where  without  adequate  protections 
the  ravages  from  stock  diseases  might  entail  the  loss 
of  millions,  is  one  of  the  best  public  investments  ever 
made. 

The  station  is  the  headquarters  for  continuously 
investigating  and  administering  measures  to  check 
stock  diseases  of  all  kinds,  and  under  the  aegis  of  some 
of  the  most  brilliant  veterinarians  of  the  age  has  done 
remarkably  good  work. 

63 


General. 

(5)    THE    CLIMATE    OF    PRETORIA. 

The   following   statistics   are   the   averages   deduced 
from  seven  years'  ofHcial  observations  : — 
Rainfall. 

City  :       29  -51     inches  District  :    27  -84  inches 

per  annum.  Rain  fell  on  per  annum.  Rain  fell  on 
an  average  of  82  days  an  average  of  72  days 
per  annum.  per  annum. 

Mean  Maximum  Temperature. 

Summer 81  -2°  F. 

Winter 72 -2°  F. 

Mean  Minimum  Temperature. 

Summer 55-4°  F. 

Winter 41-3°  F. 

Sunshine  (Town) — Mean. 
Sum.mer  mean  :    66  per  cent,  of  possible  hours  of 
sunshine. 

Winter   mean :     82   per   cent,   of  possible   hours   of 
sunshine. 

Humidity — 8  a.m. 
Winter  mean  :    72  per  cent,  relative  humidity. 
Summer  mean  :    72  per  cent,  relative  humidity. 

Humidity — 7  p.m. 
Summer  mean  :    65  per  cent,  relative  humidity. 
Winter  mean  :    58  per  cent,  relative  humidity. 

(6)    EDUCATIONAL    FACILITIES. 

Transvaal  University  College. 

This  institution  is  the  chief  centre  of  higher  education 
in  the  Transvaal,  and  is  fully  equipped  for  preparing 

64 


General. 

pupils  for  all  university  examinations  above  the  Matricu- 
lation and  up  to  and  including  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts.  Although  the  college  has  not  been  long  founded, 
some  of  its  students  have  found  their  way  to  Oxford 
and  the  principal  educational  finishing  centres  of 
Europe  and  America. 

The  college  buildings,  surrounded  by  ample  recreation 
fields,  are  situated  near  Rissik  vStation.  They  consist 
of  two  detached  blocks,  which,  however,  are  only  a 
portion  of  a  larger  design  to  be  completed  when  the 
growth  of  the  institution  warrants.  The  front  block  is 
Byzantine  in  style — two  stories  in  height,  and  contains 
classrooms,  biological  and  geological  laboratories,  lecture 
rooms,  library,  a  large  lecture  hall,  professors'  rooms, 
and  offices.  The  back  block  is  a  single-story  building, 
and  is  occupied  by  the  departments  of  chemistry  and 
physics  ;    it  contains  also  two  lecture  rooms. 

The  institution  is  an  autonomous  body  with  an 
independent  council  and  constitution.  For  a  full 
degree  course  the  fee  is  ;fi6  per  annum,  payable  half- 
yearly  in  advance,  and  for  separate  subjects  it  is  £4.  4s. 
per  annum. 

The  stafi  consists  of  professors  in  Latin,  Greek, 
English,  philosophy,  economics,  history,  Dutch, 
mathematics,  physics,  and  chemistry,  and  a  com- 
petent body  of  lecturers  in  other  subjects. 

Fuller  particulars  may  be  obtained  from  the  Secretary 
to  the  Council,  Mr.  D.  G.  Hafner. 

Boys'  High  School. 

There  are  two  institutions  in  Pretoria  which  make 
provision  for  secondary  education — the  High  School 
for  Boys  and  the  High  School  for  Girls. 

6.S 


General. 

The  High  School  for  Boys  is  situated  on  the  side  of 
the  kopje  to  the  south-west  of  the  town,  in  rural, 
healthful  surroundings.  The  main  building  of  the 
school  consists  of  two  floors  :  on  the  ground  floor 
there  is  a  large  assembly  hall  with  a  gallery,  and  round 
it  are  grouped  classrooms,  laboratories,  a  gymnasium, 
and  excellent  lavatory  accommodation.  On  the  first 
floor  are  more  classrooms,  the  school  library,  the  head- 
master's study,  and  a  masters'  common  room.  Every- 
thing that  experience  could  suggest  has  been  provided 
to  make  the  school  as  convenient  in  plan  and  as  fully 
equipped  for  educational  purposes  as  possible.  There 
are  two  detached  wings  to  the  building  used  as  boarding- 
houses.  They  are  well  designed  and  furnished,  and 
capable  of  accommodating  eighty  boarders. 

The  governing  body  of  the  school  consists  of  eight 
elected  and  four  nominated  members. 

The  course  of  instruction  is  planned  to  prepare  the 
pupils  for  the  Cape  University  Matriculation  Examina- 
tion.    The  school  fees  range  from  £2  to  £4  per  term. 

The  boarding  fees  are  £12.  los.  per  term.  Bursaries 
are  offered  by  the  Transvaal  Education  Department. 

The  playing  fields  are  extensive  and  athletics  and 
games  are  well  organized.  A  railway  station  is  within 
a  few  minutes'  walk  of  the  school  and  a  tram  terminus 
within  easy  access. 

About  250  pupils  attend  regularly. 

The  headmaster  is  Mr.  W.  H.  Hofmeyr,  M.A.  (Cam- 
bridge). 

High  School  for  GirU. 

The  High  vSchool  for  Girls  is  situated  on  a  large  plot 
of  ground  bounded  by  Visagie  and  Skinner  Streets,  but 

66 


General. 

the  intention  is  to  erect  new  buildings  outside  the  town 
near  the  University  College.  The  new  boarding-house 
has  already  been  commenced. 

The  present  school  building  consists  of  two  stories, 
and  contains  airy  and  well-lighted  classrooms,  rooms 
for  music,  drawing,  science,  and  a  gymnasium. 

Connected  with  this  school  there  is  a  preparatory 
school  for  boys  and  girls  under  ten  years  of  age.  The 
average  enrolment  of  the  two  establishments  is  320, 
including  between  60  and  70  boarders. 

Great  attention  is  paid  in  the  school  to  physical 
training  in  a  way  to  help  and  not  hinder  the  mental 
training  of  the  pupils.  The  curriculum  is  the  same  as 
that  of  the  High  School  for  Boys  and  bursaries  are 
offered  annually. 

The  fees  for  the  day  school  vary  from  ;^i.  los.  in 
the  lower  to  £;^  in  the  upper  school  per  term.  Music, 
singing,  painting,  and  dancing  are  extras,  but  in  no 
case  do  the  fees  in  any  of  these  subjects  exceed  £^ 
per  term. 

The  headmistress  is  Miss  B.  Aitken,  an  M.A.  of 
Dublin  University  and  a  graduate  in  honours  of  Cam- 
bridge. 

Pretoria  Normal  College. 

The  Normal  College  proper  consists  of  a  fine  modern 
range  of  buildings,  which  provide  teaching  accom- 
modation for  all  students  and  residential  accommodation 
for  women  in  two  hostels.  The  buildings  are  well 
designed,  fully  equipped,  and  attractively  situated  in 
extensive  grounds  in  Rissik  Street,  Sunnyside.  Close 
by  boarding  accommodation  for  male  students  is  pro- 
vided in  the  residence  occupied  by  Sir  Arthur  Lawley 

67 


General. 

when  he  was  lyieutenant-Goveruor  of  the  Transvaal, 
hut  additional  quarters  are  to  be  erected  to  meet  the 
increased  number  of  applications  for  accommodation. 

The  large  number  of  Government  primary  schools 
in  Pretoria  is  a  great  advantage  to  the  Normal  College, 
as  the  students  are  enabled  to  obtain  a  very  varied 
range  of  knowledge  and  experience  in  practical  teaching, 
while  wthin  easy  range  of  the  town  there  are  schools 
the  conditions  of  which  approach  very  closely  to  those 
of  the  farm  school. 

Recreations  and  sports  of  all  kinds  are  well  organized. 

From  time  to  time  courses  of  instruction  are  given 
at  the  college  during  the  winter  school  vacation  for 
teachers  who  are  already  in  the  service  of  the  Trans- 
vaal Education  Department. 

The  principal  of  the  college  is  Mr.  E.  Garnett,  from 
whom  fuller  particulars  may  be  obtained. 

Pretoria  Trades  School  and  Polytechnic. 

This  school  provides  technical  education  in  trades  ; 
connected  with  it  is  a  polytechnic  in  which  a  more 
advanced  curriculum  is  given.  The  school  has  a 
governing  body  of  its  own,  but  is  under  the  super- 
vision of  an  officer  of  the  Education  Department. 

Wagon-building,  carpentry,  plumbing,  electrical 
engineering,  farriery,  etc.,  are  taught  in  well-equipped 
workshops,  and  there  are  continuation  classes  in  the 
evenings.  Classes  are  also  held  for  literary  and  com- 
mercial subjects,  and  lectures  are  given  on  the  theoretical 
side  of  technology. 

Attached  to  the  school  is  a  Polytechnic  Club,  which 
serves  to  bring  the  students  together  for  outdoor  as 
well   as   indoor   recreation.     The   curriculum   aims   at 

68 


General. 

providing  preparation  for  the  examinations  of  the  City 
and  Guilds  of  London  Institute,  the  Sanitary  Institute, 
and  the  Johannesburg  School  of  Mines  and  Technology. 
The  principal  is  Mr.  Sidney  Wood,  B.vSc.  (ist  Class 
Honours),  I^ondon,  M.E.,  C.E.,  from  whom  all  par- 
ticulars may  be  obtained. 

Pretoria  Manual  Training  Centre. 

The  Pretoria  Manual  Training  Centre  is  on  the 
grounds  of  the  Gymnasium  School,  Proes  Street.  It 
is  a  centre  for  woodwork  instruction  and  is  attended 
by  all  boys  from  Standards  IV  in  the  schools  in  the 
immediate  vicinity. 

The  object  of  the  instruction  is  not  the  training  of 
future  tradesmen,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Trades  School, 
but  simply  to  give  a  manual  dexterity  which  will  be 
useful  in  any  walk  of  life  the  pupil  may  afterwards 
follow.  A  manual  training  centre  has  also  been  estab- 
lished at  the  Boys'  High  School. 

The  principal  in  manual  training  in  the  Pretoria 
(town)  area  is  Mr.  Daniel  Linekar. 


69 


Pretoria  Municipally. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ITS    HISTORY    FROM    1880. 

^H^UNICIPAIvLY  Pretoria  already  compares 
|[^||^  favourably  with  many  of  the  older  towns  of 
South  Africa,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  its 
municipal  vicissitudes  have  been  as  numerous  and 
varied  as  those  of  the  voortrekkers  themselves.  It 
owns  its  various  public  services,  such  as  w^ater  supply, 
electric  supply,  and  tramways,  and  will  soon  have  its 
public  abattoirs,  swimming  baths,  and  cattle  markets 
which  at  the  time  of  writing  are  under  construction, 
together  with  such  public  works  as  sewerage,  storm- 
water  diains,  kerbing  and  guttering,  road-making, 
All  this  has  been  accomplished  in  little  more  than  a 
decade,  as  the  Municipal  Charter  of  the  City  only  dates 
from  1903. 

It  was  in  1880,  or  thirty-three  years  ago,  that 
responsible  municipal  government  was  first  meditated 
in  Pretoria.  A  proclamation  by  Sir  Owen  I,anyon 
gave  a  charter  to  the  town  and  a  municipal  election 
was  held.  A  Dorps  Raad  was  formed  and  the  late 
Mr.  J.  C.  Preller  was  elected  first  MayoT  of  Pretoria, 
but  he  never  took  his  seat  as  such,  the  first  Transvaal 
war  breaking  out  shortly  afterwards. 


70 


Plate  XXXV. 


<^      pR£/ORlUS     3T    ^     JOWH     H-FfLL^ 

THiw II  II  II  II    I  I  '  Hjilii  ••'•  '         '  ,. 


^ 


Plalc    XXXVIl. 


^3\nc  xhX^^ad^ 


Plate  XXXVUI. 


^I'u'l'Mnifl  !t 


!^  1^ 


<  Mil  11  11  IKI  II 


Ipli'lil-.'.--:  ":"  !LU.(ttl'l-M 


EDUCATIONAL     INSTITUTIONS 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

Thereafter,  until  1897,  the  municipal  affairs  of  the 
town  were  controlled  chiefly  by  the  I^anddrost,  or 
Magistrate,  assisted  by  Commissioners,  but  in  December, 
1897,  a  Temporary  Town  Council  (Tijdelik  Stads- 
bestuur)  was  appointed  by  proclamation  of  the  late 
President  Kruger,  dated  20tli  December,  1897,  and 
published  in  the  Staatscourant  of  29th  December,  1897. 
The  Council  consisted  of  the  following  gentlemen,  who 
were  nominated  by  the  Government  :  —Messrs.  E.  P.  A. 
Meintjes,  T.  N.  de  VilHers,  P.  G.  van  der  Byl,  P.  Botha, 
R.  K.  Iroveday,  E.  F.  Bourke,  P.  Beyers,  P.  Kruger, 
P.  Mare,  Advocate  F.  W.  Reitz,  and  Dr.  G.  W.  S. 
lyingbeek.  The  foregoing  eleven  gentlemen  represented 
the  town,  and  were  assisted  by  the  following  four 
gentlemen  representing  the  Government  : — Mr.  C.  E. 
Schutte,  Captain  A.  Schiel,  Dr.  Messum,  and  Mr.  E.  Lutz 
(Town  Engineer). 

Mr.  T.  N.  de  Villiers  was  appointed  Chairman, 
Advocate  F.  W.  Reitz,  Vice-Chairman,  and  Mr.  J. 
Bosch  was  appointed  the  first  Town  Clerk. 

A  grant  of  £1000  was  made  by  Government  in 
December,  1897,  to  defray  necessary  expenses,  and 
thereafter  two  grants  of  ;£5ooo  were  made  on  22nd 
February,  1898,  and  17th  May,  1898,  whilst  ;^22,468 
was  paid  by  Government  to  the  Landdrost  during  1898 
for  repairs  to  streets,  sanitation,  salaries,  wages,  feeding 
of  mules,  etc.  Altogether  there  was  provided  for 
Pretoria  in  the  1898  Estimates  the  sum  of  ;^6o,300. 
In  1899  the  Estimates  for  Pretoria  for  repairs  and 
maintenance  of  streets  amounted  to  £40,000. 

The  only  municipal  revenue  at  this  time  appeared 
to  be  the  erf  tax,  which  was  an  annual  tax  of  los.  on 
a  vacant  erf  and  one  of  30s.  on  an  erf  which  was  built 
upon. 

71 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

The  various  services  of  the  town,  water  supply, 
electric  supph%  tramways,  markets,  and  even  the 
sanitary  service,  had  been  granted  to  various  persons 
as  concessions,  and  the  town,  municipally,  was  in 
this  position  when  the  second  Transvaal  war  broke 
out. 

In  February,  1902,  a  Proclamation  by  the  Military 
Governor  created  a  Nominated  Town  Council  and 
conferred  upon  them  various  powers,  including  that  of 
rating.  In  1903  a  Municipal  Elections  Ordinance  con- 
ferred responsible  municipal  government  upon  the  city, 
and  a  Municipal  Rating  Ordinance  superseded  the 
rating  powers  of  the  1902  Proclamation.  A  compre- 
hensive Municipal  Corporations  Ordinance  was  passed 
later  in  1903,  which  would  have  given  the  newly  elected 
Council  greatly  enhanced  powers  had  they  chosen  to 
come  under  the  operation  thereof  and  abandon  the 
1902  Proclamation,  as  they  were  invdted  to  do.  But 
the  adoption  of  the  new  Ordinance  automatically 
repealed  the  old  Stads  Regulaties  (Town  Regulations) 
of  1899,  which  still  remained  on  the  Statute  Book. 
To  these  regulations,  which  prohibit  the  use  of  the 
footpaths  b}^  natives  and  coloured  persons  among  other 
things,  the  then  Town  Council  attached  so  much 
importance  (and  the  ratepayers  were  with  them  in 
the  matt'^r)  that  they  steadfastly  refused  to  be  brought 
under  the  Ordinance,  thereby  sacrificing  a  revenue  of 
some  ;f3000  per  annum  from  erf  tax,  which  was  exacted 
by  Government,  but  which  under  the  Ordinance  was 
created  municipal  revenue.  The  Council's  application 
to  be  brought  under  the  Ordinance,  minus  the  section 
objected  to,  was  refused,  and  the  Council  of  Pretoria, 
until  November,  1912,  remained  without  powers 
possessed  by  every  other  municipaht}^  in  the  Transvaal. 

72 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

In  spite  of  this  disability,  and  with  the  aid  of  the 
Hmited  powers  conferred  by  the  1902  Proclamation, 
plus  other  powers  acquired  by  private  legislation,  and 
the  application  of  portions  of  the  various  Municipal 
Ordinances  promulgated  by  the  Government  from 
time  to  time,  the  City  progressed  rapidly.  All  the 
services  of  a  municipal  nature  concessioned  away  (with 
the  exception  of  the  Market  Concession)  were  actiuired 
by  the  Council  before  the  end  of  1904,  and  an  era  of 
real  municipal  activity  and  progress  was  entered  upon, 
which  is  continuing  at  the  present  day. 

Population. 

The  population  of  greater  Pretoria,  including  suburbs 
at  present  outside  the  municipal  area,  MiUtary  Canton- 
ments, and  other  large  Government  institutions,  as 
estimated  in  December,  1912,  is  as  follows  : — 

European 38,850 

Coloured 22,550 

Total 61,400 


The  civil  population  within  the  municipality,  as 
estimated  in  December,  1912,  is  43,400,  made  up  as 
follows  : — 

European 26,000 

Coloured ,  ,  .    17,400 

ToTAi, 43,400 


Valuation  and  Rates. 

The  total  valuation  of  the  town,  including  non- 
rateable  and  Government  property,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Union  Buildings,    which  are  not  yet  valued,  i? 


73 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

£10,485,213.  Of  this  amount  £7,760,958  is  rateable. 
Rates  are  levied  on  the  full  vahie  of  land  and  buildings, 
and  the  rates  for  the  years  1911,  1912,  and  1913  were 
2d.,  2jd.,  and  2M.  in  the  £1  respectively.  These  rates 
cover  all  general  municipal  services,  such  as  street  and 
road  making,  street  watering  and  cleansing,  health  and 
fire  protection,  parks  and  pleasure  groun.ds,  etc.,  but 
do  not  cover  the  personal  services  of  water  supply, 
household  refuse  removal,  and  sewerage  or  sanitary 
services,  for  which  separate  charges  are  made. 

Water  Supply. 

The  water  supply  of  Pretoria  is  derived  from  a  series 
of  dolomite  springs,  having  their  outlet  on  the  portion 
of  the  farm  Groenkloof,  locally  known  as  the  "  Foun- 
tains Valley,"  at  an  altitude  some  150  feet  above 
Church  Square,  and  in  distance  three  miles  from  Church 
Square.  At  present  the  approximate  discharge  of  the 
combined  fountains  is  6,000,000  gallons  per  diem. 
About  five  years  ago  the  combined  discharge  of  the 
springs  fell  to  5,000,000  gallons  ;  an  increase,  however, 
took  place  after  the  great  flood  of  1909.  During  the 
period  covered  from  August  to  December  the  con- 
sumption of  the  community  is  roughly  4,000,000  to 
5,000,000  gallons  per  diem.  There  is  practically  no 
restriction  placed  upon  the  domestic  consumption  of 
water  by  the  inhabitants  of  Pretoria.  Domestic  con- 
sumption has  come  to  be  recognized  as  including  the 
watering  of  gardens,  and  in  this  direction  water  is  used 
lavishly,  the  consumption  during  the  summer  being 
practically  100  gallons  per  head  per  diem,  and  for  this 
consumption  the  following  charges  are  made  : — 

los.  per  quarter  for  dwellings  (building  value  only) 
valued  at  £250  to  £3  per  quarter  for  dwellings 


74 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

valued  at  £6000  and  over.  For  gardens  the 
charge  is  ^i  per  annum  for  each  7000  square  feet 
of  garden  on  which  water  is  used. 

Meters  are  only  used  on  Government  institutions, 
hotels,  and  large  business  premises.  Before  any  meter 
charge  is  made  against  the  Government  they  are  entitled 
to  100,000  gallons  of  water  per  diem  free  of  charge. 
The  vSouth  African  Railways  are  entitled  to  600,000 
gallons  of  water  per  diem  free  of  charge,  but  their 
consumption  at  the  present  is  far  below  this  figure. 
The  charge  to  the  Government  over  and  above  the 
100,000  gallons  is  is.  per  1000  gallons.  Business 
premises  are  charged  at  the  rate  of  2S.  per  1000  gallons 
up  to  a  certain  quantity,  and  thereafter  is.  3d.  per 
1000  gallons.  The  Kent  and  Tyler  meters,  British 
Positive,  are  used  locally.  Water  is  at  present  delivered 
by  means  of  three  mains,  varying  in  diameter  from 
18  inches  to  10  inches,  but  this  older  scheme  is  being 
rapidly  abohshed.  The  total  flow  of  the  springs  will 
at  an  early  date  be  delivered  to  a  reservoir  by  means 
of  a  3-foot  diameter  reinforced  concrete  aqueduct,  and 
the  water  will  be  stored  in  a  service  reservoir,  which 
will  have  a  capacity  of  6,000,000  gallons.  From  this 
point  water  will  be  distributed  throughout  the  whole 
municipal  estate  by  means  of  steel  and  cast-iron  pipes 
to  reservoirs  in  Arcadia,  Sunnyside,  and  the  western 
town  lands.  Pumping  is  necessary  to  the  higher  areas 
of  Arcadia  and  Sunnyside,  particularly  that  area 
occupied  by  the  Union  Government  Buildings.  The 
water  is  about  7°  hardness  and  is  perfectly  clear  and 
absolutely  pure.  No  filtering  has  at  any  time  been 
found  necessary.  An  analysis  of  the  water  is  made 
weekly. 


75 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

Electric  Supply. 

The  electric  supply  of  Pretoria  is  D.C.  at  250  or  500 
volts,  over  a  radius  of  about  two  and  a  half  miles. 
The  charges  per  unit  are  as  follows  : — 

Lighting,  6d.  per  unit. 

To  bona  fide  private  dwelling-houses,  6d.  per 
unit  for  such  number  of  units  in  one  month  as 
is  represented  by  i  unit  for  each  £100  valuation 
of  buildings  plus  12  units,  and  for  all  in  excess 
of  this,  2d.  per  unit. 
Power  rate. — First  500  units  a  month,  3d.  per  unit. 
Next    500     ,,  ,,        2d. 

,,     icoo     ,,  ,,        id.         ,, 

All  over  2000  units  a  month,  |d.         ,, 
Two  rate  meters  are  installed  for  any  consumer  at  a 
charge  of  2S.  6d.  per  month,  when  all  day  consumption 
is  charged  at  power  rates. 

Tramways. 

The  electric  tramways  cover  about  11 J  miles  of 
route,  and  radiate  from  Church  vSquare  to  Railway 
Station,  West  End,  Hospital,  Zoo,  Sunnyside,  Arcadia, 
and  Union  Buildings.  The  fares  are  3d.  cash  or  2d. 
by  coupon  per  stage.  All  routes  from  Church  Square 
are  one  stage,  with  the  exception  of  Sunnyside,  Arcadia, 
and  Union  Buildings  routes,  which  are  divided  into 
two  stages. 

The  cars  leave  the  Railway  Station  for  Church  Square 
and  other  routes  at  least  every  seven  and  a  half  minutes, 
and  extra  cars  meet  all  important  passenger  trains. 

Special  cars  can  always  be  provided  to  meet  large 
parties  arriving  by  train,  on  notice  being  given  in 
advance  to  the  Municipal  Tramways  Department. 

76 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

Sewerage  System  and  Sanitation. 

The  sewerage  system  of  Pretoria  is  that  known  as 
the  "  Water-borne  System,"  and  has  cost  approxi- 
mately a  quarter  of  a  milhon  sterhag.  The  whole  town 
is  saturated  with  sub-soil  water,  and  this  has  necessitated 
sub-soil  drains  being  laid  under  all  reticulation  and 
other  sewers.  About  forty  miles  of  reticulation  sewers 
have  been  laid,  which  constitutes  practically  the  whole 
of  the  reticulation  system  of  Pretoria  proper,  the  only 
portion  of  the  municipality  as  yet  which  has  been 
sewered.  Stoneware  pipes,  having  the  Stanford  bitu- 
men joint,  are  universally  used.  The  intercepting  trap 
on  the  street  boundary  is  not  provided.  The  recom- 
mendation of  the  Departmental  Committee,  appointed 
by  the  President  of  the  Local  Government  Board,  has 
been  adopted.  No  special  arrangement  has  been  made 
with  regard  to  ventilating  the  street  sewers,  and  no 
nuisance  has  so  far  arisen,  and  each  nuisance  as  it 
arises  will  be  dealt  wdth  on  its  merits.  The  stoneware 
pipes  used  are  of  Transvaal  manufacture,  and  are 
vitrified  and  glazed  by  the  usual  methods.  The 
reticulation  system  connects  at  various  points  with 
3-foot  diameter  reinforced  concrete  outfall  sewer, 
which  discharges  its  contents  at  the  sewage  outfall 
works  situated  at  the  lowest  portion  of  Pretoria  proper, 
and  at  the  extreme  edge  of  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  municipality.  The  outfall  works  consist  of  Watson 
detritus  cone-shaped  tanks,  with  automatic  supply 
tanks  feeding  continuous  aerating  filters.  The  medium 
of  aerating  filters  is  composed  of  granite,  graded  from 
I  inch  to  3  inches,  resting  on  a  false  floor  of  aerating 
tiles.  The  effluent  from  the  filters  passes  direct  into 
the  Aapies  River.  The  sludging  of  the  detritus  tank 
takes  place  daily  and  is  discharged  into  septic  tanks, 


77 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

which  have  no  contact  whatever  with  the  aerating 
filters.  The  septic  effluent  passes  thence  on  to  suitable 
loamy  soil,  which  is  cultivated  with  lucerne.  No  part 
of  the  septic  effluent  finds  its  way  into  the  river. 

The  scheme  as  a  whole  is  still  in  progress.  The 
effluent  so  far  from  the  works  has  been  entirely  satis- 
factory from  every  point  of  view.  The  manager  in 
charge  of  the  outfall  works  acts  jointly  under  the 
control  of  the  Town  Engineer  and  the  Medical  Officer 
of  Health,  and  this  officer  has  a  knowledge  of  chemistry 
and  agriculture  and  is  possessed  of  general  business 
aptitude.  The  daily  chemical  analyses  are  made  by 
the  manager  at  the  laboratory  at  the  works.  Samples 
of  sewage  are  analysed  and  a  complete  record  kept  of  the 
behaviour  of  the  effluent.  The  works  are  capable  of 
dealing  with  3,000,000  gallons  per  diem,  which  is  based 
on  30  gallons  per  head  per  diem  on  a  population  of 
100,000,  so  provision  has  been  made  for  nearly  two 
and  a  half  times  the  whole  population  of  the  munici- 
pality. 

The  charges  for  connections  to  the  municipal  sewers 
are  ;^i.  los.  per  annum  for  each  w.c.  for  Europeans 
and  each  urinal  space  of  27  inches  in  width,  and  los, 
per  annum  for  each  w.c.  for  the  use  of  natives.  In 
addition  to  this,  a  rate  of  ^d.  in  the  ^^i  is  levied  on  the 
valuation  of  all  property  in  the  sewered  area,  whether 
built  upon  or  not. 

Prior  to  the  introduction  of  the  sewerage  system, 
the  Council  were  carrying  out  8588  pail  services,  of 
which  1500  were  daily  and  7088  tri-weekly.  The 
removals  are  performed  between  11  p.m.  and  4  a.m., 
and  the  service  has  been  described  as  the  cleanest  and 
most    efficient    in    the    whole    of    South    Africa.     The 

78 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

charges  are — for  daily  services,  £y.  los.  per  annum  ; 
tri-weekly  services,  £^  per  annum.  About  4000  of 
these  services  are  ceasing  as  properties  in  the  sewered 
area    are    connected    to    the    sewers. 

The  household  rubbish  removal  service  is  carried  out 
daily  or  bi-weekly  at  the  wish  of  the  householder  ;  the 
charges  being — for  a  daily  service,  ;^5  per  annum  ; 
bi-weekly  service,  ^Ti.  los.  per  annum. 

Fire  Department. 

The  Fire  Department  is  housed  in  a  magnificent 
building  at  the  corner  of  Koch  and  Minaar  Streets. 

The  premises  were  specially  designed  for  the  purpose 
and  give  accommodation  for — 
Officers, 

15  married  firemen, 
and  a  number  of  single  men. 

The  building  comprises — 
Watchroom, 
Engine-room, 
Offices, 
Gymnasium, 
Billiard-room, 
Reading-room, 
Messroom, 
Workshop,  etc., 
and  was  erected  during  1912  at  a  cost  of  ^30,000. 

The  equipment  consists  of — 

53  Gamewell  street  fire-alarm  boxes, 
8  Circuit  station  instruments  and  recording 

set. 
17  Private  fire  alarms. 
17  Private  telephones. 

79 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

1  Motor  chemical  engine. 

2  Motor  turbine  pumps. 

I  Motor  turntable  fire  escape. 

I  Motor  ambulance. 

I  Motor  car  for  chief  officer. 

The  whole  of  the  fire  hydrants  throughout  the  muni- 
cipal area  are  of  the  pillar  pattern. 

The  Ambulance  Department  is  under  the  control  of 
the  brigade,  and  about  400  cases  are  attended  to 
annually. 

The  cost  of  upkeep  of  the  department  is  approxi- 
mately ;^8ooo  per  annum. 

The  brigade  was  established  in  1902  and  the  fire 
losses  in  that  year  amounted  to  £30,843.  They  have 
steadily  decreased  year  by  year,  and  for  the  present 
municipal  year  the  fire  losses  amounted  to  £2000. 

Great  attention  is  accorded  to  the  question  of  fire 
prevention  by  the  brigade,  and  separate  inspections 
are  made.     These  inspections  cover — 

Theatres, 

Public  buildings, 

Petrol  and  oil  stores,  and 

Commercial  buildings  generally, 
and  the  effect  of  these  inspections  has  been  consider- 
able in  reducing  causes  of  fire,  while  the  general  influence 
of  the  Fire  Department's  prevention  policy  is  giving 
fire  protection  that  standing  which  it  merits  as  a  highly 
important  economic  feature  in  municipal  and  national 
life. 

Roads,  etc. 

The  condition  of  a  number  of  the  principal  roads  in 
Pretoria  is  excellent,  but  much  has  yet  to  be  done  in  this 

80 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

direction.     The  Council   are   considering   the   question 
of  raising  a  special  loan  of  ^250,000  for  this  particular 
purpose.     The  following  statistics    show    some  of  the 
permanent  work  accomplished  since  1902  : — 
Number  of  miles  of  road  made 
since  1902 — 

ist  class 25^  miles. 

2nd  class 62  J      „ 

88     miles. 

Kerbing  and  guttering 25     miles. 

Storm-water  drains 35         „ 

Sewers 25        „ 

Electric  tram  track 13^       ,, 

Aapies  River  canalization....     2-9  miles,  complete. 
Aapies  River  canalization  ..  .     1-3       ,,     partial. 


Total 4-2  miles. 

Labour. 

The  supply  of  labour  in  Pretoria,  white  and  coloured, 
is  generally  sufficient  for  all  requirements,  with  the 
exception  of  trained  female  domestics,  white  or  coloured, 
for  which  there  is  always  a  demand. 

The  rates  of  pay  of  men  in  the  municipal  service 
may  be  taken  as  a  fair  criterion  of  wages  paid  in 
Pretoria  : — 

Natives,  unsldlled — 35s.  to  50s.  per  month,  with 
housing  and  rations. 

Natives  (sanitary  service) — ^^3  to  £$  per  month. 

Mule-drivers  (white) — 7s.  6d.  to  8s.  6d.  per  day. 

81 


Pretoria  Municipally. 

Steam-roller  drivers  (white) — i6s.  per  day. 

Masons,  fitters,  carpenters,  smiths,  and  other  artisans 
— 2S.  6d.  per  hour. 

Gangers  (white) — 7s.  6d.  to  15s.  per  day. 

Foremen  and  inspectors — 22s.  6d.  to  25s.  per  day. 

Book-keepers,  cashiers,  clerks,  Hcence  officers, 
draughtsmen,  and  other  officials  on  the  permanent  staff 
have  fixed  grades,  and  their  salaries  range  from  £120 
to  ;f500  per  annum. 


82 


)[^^^(^ 


The  Architecture  of  Pretoria. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

"  An  honest  tale  speeds  best,  being  plainly  told." 
(By  V.  S.  R.  P.) 
"IIVrETORIA   lies   more   or   less   in  a   hollow,  sur- 
n^     rounded  by  hills,  of  which  Meintjes  Kop  is  the 
most  important,   and  of  considerable  eminence,  on  the 
northern  side  of  the  town. 

The  climate,  although  warm  in  summer,  is  during 
the  autumn  and  winter  months  as  perfect  as  any  in 
the  country. 

Nature  has  been  generous  to  Pretoria  in  many  ways, 
and  the  various  opportunities  afforded  will  it  is  hoped 
be  treated  to  give  the  town  an  added  impetus  towards 
that  future  for  which  nature,  its  position,  and  the  course 
of  politics  and  industrial  development  have  combined 
to  single  it  out.  I<ake  and  lay-out  schemes  are  under 
careful  consideration,  together  with  industrial  and  other 
big  propositions  backed  up  by  fine  efforts  in  design 
and  architecture. 

In  setting  out  on  this  great  enterprise,  a  start  has 
been  made  from  a  definite  standpoint,  directing  efforts  to 
a  single  end,  and  labouring  under  no  illusion  as  to  its 
aims  and  objects. 

83 


The  Jlrchitecture  of  'Pretoria. 

Despots  in  ancient  times  made  it  one  of  their  objects 
to  build  on  a  big  scale,  partly  to  display  their  own 
magnificence  and  power,  yet  recognizing  the  fact  that 
the  beautification  of  their  cities  was  the  best  method 
of  appealing  to  the  people  and  attracting  visitors,  at 
the  same  time  giving  the  idea  of  civic  and  national 
dignity  and  advancement. 

Confronting  us  in  every  direction,  we  are  made 
aware  of  a  modern  daybreak  in  architecture,  and  the 
great  work  of  architectural  education  is  being  pro- 
moted. 

It  is  therefore  the  duty  of  each  one  to  strive  that 
this  heritage  may  pass  on  to  our  successors  greatly 
magnified  and  improved  in  beauty,  and  of  no  less 
instruction  to  them  than  it  has  been  to  us,  fighting 
earnestly  against  the  modern  vanity  which  would 
obliterate  all  traces  of  bygone  days,  when  art  was  living, 
with  the  dull  imported  present-day  stamp  of  feeble 
copyism  or  wilful  falsification. 

It  is  hoped  that  this  modern  garden  city  which  has 
had  an  auspicious  start  will  have  power  to  show 
capacity  to  reject  the  bad  and  accept  the  good  of 
older  civilization ;  to  build  and  lay  out  permanent 
and  beautiful  records  of  faith  in  itself  and  for  the 
ultimate  advancement  of  the  nation. 

As  has  been  frequently  said,  true  art  is  of  national 
growth,  and  the  outcome  and  corollary  of  national  life, 
not  only  the  concern  of  a  special  class  or  profession  ; 
we  are  on  the  eve  of  developments  which,  wisely 
directed,  will  make  our  architecture  a  national  art. 

Those  who  are  capable  of  looking  boldly  towards  the 
future  will  not  be  disposed  to  deny  the  fame  the  Capital 
deserves  and  the  redeeming  influence  already  produced 
by  good  work  on  the  art  and  architecture  of  the  country. 

84 


The  Architecture  of  "Pretoria. 

It  may  not  be  inopportune  to  take  a  general  survey 
of  some  of  the  most  important  architectural  works 
in  Pretoria,  which,  when  seen,  will  speak  for  them- 
selves. 

Upon  entering  the  City  through  the  Fountains  Valley, 
a  picturesque  panoramic  view  is  obtained  of  the  sur- 
rounding hills  and  general  outlay,  stretching  towards 
the  eastern  suburbs  and  away  beyond  for  miles. 

Right  across  upon  the  opposite  range  of  hills  facing 
the  entrance  to  Pretoria  rear  the  sister  towers  of  the 
Union  Buildings,  with  bold  unbroken  skyline,  in  which 
the  opportunity  to  display  genius  for  design  has  been 
fully  grasped.  A  most  striking  effect  of  this  noble 
building  is  obtained  just  before  sunset,  when  it  stands 
up  bathed  in  roseate  glow,  while  all  the  surroundings 
remain  in  deep  shadow. 

Railway  Station. 

Situated  at  the  highest  part  of  the  town  on  the 
south  side  is  the  newly  completed  Railway  Station, 
facing  down  Market  Street.  Of  noble  dimensions  and 
built  in  stone,  this  building  certainly  displays  character 
in  the  simple  architectural  treatment  adapted  for  a 
sunny  climate.  The  roof  has  wide  overhanging  eaves 
laid  with  red,  local-made,  pan-shaped  tiles,  and  in  the 
centre  rises  a  stone  clock  turret  or  fleche. 

The  various  waiting  and  refreshment  rooms  have 
wall  linings  of  marble,  each  of  different  colours. 
The  furniture  has  all  been  specially  designed  and 
made  of  South  African  woods. 

Leading  out  from  the  main  hall,  which  has  a  domed 
and  vaulted  ceiling,  supported  by  pohshed  red  granite 
columns,  is  placed  a  wide  loggia  stretching  almost  the 

8.5 


The  Architecture  of  "Pretoria. 

whole  length  of  the  main  fa9ade.  A  porte  cochere 
forms  the  central  feature,  above  which  forms  a  balcony 
leading  from  the  upper  arcade. 

A  piazza  spreads  out  in  front  of  the  building  planted 
with  turf  and  ornamental  evergreen  trees,  through 
which  run  the  trams,  stopping  in  front  of  the  main 
entrance. 

Museum,  Library,  and  Art  Gallery. 

After  leaving  the  Railway  Station  and  half-way 
down  towards  Church  vSquare  is  placed  the  New  Museum 
Buildings. 

The  main  fa9ade,  which  is  built  of  stone,  forms  a 
two-story  colonnade  on  either  side  of  central  entrance. 
Although  the  scheme  is  only  partially  complete,  the 
side  wings  having  yet  to  be  added,  this  block  is  massive 
and  dignified  in  appearance. 

Fire  Station. 

The  New  Fire  Station,  which  has  just  been  opened, 
is  almost  opposite  the  Museum  Buildings,  but  in  an 
adjoining  street.  This  building  looks  well  with  a  red- 
tile  roof  and  white  plastered  walls,  standing  upon  a 
base  of  rough  local  stone. 

Church  Square. 

The  Church  vSquare,  which  at  one  time  was  a  barren 
and  uninteresting  open  space,  now  wears  a  vastly 
improved  and  orderly  appearance. 

At  the  entrance  from  Market  Street,  on  the  south 
side,  a  flight  of  steps,  extending  the  width  of  the 
street,  leads  down  into  the  Square  proper,  bounded 
on  either  side  by  massive  carved  "  pylons,"  bearing 
the  arms  of  the  Union  and  the  Municipality.  At  the 
foot  of  the  steps  are  placed  pedestals  for  lions,  which 
will  be  fixed  in  position  in  the  near  future. 

86 


5^ 


m 


!  ^'1  .a 


Plate   XLl. 


COUNTRY   CLUB,  WATERKLOOF. 


The  Archileclure  of  'Pretoria. 

From  the  "  pylons "  the  retaining  wall  is  built, 
forming  an  elipse  on  plan,  in  which  recessed  fountains 
are  placed. 

A  classic  balustrade  surrounds  top  of  wall  at  the 
pavement  level.  Pedestals  occupy  positions  at  each 
entrance,  upon  which  will  be  placed  bronze  statues  of 
eminent  South  Africans. 

Upon  the  lower  or  northern  side  of  the  Square, 
pillars  are  placed  to  receive  bronze  chains,  and  along 
the  pavements  an  avenue  of  trees  {Lagustnen  jafonica, 
are  planted,  affording  a  shady  and  majestic  walk) 
at  the  same  time  giving  a  balance  to  the  whole 
scheme. 

The  centre  of  the  Square  is  occupied  by  a  large 
circular  flat  spray  fountain,  with  m.assive  granite  urns 
at  the  angles,  in  which  palms  are  planted.  Opposite 
these  urns  bronze  lamp  standards  will  be  fixed  for 
illuminating  purposes.  A  bronze  figure  will  occupy 
and  form  the  central  feature,  with  decorative  bronze 
reliefs  in  each  panel.  The  footways  across  the  Square 
will  be  paved  with  granite,  laid  in  patterns,  and  divided 
by  terra-cotta  urns  containing  ornamental  trees.  The 
remaining  spaces  within  the  vSquare  have  been  planted 
with  lawns. 

The  two  angles  on  north  side  above  wall  are  occupied 
by  tramway  pavilions,  with  offices  in  the  basement. 

The  whole  scheme  has  been  carried  out  in  local 
granite,  and  a  fine  architectural  effect  has  been  obtained. 

Po«t  Office. 

The  New  Post  Office  is  of  stone,  built  upon  a  granite 
base,  three  stories  in  height,  and  occupies  a  corner  site 
upon  the  west  side  of  Church  Square.     The  "  style  " 

87 


The  Architecture  of  'Pretoria. 

is  bold  and  dignified  in  treatment,  with  a  central 
colonnade  over  an  arched  loggia  on  the  Square 
fa9ade. 

From  this  arcade  entrance  doorways  lead  into  the 
stair  hall  and  Post  Office  business  hall. 

These  halls  are  lined  with  red  Warmbaths  stone, 
and  have  pavings  of  black  and  white  marble,  laid  in 
patterns. 

The  building  is  splendidly  equipped  and  finished, 
and  all  the  fittings  to  main  counters  are  of  bronze. 

It  is  a  great  pity  that  all  the  buildings  surrounding 
the  Square  are  not  more  uniform  and  symmetrical  in 
appearance. 

It  is  hoped  that  buildings  of  a  more  monumental 
character  will  be  erected  to  replace  the  chaos  of  different 
treatments  existing  to-day. 

The  Union  Buildings. 

The  Union  Buildings,  which  are  situated  within  a 
mile  distance  of  Church  Square,  and  about  half-way 
out  towards  the  principal  suburbs,  occupy  a  grand 
and  commanding  position  upon  the  plateau  below 
Meintjes  Kop. 

On  this  range  of  hills,  which  form  the  Acropolis  of 
Pretoria,  where  the  atmosphere  is  bracing  and  invigorat- 
ing, the  Government  have  erected  a  magnificent  pile 
of  public  buildings. 

The  building  is  approached  by  a  tramway  and 
carriage  drive,  winding  round  and  passing  in  front 
of  the  main  terrace. 

A  series  of  steps  and  terraces  are  necessitated,  which 
rise  immediately  in  front  of  the  central  or  amphitheatre 
block. 


The  Architecture  of  T^retoria. 

The  rising  tiers  of  the  auditorium  have  been  cut  out 
of  the  face  of  the  hill,  and  this  amphitheatre,  which 
was  primarily  designed  to  serve  purely  utilitarian 
purposes,  is  certainly  one  of  the  finest  possible  com- 
positions. 

The  buildings  are  grouped  in  three  main  blocks, 
formed  by  the  eastern  and  western  wings  and  connected 
by  the  great  semicircular  and  amphitheatre  block. 
This  central  block  is  bounded  on  each  side  by  sister 
towers,  crowned  by  figures  of  "  Atlas  "  in  bronze. 

The  space  enclosed  by  the  semicircular  treatment 
is  terraced  and  formed  with  stone,  at  the  bottom  of 
which  is  placed  a  rostrum  with  ornamental  ponds, 
stretching  the  whole  length  of  amphitheatre  and  crossed 
by  bridges. 

This  magnificent  pile  has  been  designed  to  suit  the 
conditions  of  a  southern  climate,  where  large  open 
courts  with  fountains  and  loggias  are  necessary  to 
ventilate  and  cool  the  building. 

The  dominant  feature  characteristic  of  this  style  is 
the  long  unbroken  tile-covered  roof,  with  heavy  pro- 
jecting eaves  running  the  entire  length  of  the  building. 
The  great  columnar  pavilions,  which  project  at  the 
ends  of  the  blocks,  give  the  necessary  relief,  together 
with  colonnaded  porticos  leading  directly  into  the 
atriums  or  open  courts. 

The  archives  department  extends  under  the  greater 
portion  of  the  buildings,  wherein  43,000  superficial  feet 
of  space  is  provided  to  store  records. 

In  the  sub-basements  stationery  stores,  bookbinding 
departments,  heating  chambers,  and  storerooms  for 
caretakers  are  arranged. 

89 


The  Architecture  of  "Pretoria. 

Access  is  obtained  from  the  main  road  by  a  subway 
under  the  end  pavilions. 

Each  of  the  blocks  has  three  floors  of  offices,  pro- 
viding in  all  accommodation  for  about  1500  officials, 
including  offices  for  Ministers  and  the  Governor- 
General. 

The  Ministers'  rooms  and  Executive  Council  chambers 
are  placed  in  the  projecting  corner  pavilions,  and  the 
general  offices  in  these  blocks  are  grouped  round  the 
internal  courts  or  atriums. 

The  central  block,  which  connects  the  eastern  and 
western  blocks,  contains  the  necessary  common  rooms, 
which  lead  into  an  open  stone  colonnade  overlooking 
the  amphitheatre. 

On  each  side  is  provided  conference  rooms,  library, 
reading-rooms,  and  a  tearoom. 

The  whole  building  is  erected  in  freestone,  resting 
on  a  base  of  local  granite.  The  approaches  to  the 
"  Capitol  "  have  been  carefully  considered,  and  are 
made  as  easy  in  gradient  as  possible.  The  8o-foot-wide 
roadway,  which  is  12  feet  below  main  terrace,  will  be 
planted  with  a  double  row  of  trees.  Twenty  feet  below 
the  public  roadway  lies  the  tramway  track,  and  placed 
in  the  wall  at  convenient  spots  are  recessed  grottos 
or  waiting  shelters  for  tram  passengers. 

From  this  level  two  subways  lead  to  staircases  in 
each  block. 

The  building  will  be  approached  from  the  railway, 
the  City,  and  the  eastern  suburbs  by  an  easy  winding 
road,  specially  contrived  to  give  facility  of  access, 
and  from  the  last  by  a  high  level  road  from  Bryntirion 
and  Government  House  on  the  east  side. 


90 


The  Architecture  of  'Pretoria. 

The  precincts  are  to  be  laid  out  on  the  principle  of 
the  great  Italian  and  French  models  in  broad  lines  and 
vistas. 

The  whole  is  a  noble  piece  of  architecture, 
which  has  been  wrought  in  the  field  of  art  through 
hard  and  unceasing  work,  combined  with  genius,  has 
brought  its  designer  fame  and  placed  the  Capital  of 
South  Africa  far  up  in  the  field  of  architecture. 

The  high  standard  which  obtains  in  much  con- 
temporary work  is  due  to  the  influence  and  funda- 
mental principles  which  govern  house  planning  in  a 
sunny  climate  and  the  beauty  of  its  accessories,  where 
beauty  does  not  depend  on  extravagant  detail,  but  on 
its  subordination  to  simplicity  of  treatment  and  unity 
of  idea.  This  influence  over  the  younger  generation 
is  perhaps  the  greatest  hope  for  our  architecture  in 
the  future. 

Government  House. 

The  Government  House,  which  is  situated  on  the 
same  range  of  hills  as  the  Union  Buildings,  lies 
further  east,  and  about  two  and  a  half  miles  out  of 
the  town. 

The  position  it  occupies  is  on  the  top  of  a  stony 
kopje  and  on  the  very  edge  of  the  ridge,  and  was 
specially  selected  so  as  to  overlook  the  valley  on  the 
north  and  that  of  the  south,  in  which  the  Capital  is 
built. 

The  sloping  sides  of  the  hills  are  covered  with  native 
bush,  and  a  very  extensive  view  is  obtained  of  the 
surrounding  country. 

The  building  has  been  treated  in  the  Cape  Colonial 
style,     with    whitewashed    walls    and     curved    gables. 

91 


The  Architecture  of  'Pretoria. 

The  roof  is  covered  with  red  tiles,  and  the  exterior 
woodwork  painted  green,  to  suit  the  atmosphere  and 
landscape  of  the  Transvaal. 

The  position  on  the  edge  of  the  kopje,  allowing  only 
a  small  semicircular  terrace  on  the  northern  garden 
front  of  the  house,  rendered  it  necessary  to  have  the 
entrance  hall,  the  vestibule,  and  the  porte  cochere  at 
a  lower  level  than  the  ground  floor.  This  treatment 
gave  opportunity  for  the  extensive  cloakrooms  which 
are  required. 

The  chief  feature  in  the  plan  is  the  large  hall  for 
receptions,  which  has  been  made  an  integral  part  of 
the  house,  instead  of  being,  as  in  most  of  the  large 
Colonial  Government  Houses,  a  separate  suite  of  enter- 
taining rooms  detached  from  the  Hving  portions  of 
the  house. 

Leading  from  the  hall  is  a  large  vaulted  peristyle, 
open  in  the  centre  to  give  light  and  brightness  to  the 
bay  window  of  the  hall,  from  the  shady  recesses  in 
which  palms  are  placed  a  magnificent  view  is  obtained 
of  the  gardens  and  the  distant  hills. 

Above  the  peristyle  and  loggias  runs  an  open  balcony, 
which  is  much  occupied  of  an  evening  during  the 
summer. 

Although  the  hill  site  renders  the  building  cool,  it  is 
yet  necessary  that  all  the  windows  should  be  protected 
by  shutters  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  at  the 
same  time  giving  a  fine  architectural  effect  of  the  green 
woodwork  against  the  white  walls. 

The  gardens  are  beautifully  laid  out,  and  treated 
in  the  Italian  manner  with  pergolas  and  broad 
vistas. 


92 


The  Architecture  of  'Pretoria. 

Transvaal  University. 

Pretoria  is  rich  in  institutions  which  go  to  the  making 
of  an  important  centre.  Its  educational  faciHties  are 
as  varied  as  they  are  complete.  The  Transvaal  Uni- 
versity for  higher  education  has  been  placed  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  town,  between  the  town  and  the 
suburbs.  The  site  is  an  open  and  healthy  one,  upon 
rising  ground,  facing  the  new  sports  grounds.  The 
building  is  of  stone,  with  a  tiled  roof,  and  is  U-shaped 
on  plan  with  cloisters  on  the  three  inner  sides. 

A  palm  avenue  is  to  be  planted  leading  up  to  the 
main  entrance  on  similar  lines  to  the  famous  Californian 
examples. 

Boys'  High  School  and  Boarding-houses. 

These  buildings  have  been  erected  upon  the  slopes  of 
a  hill  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley  to  the  Union 
Buildings.  It  is  an  imposing  block  of  buildings,  erected 
in  faced  brick  and  stone,  with  a  tiled  dome  rising 
from  the  centre  of  the  blocks,  overlooking  the  new 
public  sports  ground  which  lies  in  the  valley  below. 

Normal  College. 

The  Normal  College,  which  is  erected  in  the  southern 
suburb  called  "  Sunnyside,"  is  erected  in  faced  brick 
and  stone,  bounded  on  either  side  by  residences,  both 
for  men  and  women.  This  institution  is  intended  for 
the  training  of  teachers. 

The  Site  of  a  National  College  of  Agriculture. 

This  magnificent  property  lies  one  and  a  half  miles 
from  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  comprises  acres  of 
valley,  veld,  forest,  and  hills.  It  is  the  most  beautiful 
and  picturesque  spot  around  Pretoria,  and  will  form 
one  of  the  largest  agricultural  college  grounds  in  the 
world. 

93 


The  Architecture  of  'Pretoria. 

It  is  intended  to  spend  ;^ioo,ooo  upon  the  first  portion 
of  the  buildings,  which  will  give  a  fine  opportunity  for 
a  bold  and  suitable  design,  erected  to  suit  and  har- 
monize with  its  vast  and  rugged  surroundings. 

There  is  much  to  be  done,  and  as  the  pages  are 
slowly  turned  over  it  is  hoped  that  architectural  tradi- 
tion will  be  worthily  maintained  by  the  rising  genera- 
tion ;  at  the  same  time  look  back  with  vivid  pleasure 
to  those  wrestlings  which  have  taken  place  in  the 
years  gone  by  to  give  Pretoria  the  position  it  holds 
to-day.  These  privileges  must  be  maintained,  and  to 
those  who  have  enthusiasm  and  interest  this  labour 
will  be  a  perennial  delight  to  hand  on  the  torch  of 
architecture,  as  in  the  old  Greek  game  of  lampadephoria, 
where  runners  took  torches,  lit  at  the  altar  of  Prome- 
theus, Athene,  and  Hephaistos,  and  passed  them  from 
hand  to  hand  till  they  reached  the  winning  post. 


94 


Flora. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


B 


OTANICALLY  Pretoria  and  district  form  one  of 


On  one  side  is  the  typical  high  veld  flora,  and 
southwards  the  bushveld  flora  extends  above  its  normal 
altitude  to  the  hmits  of  the  Magaliesberg.  The  district 
is  therefore  peculiarly  rich  in  types  of  what  are  really 
two  distinct  kinds  of  flora — that  of  the  IJmpopo  Basin 
region  and  that  of  the  central  plateau  region  of  the 
Transvaal  and  Orange  Free  State. 

The  diversity  of  the  geological  formation  also  tends 
to  increase  the  variety  in  the  local  flora  ;  and  as  Pre- 
toria is  an  important  railway  centre,  excursions  can 
easily  and  quickly  be  made  to  points  of  widely  differing 
botanical  interest,  so  that  the  botanist  who  is  visiting 
South  Africa  for  the  first  time  would  be  well  advised 
to  make  Pretoria  his  centre  of  operations  for  an  extensive 
portion  of  his  stay  in  the  country. 


NOTES  ON  THE  FLORA  OF  PRETORIA. 

On  the  kopjes  round  Pretoria  there  are,  in  the  first 
place,  the  grasses  of  which  the  following  genera  and 
species  are  predominant  : — 

Family  Gramineae. 

Agrostis  lachnantha,  Nees. 

95 


Flora. 


Andropogon  appendiculatus,  Nees. 
,,  cerisiaeformis,  Nees. 

„  amplectens,  Nees. 

„  hirtiflonis,  Kunth. 

„  intermedius,    R.    Br.,    var.    punctatvis, 

Hack. 
,,  encomis,  Nees. 

Aristida  aequiglumis,  Hack. 

,,        barbicoUis,  Tr.  and  Rupr. 
Axonopus  semialatus,  Hook.,  var.  ecklonii,  Stapf. 
Bromus  unioloides,  A.  B,  K. 
Chloris  virgata,  Sw. 
Cymbopogou  excavatus  (Hoclist.),  Stapf, 

,.  hirtus  (Iv.),  Stapf. 

Cynodon  dactylon,  Pers. 
Digitaria  eriantha,  Steud. 
Elionurus  argenteus,  Nees. 
Eleusine  indica,  Gaertn. 
Eragrostis  brizoides,  Nees. 

chloromelas,  Steud. 
gummiflua,  Nees. 
major,  Host, 
plana,  Nees. 
superba,  Peyr. 
Lolium  temulentum,  Iv. 
Microchloa  caffra,  Nees. 
Heteropogon  contortus,  R.  and  S. 
Panicum  serratum,  Spr. 
Pennisetum  cenchroides.  Rich. 
Perotis  latifolia.  Ait. 
Setaria  nigrorostris,  Dur.  and  Schinz. 
,,       perenuis,  Hack. 
,,       sulcata,  Raddi. 
,,       verticillata,  Beauv. 

96 


Flora. 

Sporobolus  festivus,  Hochst.,  var.  stuppeus,  Stapf. 

Themeda  Forskalii,  Hack.  var. 

Trachypogon  polymorphus,  Hack.,  var.  capensis. 

Tragus  racemosus,  All. 

Tricholaena  rosea,  Nees. 

,,  setifolia,  Stapf. 

Trichopteryx  flavida,  Stapf. 
Tristachya  biseriata,  Stapf. 
Urelytrum  squarrosum,  Hack. 

In  vleis  and  near  the  water — 

Imperata  arundinacea,  Cyr. 

Phragmites  communis,  L. 

Erianthus  junceus,  Stapf. 

Between  them  grow  annuals,  bulbous  plants,  suc- 
culents, low  and  tall  shrubs,  and  small  trees.  Ihe 
bigger  trees  are  north  of  Pretoria  at  Wonderboom- 
poort.  Of  these  we  have  to  mention,  in  the  first  place, 
the  Wonderboom,  Ficus  cordata,  Thunb.,  consisting  of 
the  old  fig  tree  in  the  middle  and  younger  ones  around 
it,  looking  at  a  distance  as  one  immense  tree.  The 
younger  ones  have  sprung  up  from  branches  of  the  old 
tree,  which  are  bent  to  the  ground  and  have  rooted 
there.  In  the  second  place,  come  all  the  mimosa  trees, 
the  Kaffir  tree,  species  ef  Rhus  and  Combretum,  etc. 

Family  Leguminosae. 
Acacia  arabica,  Willd. 

,,       caffra,  Willd.  (Haakjesdoorn). 
,,       giraft'ae,  Burch.  (Kameeldoorn). 
,,       hebeclada,  D.  C. 

,,       horrida,    Willd.    (Wacht-een-beetje,    Karroo- 
thorn). 
,,       robusta,  Burch. 
Dichrostachys  nutans,  Benth.  (Sikkelbosch). 


97 


Flora. 

Burkea  africana,  Hook.  (Wilde  sering). 
Peltophorum  africanum,  Sond. 
Erythrina  caffra,  Thutib.  (Kafferboom). 

Family  Anacardiaceae. 

Sclerocarya  caffra,  Sond.  (Maroela). 
Launea  dicolor  (Sond.),  Engl. 
Rhus  excisa,  Thunb. 
,,      Gueinzii,  Sond. 

lancea,  L,.f.  (Karreeboom). 

Family  Combretaceae. 

Terminalia  sericea,  Sond.  (Vaalbosch). 
Combretum  glomeruliflorum,  Sond.  (Vaderlands 
Wilge). 
,,  Zeyheri,  Sond. 

Family  Sapota^'eae. 

Mimusops  Zeyheri,  Sond.  (Moepel). 
Family  Rhamnaceae. 

Zizyphus    mucronata,   Willd.   (Blinkbaar  wacht-een- 
beetje). 

Rhamnus  prinoides,  I^'Herit. 
Family  Sterculiaceae. 

Dombeya  rotundifolia,  Harv.  (Wilde  peer). 
Family  Sapindaceae. 

Pappea  capensis,  E.  and  Z.  var. 
Family  Ulmaceae. 

Celtis  rhamnifolia,  Presl.  (Gamdebo  stinkhout). 

Family  Euphorhiaceae. 

Croton  gratissimus,  Burch. 

Smaller  trees  are  :  Ochna  pulchra,  Hook.,  f.  (Ochna- 
ceae)  ;  Protea  abyssinica,  Willd.  (Proteaceae)  [Zuiker- 
bosch]  ;  Gymnosporia  buxifolia  (L.),  Szys5\  (Celas- 
traceae)  ;   Royena  pallens,  Thb.,  and  Euclea  lanceolata, 

98 


Flora. 

E.  Mey.  (Ebenaceae)  ;  Chrysophylluni  magalismon- 
tanum,  Sond.  (Sapotaceae)  [Stamvrucht]  ;  Gardenia 
Rothmannia,  L.  f.  (Rubiaceae)  [Wilde  katje-piering] ; 
Combretum  holosericeum,  Sond.  (Combretaceae)  ;  Rhus 
flexuosa,  Diels.  ;  Rhus  Zeyheri,  Sond.  (Anacardiaceae)  ; 
Strychnos  pungcns,  Solered.  [Klapper] ;  ChiHanthus 
arboreus,  A.  D.  C.  ;  Nuxia  pubescens,  Sond.  (Loga- 
niaceae)  ;  Ximenia  caffra,  Sond.  (Olacaceae)  [the  wild 
plum] ;  Pittosporum  viridiflorum,  Sims  (Pittospora- 
ceae)  ;  Acocanthera  venenata,  G.  Don  (Apocynaceae) 
[Giftboom] ;  Hetcromorpha  arborescens,  Ch,  and  Schl. 
(Umbelliferae)  ;  Cussonia  paniculata,  E.  and  Z.  (Aralia- 
ceae)  [Kiepersol].  Most  of  them  occur  at  Wonder- 
boompoort  and  are  spread  over  the  kopjes  round 
Pretoria. 

Of  the  taller  shrubs  I  mention  :  Buddleia  salviae- 
foHa,  Lam.  (Loganiaceae)  [Wilde  salie] ;  Mundulea 
suberosa,  Bth.  (Iveguminosae)  ;  Brachylaena  discolor, 
D,  C.  (Compositae) ;  Pavetta  Zeyheri,  Sond.,  Vangueria 
infausta,  Burch.,  Vangueria  parvifolia,  Sond.,  Plectronia 
Mundtiana  (Ch.  and  Schl.),  Pappe  (fam.  Rubiaceae)  ; 
Maerua  caffra  (Burch),  Pax.  (fam.  Capparidaceae)  ; 
Xanthoxylum  capense,  Harv.  (fam.  Rutaceae)  [Knopjes- 
hout,  Wild  cardamon] ;  Gymnosporia  tenuispina  (Sond.), 
Szysy.  (fam.  Celastraceae)  ;  Grewia  occidentalis,  L. 
[Kruisbesje],  Grewia  cana,  Sond.  (fam.  Tiliaceae)  ; 
Ehretia  hottentotica,  Burch.  (fam.  Borraginaceae) ; 
Clerodendron  glabrum,  E.  Mey.  (fam.  Verbenaceae) ; 
and  some  more. 

The  spring  and  early  summer  is  the  time  for  the 
bulbous  plants.     Common  are  : — 
Family  Liliaceae. 

Bulbine  asphodeloides,  R.  and  S. 
,,        narcissifolia,  Salm.-Dyck. 

99 


Flora. 

Anthericum  Cooperi,  Baker. 

,,  trichoplilebium,  Baker. 

Albuca  pachychlamys,  Baker. 
Aloe  arborescens,  Mill. 
„     Peglerae,  Schoul. 
,,     transvaalensis,  O.  Ktze. 
Asparagus  plumosus,  Baker. 
„  stipulaceus,  Lam. 

„  virgatus,  Baker. 

Bowiea  volubilis,  Harv. 
Chlorophytuin  Bowkeri,  Baker. 
Dipcadi  ciliare,  Baker. 

„        viride,  Moench. 
Drimia  media,  Jacq. 
Encomis  regia,  Ait. 
Kniphofia  natalensis,  Baker. 
Ornithogalum  Eckloni,  Schlecht. 
Scilla  lanceaefolia,  Baker. 

„      rigidifolia,  Kunth. 
Tulbaghia  alliacea,  L- 
Urginea  multisetosa,  Baker. 

Family  Amaryllidaceae. 

Buphane  toxicaria,  Thunb. 
Crinum  longifolium,  Thunb. 
Haemanthus  magnificus,  Herb. 
Hypoxis  argentea,  Harv. 
,,      rigidula,  Baker. 

,.  ,,        var.  pilosissima. 

,,       Rooperi,  Baker. 

Family  IriUaceae. 

Gladiolus  crassifolius,  Baker. 
„         permiabilis,  Delar. 
Homeria  pallida,  Baker. 


100 


Flora. 

Lapeyrousia  grandiflora,  Baker. 

Moraca  ediilis,  Ker. 

Climbing  and  straggling  plants  are  ; — 

Clematis    brachiata,    Thunb.    (fam.    Ranunculaceae) 
[Traveller's  joy,  Klimop]  ;    Landolphia  capensis,  01i\- 
(fam.    Apocynaceae)    [Wild   peach]  ;    Triaspis   Nelsoni 
Oliv.,   Sphedamnocarpus  pruriens,   Planch.,   Sphedam 
nocarpus  galphimiaefolius,  Juss.  (fam.  Malpighiaceae) 
Rumex  sagittatus,  Thunb.  (fam.  Polygonaceae)  ;   Rhyn 
chosia   adenodes,   E.    and   Z.,    Rh.    crassifolia,    Benth. 
Rh.    monophylla,    Schltr.,    Rh.    nervosa,    Benth.    (fam 
Leguminosae)  ;    Vigna  vexillata,  Benth.,  Dolichos  lab 
lab,   L.    (fam.    Leguminosae) ;     Tribulus   terrestris,   L 
(fam.   Zygophyllaceae)  ;     Tragia   cordata,    Harv.    (fam 
Euphorbiaceae)  ;    Rhoicissus  erythrodes,  Planch.,  Cissus 
lanigera,    Harv.    (fam.    Vitaceae)  ;     Cryptolepis    trans 
vaalensis,   Schltr.,   Pentarrhinum  insipidum,   E.   Mey. 
Orthanthera  jasminiflora,  N.  E.  Br.  (fam.  Asclepiada 
ceae)  ;    Convolvulus  sagittatus,  Thunb.,  Conv.  ulosepa 
lus,  Hall  f.,  Ipomoea  bathycolpos,  Hall  f.,  Ip.  crassipes 
Hook.,  Ip.  oblongata,  E.  Mey.,  Ip.  obscura,   Ker.,  Ip 
papilio,  Hall  f.,  Ip.  sarmentacea,  Rdle.   (fam.  Convol 
vulaceae)  ;     Solanum    rigescens,    Jacq.,    Sol.    supinum 
Dun.  (fam.  Solanaceae)  ;  Aptosimum  depressum,  Burch. 
Walafrida  tenuifolia,  Rolfe,  Graderia  subintegra.  Mast 
(fam.    Crophulariaceae)  ;     Pretrea    zanguebarica,    Gay 
(fam.      Pedaliaceae)  ;      Thunbergia     neglecta,     Sond., 
Crabbea    nana,    Crabbea    angustifolia,    Nees,    Barleria 
macrostegia,    Nees.,  Barleria   obtusa,   Nees.,  Blepharis 
squarrosa,  T.  Anders.,  Justicia  anagalloides,  T.  Anders, 
(fam.  Acanthaceae)  ;    Kedostris  africana  (Sond.),  Cogn., 
Momordica  balsamina,  l^.,  Citrullus  pubescens,  Sond., 
Citrullus    vulgaris,    Schrad.,    Cucumis    Zeyheri,  Sond., 
Trochomeria    Hookeri,    Harv.     (fam.    Cucurbitaceae)  ; 
Dicoma  anomala,  Sond.  (fam.  Compositae). 

lOI 


Flora. 

Poisonous  plants  occurring  round  Pretoria  are  : — 
Dichapetalum  cymosum  (Hook.),  Engl.  [Giftblaar]. 
Homeria  pallida,  Baker  [Geele  tulp]. 
Buphane  toxicaria,  Thunb.  (Giftbol]. 
Acocanthera  venenata,  G.  Don  [Giftboom]. 

Noxious  weeds  round  Pretoria  are  : — 

Pretrea   zanguebarica.    Gay.    [Devil's   dish,    Schape- 

doorns,  Duivelsdis]. 
Tribulus  terrestris,  L.  [Devil's  thorns,  Dubbeltjes]. 
Xanthium  spinosura,  Iv.  [Boetebosje]. 

,,          strumarium,  L. 
Bidens  pilosa,  L.  [Black  jack]. 

Nearly  all  plant  families  are  represented  in  the 
Pretoria  flora.  Most  representatives  have  the  families 
Gramineae,  Compositae  (Senecio,  Helichrysum,  Nido- 
rella,Dicoma,etc.),Lcguminosae  (Rhynchosia,Tephrosia, 
Indigofera,  Acacia,  etc.),  Acanthaceae  (Crabbea, 
Chaetacanthus,  Justicia,  Barleria,  etc.),  Asclepiadaceae 
(Asclepias,  Schizoglossum,  Pachycarpus,  Raphionacme, 
etc.),  Scrophulariaceae  (Sutera,  Striga,  Nemesia,  Wala- 
frida),  and  Convolvulaceae  (Convolvulus,  Ipomoea). 
Showy  flowers  have  the  different  species  of  Hibiscus 
(fam.  Malvaceae),  the  Orchids  (Eulophia,  Habenaria, 
Satyrium),  Gardenia  and  Pavetta  (Rubiaceae),  Ipo- 
moea's  (Convolvulaceae),  many  Asclepiadaceae,  and  most 
of  the  bulbous  plants.  The  most  common  ferns  are  : 
Pellaea  calomelanos.  Link.  ;  Cheilanthes  hirta,  Sw.  ; 
and  Gymnograrame  cordata,  Schlt. 


102 


Farming. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BACK    TO    THE    LAND. 

^Jjf  OUTH  AFRICA,  in  proportion  to  its  population, 
J^^  has  in  its  towns  too  many  people  who,  whatever 
their  abiUty  and  financial  resources,  lead  lives 
that  at  best  are  not  as  profitable  as  they  might  be  in 
such  a  country.  The  country  needs  a  rearranging  of 
its  inhabitants'  occupations.  It  needs  producers  of 
commodities,  not  merely  distributors  ;  it  needs  more 
people  on  the  land,  fewer  behind  the  shop  counter, 
the  office  desk,  the  lawyer's  signboard,  and  the  doctor's 
stethoscope.  Then,  and  not  till  then,  South  Africa 
may  be  regarded  with  the  large  producers  and  may 
hope  to  export  as  they  do. 

It  is  a  consummation  much  to  be  desired,  and  one 
not  impossible  of  achievement.  The  Transvaal,  for 
instance,  is  one  of  the  greatest,  if  not  the  greatest,  of 
mining  centres ;  but  rich  as  it  is  in  minerals,  it  is 
even  richer  in  farming  resources.  The  enormous 
wealth  which  in  a  generation  has  been  taken  from 
the  mines  constitutes  a  toll  few  countries  have  yielded 
in  a  century,  yet  is  less  than  what  the  farms,  now 


103 


Farming. 

largely  idle,  may  be  made  to  yield.  And  what  in  this 
respect  is  true  of  the  Transvaal  generally  is  especially 
true  of  the  Pretoria  District,  in  or  immediately  around 
which  are  situated  most  of  the  best  mines  and  many 
of  the  best  farms  in  South  Africa.  Fifty  years  ago 
few  realized  the  diamond  wealth  in  and  the  gold  and 
coal  wealth  immediately  around  Pretoria  District ;  and 
its  vast  farming  potentialities  are  only  now  beginning 
to  receive  attention.  Progress  there  has  of  course 
been.  But  the  farming  of  the  district  is  still  in  its 
initial  stage.  Opportunities  which  in  a  few  years  may 
be  gone  are  now  obtainable.  Land  which  under  tobacco 
would  be  capable  of  returning  £25  to  £^5  per  acre  per 
annum  clear  profit,  and  even  more  under  citrus  fruit,  lies 
largely  idle,  or  at  best  supports  a  few  head  of  unprofitable, 
because  nondescript,  live  stock.  For  every  productive 
acre  twenty  are  fallow ;  and  in  many  instances  the 
productive  acre  3delds  only  a  fraction  of  what,  under 
improved  methods,  it  could  be  made  to  yield. 

The  reason  is  not  far  to  seek.  The  Transvaal  is 
essentially  a  farming  country,  but  a  large  proportion 
of  its  population  is  not  a  farming  population.  They 
are  not  farmers  in  the  intensive  sense  that  the  rural 
populations  of  Denmark,  Holland,  and  Switzerland  are 
farmers,  because  other  matters  have  mainly  occupied 
them.  The  development  of  the  country  has  not  hitherto 
depended  on  the  farmers.  In  the  past  the  man  with 
capital,  and  the  man  without,  on  the  share  market, 
and  on  the  prospecting  field,  found  lures  greater  than 
farming.  The  spirit  of  romance  and  adventure  was 
excited.  To  mining  and  its  ramifications,  rather  than 
to  farming  and  its  slower  but  surer  returns,  the  people 
mainly  turned.  The  mines  were  developed  and  the 
farms  mostly  neglected. 

104 


Farming. 

But  those  days  are  past.  Mining  has  found  its 
proper  level  as  an  investment,  has  become  a  stable, 
prosaic  industry,  from  which  the  element  of  chance 
and  the  consequent  gambling  spirit  have  largely  been 
eliminated.  Fortunes  are  not  now  made  in  a  week  at 
a  ratio  altogether  disproportionate  to  the  capital  and 
labour  entailed;  gambling  has  ceased,  and  farming  is 
coming  into  its  own.  This  it  deserves.  The  soil 
generally  is  capable  of  a  more  prolific  yield  of  a  larger 
variety  of  crops,  the  climate  on  the  whole  is  superior, 
and  good  local  and  oversea  markets  are  nearer  than  is 
the  case  with  many  agricultural  centres  which  have 
nevertheless  been  made  to  flourish.  The  only  reason 
Transvaal  farming  is  so  largely  undeveloped,  and  that 
it  is  undeveloped  cannot  be  convincingly  denied,  is 
that  its  potentialities  have  not  been  sufficiently  sought, 
not  sufficiently  turned  to  account,  perhaps  not  suffi- 
ciently realized. 

Of  course,  Transvaal  farming  is  not  all  ease  and 
profits.  There  are  obstacles  and  hardships,  disadvan- 
tages as  well  as  advantages,  failures  as  well  as  successes, 
because  there  are  technically  bad  and  indifferent  as 
well  as  technically  good  farmers.  There  are  those  who 
have  made  or  are  making  fortunes  out  of  Transvaal 
farming.  There  are  also  those  who,  consciously  or 
unconsciously,  regard  agriculture  as  a  game  of  chance 
in  which  the  seed  are  the  counters  on  the  random 
scattering  of  which  the  farmer  can  afford  to  stake  his 
all,  resignedly  leaving  to  nature's  vagary  the  point 
whether  a  grudging  yield  or  nothing  shall  result.  They 
do  not  do  well,  such  farmers,  in  Pretoria  or  in  any 
other  district.  To  be  successful  a  farmer  must  be 
capable.  Farming  is  a  profession  in  which,  as  in  most 
professions,    energy,    intelligence,    and    good    business 

105 


Farming. 

management,  even  more  than  money,  count.  With 
these  almost  anything,  agriculturally  and  pastorally, 
may  be  done  in  the  Pretoria  District ;  without  them, 
money  will  avail  little. 

Progressiveness  in  saving  labour  and  reducing  costs 
by  the  use  of  up-to-date  appliances  is,  of  course,  sound. 
But  it  is  not  the  expensive  plough,  cultivator,  planter, 
or  sheller,  so  much  as  the  intelligence  and  energy  with 
which  they  are  used,  the  skill  wHh  which  the  soil  is 
prepared,  the  care  with  which  adapted  seed  are  selected 
for  prolific  type  and  sure  germination,  the  thorough- 
ness with  which  the  lands  are  weeded,  and  the  enter- 
prise in  fertilizing,  where  possible — these  are  the  con- 
ditions which  secure,  for  instance,  a  good  stand  of 
heavy-yielding  high-grade  maize  instead  of  the  40  per 
cent,  to  50  per  cent,  stand  of  inferior  cobs  so  often 
seen. 

It  is  not  the  price  of  the  land  or  the  cost  of  the 
fertilizer  so  much  as  the  continuous  pains  taken  in  the 
cultivation  that  ensures  a  field  of  high-class  tobacco  ; 
and  not  so  much  expensive  flue-barns  as  indefatigable 
attention,  careful  regulating,  and  ripe  experience  in 
the  process  of  curing,  grading,  and  packing,  that  secure 
a  shilling  a  pound  for  the  leaf  instead  of  fourpence. 

The  well-bred,  carefully  selected,  high-yielding, 
though  small,  herd,  rather  than  the  large  herd  of 
randomly-acquired  cheaply-kept  cattle,  is  the  herd 
which,  by  careful  observation  to  eliminate  the  unpro- 
fitable and  by  proper  feeding  and  housing,  pays  best, 
either  for  slaughter  or  milking. 

However  good  the  farm,  potato  growing  w4D  be 
unprofitable,  whatever  money  is  put  into  it,  whatever 
markets  are  at  hand,  if  any  kind  of  potato  is  planted 

106 


Farming. 

and  carelessly  marketed.  But  if  a  smooth-skinned, 
shallow-eyed,  medium-sized,  appetizing  potato  be  grown, 
and  by  judicious  fertilizing  be  made  to  yield  heavily  ; 
and  if  it  be  sold,  not  when  the  market  is  glutted,  as 
it  may  be  one  fortnight,  but  when  prices  are  satis- 
factory to  the  grower,  as  they  may  be  the  next  fort- 
night, then  the  possibiHties  of  potato  growing  should 
be  great,  possibly  as  great  as  in  Europe,  where  by 
intensive  culture  upwards  of  £1000  per  annum  has 
been  made  from  a  30-acre  plot. 

Poultry  pay,  not  by  releasing  on  the  farm  a  few 
hundred  head  of  even  prize  fowls  to  fend  for  themselves, 
but  by  beginning  modestly  with  a  prolific  strain, 
eliminating  those  that  eat  more  than  they  return, 
breeding  up  from  the  acclimatized  birds,  feeding, 
housing,  and  tending  the  resulting  flock  properly, 
marketing  the  eggs  quickly  to  preserve  their  bloom, 
and  direct  to  avoid  middlemen's  profits  and  deteriora- 
tion. 

Similarly  throughout  the  whole  gamut  of  farming  : 
hard  work  and  deep  thinking,  rather  than  abnormal 
capital  expenditure,  are  the  essentials  to  success.  These 
were  the  factors  which  in  Denmark  and  Holland,  where 
the  original  farming  difficulties  were  greater  than  they 
are  in  South  Africa,  gave  the  small  farmer  a  chance 
and  made  those  countries  foremost.  They  are  the 
factors  which  by  their  presence  will  make,  or  by  their 
absence  mar,  the  South  African  farming  industry  ;  will 
give  to  the  man  of  small  capital  but  good  capabilities 
a  chance  of  rural  livelihood,  or  will  leave  the  land,  as 
at  present,  largely  tied  up  and  idle.  For  until  the 
average  South  African  farmer  abandons  the  idea  that 
anything  under  4000  acres  is  contemptible,  and  learns 
the  economics  of  farming  successfully  on  400  to  800 

107 


Farming. 

acres,  and  in  instances  even  on  less  land,  he  will  be 
more  a  landowner  than  a  producer,  and  South  Africa 
will  import  instead  of  export. 

Money,  of  course,  the  beginner  must  have  ;  but  in 
districts  like  that  of  Pretoria  he  secures  from  farming 
an  immediate  livelihood  and  the  prospect  of  ultimate 
affluence  for  less  initial  capital  outlay  than  would  be 
necessary,  for  similar  returns,  in  almost  any  other 
undertaking  anywhere. 

A  man  putting,  say,  ;^8oo  into  a  grocer's,  chemist's, 
draper's,  or  butcher's  business  would  ordinarily  be 
content  if  it  and  his  utmost  exertions  returned  him 
and  his  family  a  living.  He  could  not  reasonably 
expect  more.  Combinations,  competition,  and  trade 
conditions  generally  being  what  they  are,  he  could  not 
hope  to  expand  his  business  much,  at  least  in  most 
situations.  It  is  different  in  farming.  Put  into  the 
soil,  that  capital  would  ordinarily  give  a  much  better 
return.  It  would  give  as  good  an  immediate  livelihood 
as  in  any  business,  and  a  surplus  which  in  a  few  years 
secures  to  the  farmer  his  house  and  lands,  and  enables 
him  in  time  to  expand  his  operations  till  something 
like  affluence  is  attained.  The  grower  of  produce  is 
producing  the  necessaries  of  life.  He  is  always  an 
essential.  The  distributor  of  produce  is  in  one  of  the 
most  overcrowded  and  largely  artificial  situations  in 
life,  the  butt  of  competition,  the  victim  of  combina- 
tions and  middlemen's  cut  profits. 

When  in  South  Africa  this  is  more  widely  realized, 
it  will  be  apparent  that  for  the  intelligent,  active  man 
with  a  little  capital  there  are  better  opportunities  in 
farming,  or  in  learning  to  farm,  than  in  almost  any 
other   occupation ;     and   in   the   Pretoria   District   the 

1 08 


Farming. 

farming  opportunities  are  as  good  as,  and  in  some 
respects  better  than,  in  any  other  part  of  the 
country. 

South  Africa  is  naturally  the  richest  and  geographi- 
cally the  most  favourably  situated  of  undeveloped 
countries.  It  is  now  entering  upon  a  wonderful  agri- 
cultural era  ;  and  the  Pretoria  District  is  the  district 
from  which  much  of  the  ensuing  prosperity  will  come. 
In  Pretoria  are  situated  the  headquarters  of  the  Union 
Agricultural  Department,  one  of  the  best  organized 
departments  of  its  kind  in  the  world  ;  and  in  the 
district  will  be  situated  the  National  College  of  Agri- 
culture. Pretoria  District,  in  addition  to  its  great 
natural  endowments,  has  therefore  the  exceptional 
advantages,  not  only  of  a  large  market  on  the  Rand, 
but  of  having  within  its  boundaries  the  best  of  farming 
education,  expert  advice,  and  progressive  example. 

This  is  worth  remembering  by  those  who,  oppressed 
by  the  contemplation  of  overcrowded  trades  and  pro- 
fessions, are  troubled  by  the  problem  of  how  to  improve 
their  own  positions  or  provide  careers  for  their  youths. 
It  is  worth  remembering  by  farmers  dissatisfied  with 
their  present  districts,  and  by  farmers  who,  able  to 
sell  their  present  farms  at  tempting  prices,  are  on  the 
lookout  for  cheaper  land  which  by  development  may 
become  as  good  as  or  better  than  the  southern  farms 
they  now  occupy. 


FACTS    ABOUT    PRETORIA    FARMING. 

The  District  of  Pretoria  is  approximately  6525  square 
miles  in  extent.  Roughly  it  may  be  divided  into  three 
zones,  each  of  which  has  some  farming  peculiarity. 

109 


Farming. 

The  southern  portion  of  the  district,  abutting  on  to 
the  Witwatersrand,  is  typical  of  open  South  African 
sour  veld,  has  a  temperate  climate,  and  somewhat 
severe  frosts.  Nearer  the  city  of  Pretoria  the  climate 
is  warmer,  the  frosts  later  and  less  severe,  and  the 
veld  mostly  open.  The  northern  portion  of  the  dis- 
trict, cut  off  by  the  MagaUesberg  Hills,  is  principally 
law-lying  bushveld  country,  over  a  great  portion  of 
which  the  farming  conditions  are  sub-tropical. 

The  rainfall  for  the  whole  of  the  district  averages 
27  inches  per  annum  ;  the  compositions  of  the  soil 
vary ;  there  is  a  good  supply  of  surface  water  (river 
and  spruit),  as  well  as  artesian  water,  which  is  generally 
reached  at  depths  of  from  100  to  150  feet.  The  altitude 
of  the  district  slopes  gradually  from  an  average  of  about 
5400  feet  near  Johannesburg  to  3800  feet  in  the  low- 
lying  northern  portions. 

Hailstorms  occur  in  all  parts  of  the  district,  but  not 
with  the  frequency  or  destructiveness  characteristic  of 
many  districts  in  which  farmers  nevertheless  flourish. 

Locusts  are  no  longer  a  serious  menace.  For  some 
time  they  have  given  little  or  no  trouble.  Should  they 
become  threatening  in  numbers,  it  is  felt  that  the 
Agricultural  Department's  Division  of  Entomology  will 
be  able  successfully  to  cope  with  them. 

In  an  area  containing  such  variations  of  altitude, 
soil,  climate,  and  on  the  whole  such  a  sufficiency  of 
water,  production  is  naturally  good  and  varies  much, 
ranging  from  maize,  oats,  wheat,  rye,  lucerne,  potatoes, 
peanuts,  tobacco,  citrus  and  stone  fruits,  to  bananas, 
pawpaws,  pineapples,  cotton,  fibre  plants,  oil-seeds, 
chicory,  and  possibly  coffee,  sugar,  and  rubber,  as  well 
as  cattle,  horses,  sheep,  ostriches,  pigs,  and  poultry. 


1 10 


Farmtng. 

Maize  is  a  payable  crop  and,  according  to  variety, 
grows  well  throughout  the  district.  Mainly  along  the 
northern  slopes  of  the  Magaliesberg,  but  also  elsewhere 
in  the  district,  first-class  citrus  fruit  is  grown.  Magalies- 
berg leaf  is  the  premier  pipe-smoking  tobacco  in  South 
Africa,  and  in  most  parts  of  the  district  excellent 
Virginia  tobacco  for  cigarette  making  can  be  grown 
and  sold  at  profits  highly  satisfactory  to  the  farmer, 
lyucerne,  especially  where  slightly  irrigated,  flourishes 
throughout  the  district.  So  do  cattle,  horses,  pigs, 
ostriches,  and  poultry.  Sheep  may  be  farmed  on  a 
moderate  scale  in  certain  areas  where  the  veld  is  well 
grazed  by  large  stock ;  and  stone  fruits,  including 
excellent  table  grapes,  are  profitably  grown  in  the 
southern  portions  of  the  district. 

The  question  of  which  portion  of  the  district  to  prefer 
is  therefore  one  requiring  too  many  qualifications  for  a 
dogmatic  answer  to  be  safe.  It  depends  upon  the 
kind  of  farming  to  be  undertaken. 

Equally  unsafe  is  it  to  suggest  what  kind  of  farming 
to  undertake.  That,  again,  depends  on  the  farmer. 
The  man  whose  capital  runs  into  four  or  five  figures 
has  considerable  latitude  of  choice.  He  can  follow  his 
natural  bent,  because  he  can  afford  either  to  wait  for 
his  returns,  so  long  as  they  are  ultimately  good,  or 
force  returns  from  sources  not  open  to  the  man  with 
little  capital.  He  could,  for  instance,  sink  the  bulk  of 
his  capital  in  citrus  orchards  ;  and,  until  in  three  or 
four  years  his  orchards  started  returning  him  tenfold 
what  he  had  put  into  them,  he  could  keep  cattle  or 
ostriches,  breed  horses,  donkeys,  or  mules,  or  grow 
tobacco  or  innumerable  other  crops. 

The  man  of  small  means  cannot  do  this.  His 
resources  would  be  strained  to  make  a  start  anywhere, 

III 


Farming. 

and  he  must  make  his  start  within  the  Hmits  of  those 
resources.  He  must  not  sink  the  whole  of  his  capital 
in  anj'  one  branch  of  farming  that,  through  exceptional 
circumstances,  may  prove  unprofitable  in  the  ensuing 
season.  His  first  returns  must  be  quick  and  sure, 
rather  than  large.  He  shotild  therefore  start  with 
maize  as  his  main  crop,  and  with  mixed  farming  as 
his  objective.  For  instance,  he  should  during  the  first 
year  or  two  grow,  according  to  his  means,  80  to  150 
acres  of  maize,  including  a  few  acres  for  the  ensilage 
pit ;  10  to  15  acres  of  lucerne,  beans,  monkey-nuts, 
or  similar  minor  crop  ;  keep  a  few  first-class  milch 
cows,  in  a  manner  later  to  be  indicated,  and  some 
poultry. 

The  return  from  citrus  or  tobacco  is,  of  course, 
greater  in  the  long  run  than  from  the  other  sources. 
But  a  citrus  orchard  yields  nothing  for  the  first  few 
years,  and  tobacco  culture  necessitates  considerable 
initial  outlay  for  curing  appliances,  labour,  and  fertilizer 
to  produce  even  10  acres  of  leaf. 

Whereas  the  man  who  has  his  land,  either  bought 
or  leased ;  who  has  his  ploughs,  cultivators, 
and  teams,  and  a  moderate  supply  of  native  labour, 
personal  energy  and  intelligence,  by  starting  with 
maize,  a  little  up-to-date  dairying,  a  few  small  auxiliary 
crops,  and  some  poultry,  can  secure  a  quick  return 
that,  though  not  affluent,  is  yet  the  means  of  immediate 
livelihood  and  something  over.  In  the  Pretoria  Dis- 
trict that  something  over  will,  if  returned  to  the  land 
year  after  year,  increase  faster  than  in  any  bank  or 
other  investment,  and  in  a  surprisingly  short  time 
enable  the  small  farmer  to  launch  out  in  such  fortune- 
making  branches  as  citrus  and  tobacco  growing. 


iia 


Farming. 

Whilst,  therefore,  the  man  of  large  capital,  who  is 
wise  enough  to  put  it  into  Pretoria  fanning,  may  follow 
his  own  inclinations  and  by  intelligent  application  be 
assured  of  excellent  returns,  the  man  with  small  means 
would,  in  proportion  to  his  means,  have  as  good  oppor- 
tunities by  starting  modestly  in  minor  branches  of 
farming.  What  those  opportunities  are  the  following 
pages  show  in  detail. 


ENORMOUS    PROFITS    FROM    FRUIT    GROWING. 

The  Pretoria  District  may  be  divided,  for  fruit 
growing,  into  two  zones  :  that  which  lies  north,  and 
that  which  lies  south,  of  the  Magaliesberg  Range. 

The  southern  area  is  less  suited  for  citrus  than  for 
stone  fruits,  such  as  apricots,  peaches,  plums,  and 
nectarines,  as  well  as  excellent  table  grapes,  apples, 
pears,  and  figs.  The  stone  fruits  raised  in  this  area 
are  equal  to  the  best  from  any  other  part  of  the 
country.  So  are  the  pears.  The  table  grapes  are 
excellent  of  their  kind,  and  have  the  additional  merit 
of  being  marketable,  at  good  prices,  early  in  the  season 
before  supplies  from  the  Cape  Province  reach  the 
Transvaal  in  large  quantities.  The  apples,  though 
possessing  the  desirable  qualities  of  fair  size  and  good 
flavour,  do  not  keep  as  well  as  those  grown  in  the 
eastern  areas  of  the  Province. 

Over  a  considerable  portion  of  the  northern  parts 
of  the  Province,  notably  on  the  slopes  of  the  Magalies- 
berg Range,  high-grade  citrus  fruit  is  largely  grown, 
and  can  be  grow^n  in  much  larger  quantities.  For 
oranges  and  lemons  the  climate  is  as  near  perfection, 
and  the  soil  as  good,  as  could  be  wished  for  anywhere. 


113 


Farming. 

Were  water  more  plentiful  in  this  area,  these  fruits 
might  be  profitably  grown  in  almost  unlimited  quanti- 
ties, and  as  they  ripen  locally  at  the  time  of  year  when 
most  of  the  oversea  orchards  are  not  yielding,  there  is 
an  almost  unlimited  oversea  market,  and  the  Sout"h 
African  facilities  for  reaching  that  market  are  good. 
As  it  is,  there  is  sufficient  water  to  warrant  the  assertion 
that  nearly  every  farmer  within  this  area  and  in  several 
other  areas  of  the  Pretoria  District  will  find  citrus 
culture,  on  a  large  or  small  scale  according  to  his 
means,  extremely  lucrative. 

The  citrus  fruit  which  commands  the  best  local  and 
oversea  prices,  and  is  admirably  suited  for  the  district, 
is  the  Washington  navel  and  the  Valentia  late  orange. 
Both  are  hardy  fruits  and  well  suited  for  exportation. 
On  the  lyondon  market  they  have  realized,  wholesale, 
up  to  6s.  per  dozen.  This,  of  course,  was  a  high  price. 
But  at  a  conservative  estimate  the  average  price  may 
be  calculated  at  i8s.  per  150  well-grown  and  attractively 
packed  oranges. 

Compared  with  these  selling  prices,  the  cost  of  pro- 
duction is  low.  The  initial  expense  of  laying  out  an 
orchard  and  the  cost  of  maintaining  it  subsequently 
are  well  within  the  means  of  most  farmers.  Assuming 
trees  are  planted  25  feet  apart,  75  will  be  required  to 
the  acre.  Young  trees,  yielding  their  first  crops  within 
four  3'-ears  after  planting,  cost  about  ;^I5  per  lOO. 
The  preparation  of  the  land  entails  the  expense  only 
of  ploughing  deeply  and  cultivating,  laying  off  for 
planting,  and  digging  irrigating  furrows. 

Irrigating  is  essential.  It  is,  in  the  Pretoria  District, 
quite  useless  attempting  to  grow  satisfactory  citrus 
fruit   for  sale  without   a  sufficient  water  supply.     On 


114 


Farming. 

the  subject  of  irrigating  the  citrus  orchard  no  hard 
and  fast  rule  can  be  laid  down.  To  a  large  extent  the 
irrigating  necessary  depends  on  the  rainfall  during  the 
wet  season.  But  it  may  be  said,  in  a  tentative  way, 
that  the  soil  should  never  be  saturated  with  moisture. 
The  roots  of  the  trees  should  never  stand  in  water,  nor 
be  allowed  to  dry.  Possibly  some  six  irrigations  per 
annum  should  be  sufficient,  but  it  depends  largely  on 
how  the  irrigating  is  done. 

The  best  way  of  applying  water  to  a  citrus  orchard 
is  by  means  of  furrows  led  between  the  trees,  the 
furrows  nearest  the  trees  being  approximately  not 
nearer  than  the  off-side  farthest  spreading  branches. 
On  no  account  should  water  be  applied  to  trees  on  the 
basin  system — that  is,  accumulated  in  a  hollow  around 
the  tree  trunk.  It  is  improper  to  irrigate  the  trunk 
of  a  tree,  because  the  feeding  roots  are  not  near  the 
trunk,  but  extended  for  a  long  distance  in  all  direc- 
tions ;  and  when  water  is  concentrated  in  a  basin 
scooped  around  the  trunk  it  draws  the  roots  to  the 
surface,  whereas  they  should  descend  deep  into  the 
soil  for  their  moisture  and  plant  food.  Otherwise  they 
are  enfeebled,  and  in  time  of  drought  die  or  at  best 
diminish  the  fruit  yield. 

The  furrow  system  is  therefore  the  best.  It  has  been 
proved.  When  irrigating  is  done  by  this  system,  the 
water  should  be  made  to  soak  into  the  ground  as  deeply 
as  possible,  the  cultivator  being  then  used  to  produce 
a  mulch  to  shield  from  evaporation  the  water  which 
has  been  applied. 

In  the  Pretoria  District  the  cost  of  maintaining  a 
citrus  orchard  may  be  estimated  at  £;^  to  £4.  per  acre 
per  annum,  provided  the  grower  does  his  own  work, 


115 


Farming. 

with  his  own  animals  and  with  such  labour  as  can 
from  time  to  time,  when  circumstances  permit,  be 
detached  from  other  operations  on  his  farm.  The  hire 
of  labour  solely  for  the  orchard  is,  except  in  the  case 
of  large  orchards,  comparatively  costly  and  would 
considerably  increase  expenses. 

Fruit  in  small  quantities  may  be  expected  in  three 
years  after  planting  the  orchard,  if  trees  of  the  size 
indicated  by  the  price  of  £1$  per  100  were  commenced 
with,  if  they  were  properly  looked  after,  and  if  no 
untoward  circumstances  arose.  In  five  years  after 
planting,  each  tree  should  yield  about  150  oranges  or 
lemons,  the  yield  thereafter  increasing  yearly  until  the 
twelfth  or  fourteenth  year  after  planting,  when  the 
tree  should  be  in  full  bearing,  yielding  600  to  1200 
oranges  or  lemons,  according  to  circumstances. 

Lemons  also  pay  the  grower  well,  but  on  the  whole, 
perhaps,  not  as  well  as  oranges,  as  the  oversea  demand 
is  not  so  large  and  invariable.  By  lemon  is  meant  the 
ordinary  commercial  lemon  or  lime.  In  most  parts  of 
the  Pretoria  District  the  tree  is  hard}'  and  a  prolific 
yielder.  Many  instances  are  on  record  of  local  trees 
producing  in  third  year  crops  that  averaged  30s.  per 
tree,  and  as  they  mature  they  become  still  more  pro- 
fitable. 

Naartjes  have  not  been  exported  to  any  considerable 
extent,  but  there  is  a  large  local  demand  at  prices 
satisfactory  to  the  grower. 

The  grape-fruit  is  another  citrus  fruit  from  which 
good  returns  are  obtainable.  It  is  in  large  demand  in 
Europe  and  America,  and  stands  handhng  well.  Pre- 
toria samples  were  classed  with  the  best  of  their  kind 
on  the  oversea  market. 

116 


Farming. 

A  grower  raising  two  or  more  kinds  of  citrus  fruit 
is,  of  course,  careful  not  to  plant  them  indiscriminately 
in  the  same  orchard,  cross-fertilization  being  capable 
of  confusing  the  peculiarities  of  each,  so  that  the 
Washington  navel  orange  may  acquire  the  seed  and 
properties  of  the  lemon,  and  the  smooth-skinned  lemon 
the  navel  and  less  acidulous  properties  of  the  Washing- 
ton navel. 

With  these  reservations  it  may  be  stated,  with  a  full 
sense  of  the  responsibility  incurred,  that  of  the  many 
money-making  opportunities  which  the  Transvaal  has 
presented  to  investors,  none  have  been  more  promising 
than  those  of  the  citrus  industry.  The  fitness  of  such 
portions  of  the  country  as  the  Pretoria  District  for 
growing  citrus  fruits  on  a  large  scale,  at  huge  profits, 
is  nothing  short  of  wonderful.  This  is  not  merely 
theory.  It  has  been  proved.  The  excellence  of  the 
fruit,  the  prolific  yield  of  the  local  orchards,  and  the 
almost  insatiable  oversea  and  local  demand  at  high 
prices  have  been  fully  demonstrated  on  commercial 
lines.  At  the  time  of  the  year  when  Pretoria  orchards 
are  yielding,  the  London  market  can  take,  in  addition 
to  the  supplies  from  Australia,  as  much  high-grade 
citrus  fruit,  at  top  prices,  as  the  whole  of  South  Africa 
can  produce  for  many  years  ;  and  there  then  remains 
the  even  larger  European  markets,  and  the  fact  that 
South  Africa  is  nearer  these  markets  than  Australia 
or  other  similarly  seasoned  citrus  producing  rivals. 

The  glowing  outlook  for  South  African  citrus  culture 
is  being  realized.  In  the  Pretoria  District  large  orchards 
are  being  laid  down,  but  much  good  land  is  still  avail- 
able at  reasonable  prices  ;  at  prices,  indeed,  startlingly 
low,  when  compared  with  prices  in  California  and 
Florida  or  Spain,  where  similar  and  even  inferior  but 

117 


Farming. 

1  aid-out  land,  and  land  worked  under  climatic  and 
labour  conditions  less  favourable  than  in  the  Pretoria 
District,  has  fetched  up  to  £200  per  acre  ;  whereas  in 
Pretoria  District  it  may  still  be  obtained  for  from  £2 
to  £6  per  acre,  virgin  soil,  of  course. 

So  enormous  has  been  the  appreciation  of  citrus  land 
outside  South  Africa,  and  so  easily  and  cheaply  may 
such  land  still  be  obtained  in  the  Pretoria  District, 
that  those  who  invest  now,  and  use  the  land  to  advan- 
tage, cannot  but  reap  enormous  returns.  There  is  no 
longer  any  need  for  capital  to  lie  idle  or  at  best  return 
from  6  to  8  per  cent,  from  house  or  mine  property. 
Invested  in  Pretoria  citrus  growing,  it,  under  good 
security,  returns  much  more. 


FORTUNES    IN    TOBACCO. 

The  rapid  and  enormous  mining  development  of  the 
Transvaal  made  practical,  as  perhaps  no  other  develop- 
ment could  have  done  in  the  time,  the  extensive  rail- 
way construction  without  which  such  great  internal 
expansion  could  not  have  taken  place.  To  the  enter- 
prise, ability,  and  success  with  which  the  mines  have 
been  developed  the  advancement  and  prosperity  of 
South  Africa  must,  therefore,  largely  be  attributed. 
Mining  is,  and  long  will  remain,  our  main  industry. 
But  the  advancement  of  the  country  would  probably 
have  been  greater,  the  prosperity  wider  spread,  had 
that  enterprise  and  abihty  been  devoted  less  to  mining 
and  more  to  farming.  For  no  mining  profits,  however 
gratifying,  can  compare,  if  the  basis  of  comparison  be 
initial  capital  outlay,  working  costs,  and  risks,  with  the 
profits,  for  instance,  from  tobacco  growing.  In  the 
Pretoria  District  there  are  fortunes  for  the  tobacco  grower. 

118 


Farming. 

With  iSverage  effort  he  can  secure  from  800  to  looo  lb. 
of  leaf  per  acre  ;  under  intensive  culture  and  expert 
handling,  acres  have  yielded  up  to  2000  lb.  of  leaf 
each  under  conditions  identical  to  those  in  Pretoria 
District. 

When  it  is  added  that  the  total  cost  of  growing  and 
curing  the  leaf  is  from  ;^io  to  ;^I2  per  acre  ;  that  from 
8d.  to  lod.  per  lb.  is  iisually  obtained  for  good  but  not 
best  leaf  ;  that  this  means  a  profit  of  from  ;^20  to  ;^35 
or  even  more  per  acre,  and  that  at  these  figures  the 
local  demand  for  good  leaf  exceeds  supply  and  is  likely 
long  to  do  so,  it  will  be  apparent  that  no  ;riooo  put 
into  mining  ever  returned,  save  under  abnormal  risk 
to  the  investor,  dividends  anything  like  those  accruing 
to  the  Transvaal  grower  of  tobacco. 

Rustenburg,  Piet  Retief,  Barberton,  Zoutpansoerg, 
and  Potchefstroom  are  at  present  the  principal  tobacco 
growing  districts  in  the  Transvaal,  producing  large  and 
increasing  crops  every  year.  The  tobacco  output  of 
the  Pretoria  District  does  not  yet  equal  in  quantity 
that  of  these  others,  not  so  much  because  the  Pretoria 
District  is  less  well  suited  for  tobacco  growing,  as 
because  other  almost  equally  lucrative  branches  of 
agriculture  have  in  the  past  mainly  occupied  its  farmers, 
and  because  much  of  its  land  is  wholly  undeveloped. 
The  Government  experts  are  emphatically  of  the  opinion 
that  over  a  large  area  of  the  Pretoria  District  tobacco 
can  be  grown  as  well  as  in  the  best  districts 
outside. 

No  doubt  instances  are  on  record  where  tobacco 
growing  in  the  Pretoria  District  has  not  been  all  that 
could  be  desired.  Where  failure  has  occurred,  however, 
it  should  often  be  attributed  rather  to  inexperience  or 


119 


Farming. 

lethargy  in  the  farmer  than  to  inherent  defect  in  the 
farm.  For  tobacco  growing  and  selling  is  an  art.  It 
is  an  art  for  which  only  those  with  specialized  training 
are  fitted.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  grow  a  crop.  The 
kind  of  tobacco  crop  for  which  there  is  a  demand  must 
be  grown.  The  tobacco  most  required,  at  good  prices, 
and  of  which  large  quantities  are  still  imported,  is  a 
high-grade,  bright  yellow  Virginia  leaf  for  cigarette 
making. 

That  is  the  tobacco  the  grower,  to  make  large  profits, 
must  grow  successfully  ;  and  to  grow  it  successfully 
he  must  know  his  business  well.  He  must  know  how 
to  produce  a  leaf  of  certain  length  and  breadth,  in 
which  waste  fibre  is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  He  must, 
by  proper  fertilizing  and  irrigating,  to  the  extent  he 
does  irrigate,  know  how  to  infuse  into  that  leaf  the 
essential  oils  which  give  the  aroma  and  the  pHability 
that  permits  handhng  in  the  warehouse  with  a  minimum 
of  powdering.  And  when  the  crop  is  reaped,  he  must, 
by  assiduity  and  experience,  know  how  to  control  the 
temperature  in  his  flue-barns,  know  when  to  raise  and 
when  to  lower  that  temperature,  when  to  harmonize 
it  with  the  fluctuating  temperature  outside  and  with 
the  gradually  dwindling  moisture  content  of  the 
leaf. 

Hardly  less  important  than  the  growing  and  curing 
is  the  packing  of  the  leaf  for  sale.  Many  a  grower 
two-thirds  of  whose  crop  was  worth  8d.  per  lb,  and 
the  rest  4d.  received  the  latter  figure  for  the  whole 
crop  through  neglecting,  when  baling  the  leaf,  the  vital 
precaution  of  sorting  it  into  grades.  Grading  is  of 
prime  importance.  The  tobacco  in  each  bale  should 
be  of  uniform  quality  throughout,  so  that  buyers  may 
easily  estimate  the  value  of  such  bale.     Otherwise  a 

120 


Farming. 

bale  is  judged,  not  by  the  best  leaf  it  contains,  but  by 
the  worst.  If  the  grading  has  to  be  done  by  the  buyer, 
the  expense  of  sorting  and  the  deterioration  through 
handling  devolves  on  the  grower  as  the}'-  would  in  the 
first  instance,  and  in  addition  he  gets  a  much  lower 
average  price  than  if  he  had  undertaken  that  expense 
and  labour  at  the  outset. 

But  if  the  necessary  precautions  are  observed,  if  the 
buyer's  requirements  and  preferences  are  studied  and 
met,  and  they  are  easily  ascertained  from  tobacco 
growers'  associations,  average  high  prices  may  be 
expected  by  the  experienced  grower.  And  any  energetic 
man  of  average  intelligence  can  become  a  successful 
tobacco  cultivator.  If  he  has  had  training  in  other 
countries,  it  needs  only  to  be  shghtly  adapted  for 
Transvaal  conditions.  If  he  has  not  had  training,  he 
can  obtain  it,  at  nominal  cost,  with  Transvaal  growers 
of  repute,  on  Government  farms,  or  in  agricultural 
schools. 

Where  the  prospects  in  tobacco  growing  are  so  good 
as  in  the  Transvaal,  it  is  natural  to  inquire  why  every 
farmer  in  suitable  localities  does  not  grow  tobacco. 
The  reason  is  clear  and  detracts  nothing  from  the  case 
for  increased  tobacco  growing.  In  the  first  place, 
every  farmer,  assuming  he  has  the  right  kind  of  soil, 
has  not  the  experience,  or  the  initiative,  or  the  leisure 
to  acquire  experience  to  grow  and  cure  tobacco  suc- 
cessfully. And,  in  the  second  place,  every  farmer  has 
not  the  rather  considerable  capital  required  to  commence 
tobacco  growing. 

At  the  outset  he  must  erect  curing  barns,  either  flue 
or  air  ;  they  cost  about  the  same,  if  properly  built. 
If  he  can  build  his  barns  himself,  they  wiU  cost  about 


121 


Farming. 

;^200  ;  if  he  cannot  build,  he  must  pay  a  contractor 
probably  more.  For  such  an  outlay,  barns  with  a 
capacity  for  lo  acres  of  leaf  could  be  erected.  In 
addition  the  grower  must  employ  at  least  one  native 
labourer  per  acre,  at  a  cost  of  from  20s,  to  30s.  per 
native  per  month.  Then  there  are  ploughs,  cultivators, 
draught  animals  for  tilling,  fertilizers,  and  living  ex- 
penses. So  that,  apart  from  the  cost  of  his  land,  the 
tobacco  grower  must  have  at  least  ;^8oo  capital  to  start 
even  on  a  small  scale.  In  other  branches  of  farming  a 
small  start,  leading  gradually  to  bigger  operations,  and 
culminating  in  tobacco  growing,  can  be  made  with 
less  capital ;  but  the  man  who  has  the  means  can 
hardly  find  anywhere  better  returns  for  his  money  and 
labour  than  in  Pretoria  tobacco  growing. 


MAIZE:    THE     STEPPING     STONE    TO    AFFLUENCE. 

Pretoria  District  is  admirably  suited  for  maize 
growing,  and  where  this  can  be  said  few  farmers  can 
afford  to  disregard  the  possibilities  of  the  crop.  It  is 
a  crop  on  which  thousands  of  South  African  and  over- 
sea farmers  depend  mainly  for  their  livelihood.  The 
general  demand  for  South  African  maize  is  enormous  ; 
and  when,  as  sometimes  happens,  supply  exceeds 
local  demand,  the  oversea  markets  can  be  catered  for 
at  prices  satisfactory  to  the  grower. 

In  maize  growing,  as  in  most  farming,  there  are 
ways  of  making  and  wayc>  of  losing  profits.  Some 
farmers  obtain  from  three  to  five  bags  of  maize  per 
acre  ;  others,  under  identical  natural  conditions,  obtain 
from  eight  to  twelve  bags  :  instances  have  been  known 
where  an  average  of  from  fifteen  to  twenty  bags  per 


122 


Farming, 

acre  over  a  considerable  area  have,  by  exceptional 
skill,  been  obtained.  It  depends  mainly  on  the 
farmer. 

The  three  to  five  bag  per  acre  farmer  may  have  done 
his  best,  but  it  was  a  poor  best.  He  may  have  had 
a  bad  season  ;  but  in  farming,  estimates  should  be 
made  over  an  average  of,  say,  five  years,  taking  the 
good  seasons  with  the  bad.  On  such  a  basis  it  may 
be  said  that  if  the  three  to  five  bag  farmer  did  his  best, 
it  might  well  be  improved  upon,  with  a  little  experi- 
ence, a  little  thinking,  and  a  little  extra  exertion.  A 
maize  grower  needs  to  know  what  his  soil  is  capable 
of,  and  then  needs  to  exert  himself  to  get  the  utmost 
it  will  yield.  He  needs  to  handle  his  soil  intelligently. 
It  pays.  This  is  as  true  in  maize  growing  as  in  tobacco 
growing.  Wliere,  as  in  this  country'-,  most  farmers  have 
sufiicient  land  to  permit  part  of  it  to  lie  fallow,  it  is  a 
mistake  to  use  the  same  plot  year  after  year  for  maize. 
It  is  a  mistake,  in  the  Transvaal,  to  defer  ploughing 
until  after  the  spring  rains.  It  is  better  to  plough 
after  the  late  autumn  rains,  and  to  leave  such  ploughed 
land  fallow  until  required  for  maize  planting  in  the 
following  spring.  It  may  entail  more  labour  and 
expense,  but  the  increased  crop  v/ill  more  than  cover 
that. 

If  the  ploughing  be  deep  and  thorough,  say  15  to 
20  inches  instead  of  6  to  10  ;  if  the  seed  be  pains- 
takingly selected  to  secure  a  prolific,  good-selling 
strain,  adapted  to  local  conditions  and  of  proved 
germinating  powers  ;  if  care  be  taken  to  guard  against 
cross-fertilizing  from  adjacent  kaffir  or  other  inferior 
fields ;  if  trouble,  even  much  trouble,  be  taken  to 
replace  infertile  seed  when  the  young  plants  are  up 
(at  least  in  small  fields),   and  so  secure  a  good  full 

123 


Farming. 

Stand,  instead  of  the  frequent  40  to  50  pei"  cent,  stand  ; 
and  if  cultivating  be  skilful  and  frequent  until  the 
cultivator  can  no  longer  be  passed  between  the  rows — 
then  in  the  Pretoria  District  generally,  as  in  the  maize 
belt  of  America,  there  is  no  reason  why  an  average 
ten  to  twelve  bags  per  acre  should  not  be  obtained, 
and  an  even  larger  yield  by  fertilizing.  Certainly 
these  methods,  whilst  more  productive,  are  also  more 
expensive  and  more  troublesome  than  methods  which 
leave  to  nature  responsibilities  and  exertions  which 
rightly  the  farmer  should  assume.  But  the  extra  out- 
lay is  so  much  below  the  increased  return  that  there 
can  be  no  question  of  whether  it  pays  to  acquire  skill 
and  exert  pains  in  maize  growing  ;  and  when,  as  during 
months  of  1912-13,  maize  sells  locally  for  upwards  of 
i8s.  per  200  lb.,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  instances 
it  pays  to  fertilize  judiciously. 

It  pays,  in  fact,  to  go  in  for  intensive  culture.  The 
difference  in  return  from  careful,  as  compared  with 
careless,  culture  is  enormous.  The  same  amount  of 
land  is  occupied ;  the  amount  of  extra  labour  is,  on 
an  organized  farm,  hardly  50  per  cent,  different ;  the 
yield  may  be  increased  from  200  to  300  per  cent. 

When  this  is  realized  and  acted  upon,  it  will  be  clear 
that  maize  growing  on  a  much  larger  scale  than  at 
present  can  be  satisfactorily  undertaken.  Of  course, 
selling  prices  fluctuate.  But  at  a  conservative  estimate 
the  Pretoria  District  farmer  can  generally  rely  on 
getting  not  less  than  los.  6d.  per  200  lb.  He 
should,  as  has  been  shown,  obtain  an  average 
of  at  least  ten  bags  per  acre.  Often  he  should 
get  more.  The  cost  of  production  varies,  as  the  abilities 
of  farmers  vary  ;  but,  speaking  generally,  it  should  not 
be  more  than  4s.  2d.  per  bag  of  200  lb.,  including  price 

124 


Farming. 

of  sack.  At  a  low  estimate,  therefore,  the  profit  should 
generally  be  not  less  than  6s.  46..  per  200  lb.,  or  a  little 
over  ^3  per  acre.  In  many  cases  it  should  be  up  to 
£4  or  £5  or  even  more  per  acre,  if  the  crop  is  well 
grown  and  marketed  with  discretion. 

There  are,  of  course,  risks.  So,  however,  there  are 
in  nearly  all  enterprises.  In  the  larger  portion  of  the 
Pretoria  District,  however,  the  maize  grower  runs  less 
risk  than  elsewhere.  His  growing  season  is  longer 
than  in  most  maize  districts.  Even  when  the  rainy 
season  commences  late,  he  can  generally  reap  his  crop 
before  the  frosts.  Or,  if  the  rains  commence  very 
late,  or  if  for  some  other  reason  early  sowing  is  deferred 
or  fails,  he  still  has  his  chance  with  one  of  the  rapid 
maturing  varieties  of  maize  adapted  to  the  Pretoria 
District  by  the  Government  experts.  Such  types 
mature  in  from  eighty  days.  They  may  not  yet  have 
been  evolved  to  yield  as  prolifically  as  types  taking 
upwards  of  160  days  to  mature,  but  they  turn  into 
some  degree  of  profit  what  in  bad  seasons  and  in  other 
localities  would  be  complete  loss. 

The  acreage  a  Pretoria  maize  grower  should  handle 
depends,  of  course,  on  circumstances.  Where  his  land 
and  resources  are  limited,  it  should,  however,  be  possible, 
by  intensive  culture  of  80  to  150  acres  of  maize,  and 
by  mixed  farming  on  the  rest  of  his  land,  to  make  a 
comfortable  living.  It  has  not  been  proved  practical 
in  many  cases,  simply  because  it  has  not  been  properly 
tried.  It  is  done  oversea,  notably  in  the  United  States, 
and  has  not  been  proved  impractical  in  Pretoria 
District. 


125 


Farming. 

COTTON    POSSIBILITIES. 

Crops  of  excellent  cotton  have  been  grown  variously 
in  the  Transvaal.  The  crop  requires,  during  the  five 
months'  growing  season,  a  rainfall  averaging  about 
4  inches  per  month,  decreasing  as  the  bolls  ripen,  and 
succeeded  by  a  warm,  dry  season  for  the  picking. 
With  such  a  climate,  cotton  grows  well  in  almost  any 
good  or  even  moderate  soil. 

These  conditions  exist  throughout  the  Pretoria  Dis- 
trict, and  cotton  growing  on  commercial  lines  is  judged, 
by  experts  with  oversea  experience,  quite  feasible. 

The  demand  for  cotton  is  world-wide  and  practically 
unlimited.  Probably  three  times  the  world's  present 
output  of  cotton  could  be  marketed,  at  prices  satis- 
factory to  growers  on  a  large  scale.  So  pressing, 
indeed,  is  the  demand  for  more  cotton  that  British 
manufacturers  and  cotton  associations  have  become 
assiduous  in  fostering  the  increased  growing  of  cotton 
within  the  Empire. 

In  Pretoria  District  cotton  growing  would  yield  a 
profit  of  about  £4.  per  acre,  from  lint  and  cottonseed, 
which  latter  product  yields  a  commercial  oil  and  is 
excellent  for  feeding  to  cattle.  As  labour  and  transport 
became  organized  on  the  local  cotton  plantation,  and 
the  grower's  experience  increased,  the  profits  would,  no 
doubt,  be  greater.  In  some  countries  they  are  upwards 
of  ;{io  per  acre. 

The  picking  of  cotton,  though  entailing  the  greatest 
expenditure  the  grower  incurs,  is  light  work,  and  on 
oversea  plantations  is  largely  undertaken  by  women 
and  children.  Of  course,  there  are  cotton  pickers  and 
cotton  pickers.     The  picker  of  experience  may  gather 


ia6 


Farming. 

upwards  of  250  lb.  per  day,  the  inexperienced  only 
40  lb.  Still,  where  a  South  African  grower  is  near  a 
kaffir  kraal,  or  where  the  labour  supply  is  not  abnormally 
low,  the  picking  should  not  be  an  insuperable  difficulty 
any  more  than  it  is  in  East  Africa.  The  local  labour 
may  at  first  not  be  efficient,  but  it  would  be  very  cheap. 
The  labour  is  light  and  congenial  and  hkely  to  attract 
workers. 

Ginning  for  export  could  be  done  at  one  or  other 
of  the  ginneries  already  in  the  district,  and  as  the 
cotton  production  increases,  so  no  doubt  will  the 
ginning  facili'aes. 

That  large  Quantities  of  cotton  are  not  grown  in  and 
around  the  Picloria  District  is  therefore  not  attribut- 
able to  any  insuperable  obstacle,  but  merely  to  the 
fact  that  most  farmers  are  embarked  on  a  variety  of 
mixed  farming  which,  though  it  entails  a  larger  initial 
outlay  of  capital,  also  returns  a  profit  proportionately 
greater  than  that  from  cotton.  Cotton,  like  maize,  is 
a  crop  for  the  farmer  starting  with  little  capital.  It 
is  a  good  soil  renovator,  and  in  normal  seasons  entails 
little  risk.  And  as  the  chances  of  failure  in  farming 
lessen  proportionately  to  the  variety  of  crops  from 
which  the  farmer  may  chose  when  calculating  the 
conditions,  market  and  climatic,  of  the  ensuing  season, 
the  potentialities  of  cotton  growing  deserve  the  atten- 
tion of  Pretoria  farmers. 


GENERAL    CROPS. 

Among    other    crops    proveJ^  payable    in    Pretoria 
District — 
Sisal  hemp  grows  well ;  maple  peas  yield  heavily  in 

127 


Farming. 

winter,  and  could  be  grown  as  a  rotation  crop  between 
plantings  of  maize.  Wheat  is  grown  successfully  on 
the  irrigable  lands  north  of  the  Magaliesberg.  Malting 
barley  for  beer  has  been  tried  successfully.  Linseed 
thrives  on  the  high  veld.  Mangels,  sweet  potatoes, 
winter  oats,  buckwheat,  peanuts  in  the  sandy  soil  of 
the  north,  soy  beans,  velvet  beans  for  silage  could  all 
be  made  to  pay. 


PASTORAL. 

Speaking  generally,  and  taking  as  l  criterion  the 
percentage  of  mortality  in  live  stock,  the  Pretoria 
District  is  singularly  free  from  serious  disease,  and 
may  be  regarded  as,  on  the  whole,  one  of  the  healthiest 
portions  of  the  Transvaal. 

There  is  a  certain  amount  of  gall-sickness,  especially 
in  spring,  after  the  first  rains  ;  but  the  district  has 
been  entirely  rid  of  East  Coast  fever,  although,  of 
course,  dipping  is  optional ;  and  redwater  is  no  longer 
a  menace. 

There  is  no  glanders  in  the  district,  and  little  anthrax  ; 
and  horses,  as  well  as  mules,  are  now  successfully 
treated  by  Dr.  Theiler's  inoculation  for  horse-sickness, 
loss  in  the  infrequent  event  of  mortality  being  insured 
against  by  the  Government  on  payment  of  a  nominal 
premium  calculated  on  the  value  of  the  animal ;  and 
bihary  fever  is  now  easily  treated  if  taken  in  time. 

The  sheep  of  the  district  do  not  suffer  from  1am- 
ziekte,   but  are  susceptible,  especially  when  pastured 

128 


Farming. 

on  rank  sour  veld,  to  internal  parasites  ;    and  blue- 
tongue  is  prevalent  to  some  extent. 

Less  loss  from  stock  disease  will  be  found  in  hardly 
any  district.  In  other  respects,  too^  the  larger  portion 
of  the  district  is  admirably  suited  for  the  raising,  on 
a  large  or  small  scale,  of  cattle,  horses,  mules,  ostriches, 
pigs,  poultry,  and,  to  a  moderate  extent  on  occasional 
areas,  sheep.  Where,  however,  soil  and  climate  are 
so  conducive  to  agriculture,  the  land,  by  being  put 
under  crops,  can  generally  be  used  to  better  advantage 
than  for  natural  veld  grazing ;  and  no  progressive 
farmer  would  be  so  insensible  to  his  opportunities  as 
to  leave  a  Pretoria  farm  undeveloped  and  used  mainly 
for  grazing.  He  would  devote  to  stock  only  that 
portion  of  the  farm  beyond  his  resources  to  handle 
und«.  r  crops  ;  and  he  would,  if  progressive,  not  rest 
until  he  had  enhanced  the  grazing  value  of  that  portion 
of  his  farm  by  sowing  it  as  far  as  possible  with  the 
various  excellent  pasture  grasses,  many  of  which  are 
drought  resisting,  and  which  the  Government  expert 
has  now  adapted  to  the  district.  In  addition,  if  the 
farmer  grew,  as  with  little  extra  expense  most  farmers 
can  grow,  root  crops  for  auxiliary  feeding,  and  some 
acres  of  maize  for  the  ensilage  pit,  he  would  no  doubt 
make  of  his  ranching  a  lucrative  source  of  income. 
He  would  make  profits  beyond  the  highest  conception 
of  those  who,  content  to  let  their  stock  depend  on  such 
sustenance  as  the  natural  veld  affords  throughout  the 
year,  run  only  that  hardy  native  or  slightly  crossed 
type  of  stock  in  which  productiveness  is  sacrificed  to 
endurance— cattle  which  during  the  unfavourable  con- 
ditions of  winter  and  during,-t?r^es  of  drought  have 
such  a  struggle  for  existence  that  for  the  best  part  of 
the  year  their  energies  are  so  absorbed  in  obtaining  a 

129 


Farming. 

livelihood    as    to    leave     little    capacity   for    produc- 
tiveness. 

The  farming  of  such  stock  is  farming  of  a  kind,  but 
it  is  not  progressive  farming.  The  farmer  who  expects 
profits  from  his  ranching  must  avail  himself  of  the 
dearly  bought  experience  of  oversea  contemporaries. 
He  must  learn  that  ranching  is  a  science.  He  must 
learn  the  wisdom  of  starting,  on  however  small  a  scale, 
with  only  good  stock.  He  must  feed  such  stock, 
however  distasteful  the  exertion,  with  something 
besides  natural  and  often  parched,  unpalatable  grasses, 
or  he  must  esteem  himself  incompetent  of  farming 
successfully,  incapable  of  meeting  the  stress  of  modern 
competition. 

When  he  has  acquired  and  applied  this  spirit ;  when 
by  the  expenditure  of  effort  and  intelligence  he  has 
secured  and  learnt  how  to  maintain  a  good  class  of 
stock  in  good  productive  condition,  whatever  the 
season  of  the  year,  and  whatever  the  nature  of  the 
season,  he  will  have  learnt  the  advantage  of  the  ensilage 
pit,  of  growing  root  crops  and  pasture  grasses  and  hay  ; 
and  he  wiii  have  become  largely  independent  of  droughts , 
and  largely  master  of  disease.  He  will  have  learnt 
that,  whether  for  dairying  or  slaughter,  it  pays  best 
to  carry  well-bred  stock,  though  such  stock  require 
careful  feeding,  careful  housing,  and  careful  attention. 

The  proof  of  this  Hes  in  a  Uttle  reflection.  Like  the 
implement  through  which  maize  is  converted  into  the 
higher-priced  commodity  maizena,  a  cow,  though  not 
a  machine,  is  the  medium  through  which,  in  a  com- 
paratively cheap  manner,  todder  is  converted  into  the 
more  valuable  commodity  milk.     The   profitable  cow 


130 


rarming. 

is  therefore  the  cow  which  does  this  converting  well, 
eats  heavily,  and,  within  reason,  milks  heavily.  It  is 
poor  economy,  if  a  cow  has  this  capacity,  to  begrudge 
it  the  best  of  all  it  can  eat.  It  is  poor  economy  to 
acquire,  however  cheaply,  a  cow  that  has  not  this 
capacity.  Only  the  high  yielding  cow  should  be  kept. 
Such  a  cow  certainly  costs  more  to  keep,  even  when 
its  fodder  is  grown  by  the  keeper,  than  the  cheap, 
veld-fed  cow.  But  it  also  yields  more  than  the  latter. 
The  money  spent  for  the  cheap  cow's  purchase  lies 
largely  idle  ;  the  veld  devoted  to  the  animal's  susten- 
ance could  be  turned  to  better  advantage.  The  one 
cow  costs  comparatively  little  to  buy  and  keep,  and 
yields  proportionately  less.  The  other  cow  digests 
large  quantities  of  comparatively  costly  fodder,  but 
turns  it  into  the  more  valuable  product  milk,  and  the 
aim  should  be  to  grow  and  put  through  that  cow  as 
much  as  it  can  safely  take.  The  success  with  which 
this  is  done  depends  as  much  on  the  farmer  as  on  the 
cow.  If  the  cow  be  defective,  or  if  its  food  or  housing 
be,  the  business  is  unprofitable,  however  good  the 
farm  ;  and  the  fault  lies  not  with  the  farm  but  with 
the  farmer. 

Similarly  for  slaughter  purposes  it  pays  best  to  buy 
and  properly  feed  well-selected  stock.  Such  stock,  by 
yielding  a  better  quality  and  a  larger  quantity  of  beef, 
and  by  doing  so  in  much  less  time  than  poorly  bred 
stock  dependent  on  veld  grazing,  give  a  return  so 
much  greater,  and  do  it  so  much  quicker,  that  the 
extra  initial  outlay,  pains,  and  maintaining  expense 
are  more  than  amply  repaid. 

It  is  better  to  pay  ;r40  a^^a^  properly  house  and  feed 
a  cow  yielding  thirty  bottles  of  milk  per  day  for  the 


Farming. 

best  part  of  the  year  than  to  pay  ;fio  for  a  cow  which, 
however  fed,  has  not  the  capacity  to  yield  more  than 
six  bottles  of  milk  a  day,  for  a  few  months  a  year, 
when  milk  is  plentiful  and  proportionately  cheap. 
And  it  is  better  to  breed  from  expensive,  but  in  the 
long  run  cheap,  stock  that  will  give  a  calf  which,  by 
proper  feeding  and  care,  will  in  from  three  to  four 
years  scale  from  1600  to  1800  lb.  of  prime  beef  than 
to  breed  from  initially  cheap,  but  in  the  long  run  dear, 
stock,  producing  a  calf  which,  on  natural  veld  feeding, 
will  in  from  six  to  eight  years  scale  1000  to  1300  lb.  of 
inferior  beef.  Pound  for  pound  of  initial  outlay,  the 
return  from  good  stock  is  proportionately  greater  than 
from  poor  stock  ;  and  the  capital  takes  only  half  the 
time  to  produce  that  return. 

The  poorer  method  may  have  suited  conditions  when 
land  was  cheap  and  abundant,  when  stock  were  left 
to  thrive  or  die  as  nature  dictated,  when  the  farmer 
took  life  easily,  content  with  small  or  no  profits,  markets 
being  few  and  remote,  so  long  as  he  might  live  at  peace, 
exertionless.  But  times  have  changed,  and  with  them 
methods.  The  age  is  a  progressive  one,  and  none  but 
the  progressive  can  hope  to  succeed  in  it.  vSwit/er- 
land,  Holland,  and  Denmark  could  not  have  become 
the  dairy  countries  they  have  become  but  for  the 
fact  ;tl;iat  there  has  been  a  rigid  elimination  of  mediocre 
stoc^c.-;  The  heids  have  been  graded  up  to  return  the 
most  for  what  they  cost.  South  African  farmers, 
excepting  in  the  remoter  districts,  must  do  the  same 
or  succumb  to  the  competition  of  progressive  oversea 
farmers.  Already  the  position  is  that,  a  pastoral 
people  though  we  pretend  to  be,  we  do  not  supply 
our  own  needs  in  milk  products,  such  as  butter,  cheese, 
condensed  milk,  and  cream.     We  allow  oversea  farmers 

132 


Farming. 

to  do  SO.  Not  because  vSouth  Africa  is  less  suited  for 
dairying  than  other  countries,  but  merely  because  its 
grand  potentialities  are  not,  excepting  in  a  compara- 
tively few  cases,  propeily  handled. 

The  oversea  dairyman  captures  not  only  surrounding 
markets,  but  actually  competes  in  South  Africa,  not 
because  he  has  some  Divine  assistance,  nor  because 
he  has  better  natural  resources,  but  because  he  works 
hard  and  understands  his  business.  He  has  realized 
that  it  pays  to  work  only  first-class  stock,  and  he  has 
learnt  how  to  handle  them.  He  works  and  thinks 
and  compels  every  one  associated  with  him  to  work 
and  think.  And  until  more  than  a  small  minority  of 
South  African  dairymen  do  that,  their  efforts  may 
be  regarded  as  recreation,  hardly  as  serious  business. 
Until  they  work  and  understand  their  business,  until 
they  select  their  herds  for  specific  purposes,  cows  that 
will  give  milk,  not  acquire  fat,  steers  that  will  fatten, 
not  meditate  and  languish  ;  until  they  feed  and  house 
such  stock  to  force  them  to  their  utmost  yield  within 
reason,  and  study  each  individual  animal  to  eliminate 
the  unprofitable  ;  until  they  do  that,  instead  of  taking 
what  stock  chance  or  heritage  has  entailed  on  them, 
and  leaving  it  to  the  vagaries  of  nature,  to  the  inclemency 
of  the  veld,  and  the  inconsequence  of  the  Kaffir  herd 
and  milk  boy,  they  will  continue  to  find  the  large  local 
butter  and  cheese  market  not  worth  wrenching  from 
the  outsider,  and  the  selling  of  milk  at  excessive  prices 
in  adjacent  towns  only  just  worthy  of  attention. 

But  if  vSouth  Africa  i  cattlemen  will  profit  by  the 
experience  of  other  countries,  will  by  the  discriminate 
purchase  and  the  scientific  handling  of  herds  produce 
the  quality  and  quantity  of  milk  and  beef  desired, 
instead  of  an  absurd  quantity  of  milk  per  cow  and 

133 


Farming.  ,  , 

beef  that  is  endured  but  seldom  enjoyed,  they  will  make 
cattle  pay  on  even  small  holdings,  for  they  can  then 
capture  not  only  the  South  African  market,  but  face 
competition  oversea,  as  New  Zealand  and  Australia 
do.  Then,  but  not  before,  we  may  expect  to  see  beef, 
butter,  and  cheese  being  exported  instead  of  imported. 
The  laden  dairy  trains  will  then  resound  through  our 
railway  depots,  the  countryside,  partitioned  into  small, 
instead  of  5000-acre,  farms,  will  then  respond  to  the 
industry  of  the  many  instead  of  being  silent  and  largely 
unproductive. 

For  those  who  have  realized  and  will  act  upon  these 
prece]^  ts,  the  raising  of  cattle  in  the  Pretoria  District 
offers  excellent  opportunities.  For  those  who  require 
20  to  30  acres  for  each  head  cf  stock,  the  opportunities 
are  not  so  good. 


SHEEP. 

In  a  country  like  South  Africa,  many  portions  of 
which  are  so  admirably  suited  for  the  production  of 
wool  and  mutton,  the  Pretoria  District  cannot  be 
pronounced  as  eminent  for  sheep  farming.  For  sheep 
the  district  may  be  divided  into  two  areas.  The 
southern  area,  abutting  on  the  Witwatersrand,  consists 
mainly  of  sour  veld,  and  is  on  the  whole  unsuitable 
for  sheep  farming  on  a  large  scale.  The  northern  area, 
abutting  on  the  Middelburg  District,  carries  a  fair 
amount  of  sheep  where  the  veld,  is  open.  In  both  areas 
the  grasses,  especially  in  the  wet  season,  are  liable  to 
become  very  rank  for  sheep  ;  and  the  sheep,  unless 
very  well  cared  for,  are  liable  to  blue-tongue  and 
internal  parasites. 

134 


Farming. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  district  is  not  noted 
for  its  wool  or  mutton  possibiHties.  But  sheep  breeding 
on  a  small  scale  may  be  made  profitable  on  some 
farms,  especially  if,  as  recommended,  teff  or  similar 
grasses  for  general  purposes,  including  sheep  pasturing, 
are  laid  down. 


POULTRY    FOR    PROFIT. 

Where  so  many  kinds  of  stock  and  crops  can  be 
raised,  and  mixed  farming  is  the  consequence,  it 
pays,  especially  the  small  farmer,  to  keep  poultry. 
The  capitalist,  who  has  the  means  of  taking  up 
extensive  citrus,  tobacco,  or  stock  raising  ;  who  deals 
in  thousands,  not  in  hundreds,  when  calculating 
his  returns,  is  working  on  a  scale  which  places  poultry 
beneath  notice.  There  are  few,  if  any,  local  cases 
on  record  where  large  poultry'  farms  have  paid,  but 
the  farmer  whose  financial  limitations  resign  him  to 
contentment  with  a  livelihood  as  a  start,  and  better 
things  gradually,  will  in  most  cases  find  that,  as  an 
auxiliary  to  his  main  branches  of  farming,  a  few  hundred 
head  of  poultry  considerabty  accelerate  progress. 

Fowls,  especially,  are  or  can  be  made  profitable  for 
laying  or  for  table  use.  Good  eggs  and  good  table 
birds  are  always  in  demand,  whatever  the  importations. 
It  is  the  small,  the  watery,  the  partly  discoloured  egg, 
not  the  large,  well-flavoured  egg  with  the  bloom  still 
on,  that  does  not  retail  above  the  shilling  per  dozen 
which  long-stored  eggs  fetch.  It  is  the  stringy,  non- 
descript bird  that  depreciates  the  price  of  the  coop  to 
little  above  what  the  railage  cost.  But  such  eggs  and 
such  birds  are  not  produced  by  farming.  They  are 
the  products  of  chance — the  yield  of  flocks  which,  by 

^35 


Farming. 

incessant  inbreeding  and  by  the  necessity  for  feuding 
for  themselves,  have  been  so  enfeebled  or  are  so  occupied 
in  scratching  that  the  forming  of  succulent  flesh  has 
become  an  impossibility,  and  egg-laying  passed  from 
a  regular  business  to  merely  a  spring  pastime. 

Throughout  the  country  poultry  keeping  has  often 
been  found  unprofitable.  vSo  it  is  when  carried  on,  not 
as  a  business,  but  as  an  affair  that  can  look  after  itself 
or  at  best  be  tended  by  the  incompetent.  Unselected, 
unadapted,  unattended  poultry  will  not  pay ;  but 
neither  would  citrus  or  tobacco  farms  if  mismanaged. 
It  takes  experience  and  skill  to  produce  good  eggs  and 
good  table  birds,  but  not  more  than  the  average  farmer, 
with  the  assistance  of  his  household,  can  usually  spare 
from  his  other  branches  of  farming. 

It  is  well  to  start  on  a  small  scale,  to  select  even  as 
few  as  twenty  or  thirty  birds,  of  a  prolific  laying  strain 
like  Leghorns  for  eggs,  or  Cochins  for  the  table. 

They  must  first  be  adapted  to  the  particular  locahty. 
They  must  then  be  studied.  The  hen  is  an  egg-laying 
apparatus  and  should  be  regarded  and  regulated  as 
such.  Some  hens,  whatever  their  condition  and  breed, 
lay  worse  than  others.  Only  the  birds,  therefore,  with 
active  habits,  a  large  food  capacity,  and  the  ability 
regularly  to  turn  that  food  into  good  eggs  should  be 
kept.  The  others,  however  fine  their  plumage  or  gait, 
should  be  rigidly  excluded. 

From  the  eggs  of  the  hens  so  selected  the  flock  proper 
should  be  incubated  ;  it  will  then  be  born  to  its  environ- 
ment, and  fitted  for  it.  The  resulting  flock  should  be 
kept  to  such  a  size  as  can  be  handled  efficiently.  Hens 
shoxild  be  pen-fed  and  fattened  for  table  use  after 
laying  for  two  years,  except  those  with  unusually  good 

136 


Parmhg. 

laying  characteristics,  which  might  be  separated  and 
kept  in  the  breeding  flock  to  replace  the  drain  from 
the  laying  flock. 

The  laying  hens  should  be  separated  from  the  male 
birds  when  the  eggs  are  for  sale,  so  that,  unworried 
by  untimely  attentions,  they  may  the  better  devote 
themselves  to  the  business  for  which  they  are  kept. 
Eggs  for  consumption  are  in  any  case  the  better  for 
being  unfertilized. 

The  laying,  as  distinguished  from  the  breeding, 
hens  should  then  be  forced,  within  reason,  to  their 
utmost  laying  powers.  Those  powers  should  be  con- 
siderable, if  a  prolific  strain  has  been  bred  from,  and 
may  be  maintained  all  the  year  round  by  creating  the 
conditions  of  the  natural  laying  season,  i.e.  spring. 
This  is  possible  by  feeding  and  housing  the  hens 
properly  ;  by  feeding  with  the  food  peculiar  to  spring — 
a  good  and  varied  assortment  of  grains,  plenty  of 
green  stuff,  wholesome  shredded  meat  in  place  of 
worms  and  insects,  and  an  abundance  of  pure  water, 
not  too  cold  and  not  too  warm.  An  egg  contains  a 
large  percentage  of  water,  which  the  hen  must  drink, 
and  drink,  if  its  productiveness  is  not  to  be  disturbed, 
without  having  its  egg-laying  economy  impaired  by 
chill  or  filth. 

The  runs  should  be  quiet  and  secluded,  shaded  from 
the  summer  glare,  and  sheltered  from  the  chills  of 
winter. 

The  collecting  and  the  handling  of  the  eggs  is  hardly 
less  important  than  their  production.  They  should  be 
gathered  as  quickly  as  possible  from  the  nest,  stored 
in  a  dark,  cool  place  away  from  all  taint.  They  should 
be  dispatched  to  the  consumer  as  soon  as  possible,  not 

^37 


Farming. 

packed  in  sawdust  or  other  contaminating  material, 
but  in  partitioned  boxes.  Eggs,  as  their  shells  are 
porous,  are  easily  contaminated.  In  improper  packing, 
or  when  kept  long,  or  exposed  to  the  light,  or  handled 
much,  they  deteriorate,  lose  their  bloom,  and  fetch 
poor  prices,  which  are  further  reduced  by  middlemen's 
charges  and  by  the  competition  of  similar  deteriorated 
eggs  from  abroad. 

By  producing  a  good  egg,  by  ensuring  that  that  egg 
shall  reach  the  consumer  at  its  best,  fowls  can  be  made 
to  pay  in  a  district  like  that  of  Pretoria,  which  has 
the  large  Johannesburg  market  practically  at  its  door, 
where  good  eggs  fetch  good  prices  from  consumers 
such  as  hospitals,  nursing  homes,  the  better-class 
hotels,  and  restaurants,  as  well  as  from  private  house- 
holds, all  of  whom  may  be  reached  cheaply  and  quickly 
by  the  "  Collect  on  delivery  "  system  of  the  Railway 
Department. 


PRETORIA    DISTRICT:    FARMING    STATISTICS. 

The  following  figures  from  the  latest  (191 1)  Census 
help  to  substantiate  (as  far  as  they  go)  the  various 
conclusions  drawn  in  this  chapter  : — 

The  arable  land  of  the  district  was  occupied  as 
follows  : — 

Cultivated 82,306  morgen. 

Fallow 15,162         ,, 

Grazing 1,160,027         >> 

Of  the  cultivated  land  the  following  areas  were  used 
for  the  crops  mentioned  : — 

Wheat 3,829  morgen. 

Oats 4,952 

Barley 325 

138 


Farming. 


Mealies 25,749  morgen. 

Kaffir  corn 568 

Rye 13 

Peas 61  ,, 

Potatoes 956  ,, 

Sweet  potatoes 94  ,, 

Pumpkins 391  ,, 

Tobacco 206  ,, 

Lucerne 365  ,, 

Ground-nuts 44  ,, 

The  yield  was  as  follows  : — 

Wheat muids  35,690 

Oats „  8,531 

Oat-hay lb.  17,069,176 

Barley. . .   muids  1,067 

Green  barley bundles  269,197 

Mealies muids  273,793 

Kaffir  corn ,,  37,491 

Potatoes ,,  36,905 

Pumpkins No.  331,517 

Tobacco lb.  558,884 

Lucerne tons  1,500 

In  addition,  the  following  fruit  was  produced 

NUMBER. 

Apricots 7,451,272 

Peaches 32,189,976 

Plums 1,840,344 

Nectarines 63,890 

Apples 1,983,282 

Pears 764,420 

Oranges 4,612,118 

Naartjes 891,048 

Lemons 540.934 


139 


Farming. 

NtBIBER. 

Pompelmoes 39.070 

Citron MA^5 

Banana 15,600 

Almond lb.  1,032 

Walnut ,,  3,246 

Figs •.  .-  Qi,357 

and  about  40  tons  of  various  dried  fruits. 

The  district  contained  the  following  live  stock  : — 

Cattle 152,020 

Horses 5=732 

Asses 11,082 

Mules 2,999 

Ostriches 427 

Sheep 150,727 

Goats 141,235 

Pigs 33,610 

Of  the  cattle,  15  head  only  were  imported  ;  of  the 
goats,  only  5168  were  Angora ;  and  of  the  sheep, 
35,822  wooUed,  and  of  those  only  8893  were  Merino. 

The  herds  were  made  up  as  follows  : — 

Bulls 4,490 

Cows 58,740 

Oxen 44,769 

Other 44,021 


152,020 


The  yield  from  the  cows  was  as  follows  : — 

Milk gallons      136,000 

Butter lb.        36,160 

Cream ,,         17,321 

and  only 
Cheese „  15 


140 


Farming. 


Farm  workers  employed  : — 

Males  9,478 

Females 1,293 

10,771 


Of  these  3489  were  white  males,  855  white  females, 
5656  South  African  native  males,  406  females,  365 
other  coloured  races. 


LAND    AVAILABLE. 

There  are  as  good  farming  opportunities  in  the 
Union  as  anywhere  outside,  and  no  one  need  go  else- 
where for  land.  Such  are  the  farming  potentialities 
of  the  Pretoria  District,  however,  that  most  of  the 
farms  have  been  taken  up  by  private  owners  ;  but 
there  is  still  some  Government  land  obtainaT)le,  or 
likely  to  be  obtainable  in  the  near  future,  and  privately 
owned  land  is  obtainable  at  prices  which,  considering 
the  productiveness  of  that  land,  are  extremely  low. 
When  desired,  the  Government  assists  farmers  to 
acquire  such  privately  owned  land.  Section  11  of  the 
Land  Settlement  Act,  No.  12  of  1912,  empowers  the 
Government  to  purchase  such  land  at  the  request  of 
an  intending  farmer,  provided  the  intending  farmer  is 
prepared  to  contribute  at  least  one-fifth  of  the  purchase 
price  of  such  land.  He  may  then  pay  off  the  rest  of 
the  purchase  price,  plus  incidental  expenses,  in  forty 
equal  instalments,  payable  half-yearly. 

This  Act  also  contains  a  provision  whereby  the 
Government  may  allot  Crown  lands  to  applicants  who 
possess,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Minister  of  Lands,  suffi- 
cient working  capital  to  enable  them  to  develop  and 

141 


Farming. 

work  such  lands  beneficially.  Each  allotment  will  be 
made  on  a  lease  of  five  years,  with  the  option  of  pur- 
chase during  or  at  the  expiry  of  that  period.  No  rent 
will  be  payable  in  respect  of  the  first  year,  but  in 
respect  of  the  second  and  third  year  2  per  cent,  per 
annum,  and  in  respect  of  the  remaining  two  years 
3^  per  cent,  per  annum  will  be  payable  on  the  purchase 
price  of  the  holding.  WHien  the  option  of  purchase  is 
exercised,  the  purchase  price,  together  with  interest 
at  the  rate  of  4  per  cent,  per  annum,  will  be  payable 
to  the  Government  half-yearly  in  advance  by  forty 
equal  instalments. 

Full  particulars  in  regard  to  the  land  to  be  allotted 
will  from  time  to  time  be  published  in  the  Union 
Gazette  ;  a  notification  will  also  appear  in  the  principal 
newspapers. 

Under  this  Act  the  Government  may  also  advance 
to  lessees  of  holdings  an  amount  not  exceeding  50  per 
cent,  of  the  total  value  of  the  improvements  effected 
by  them  on  their  said  holdings  for  the  purpose  of 
purchasing  stock,  seeds,  implements,  and  other  farming 
requisites,  such  advance  not  to  exceed  ;^500.  Each 
advance  is  repayable  within  five  years  at  4J  per  cent, 
per  armum  interest. 


LABOUR. 

As  in  the  rest  of  South  Africa,  so  in  this  district, 
there  is  no  surfeit  of  native  labour  ;  but  the  Pretoria 
District  has  this  advantage,  that  owing  to  the  natives' 
preferences  for  working  on  the  mines  and  railways, 
which  pay  good  wages,  natives  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  trek  through  the  district  to  the  adjacent  mines 
and  railway  bureaus,  with  the  result  that  they  may 

142 


Farming, 

often  be  diverted  from  their  original  intentions  and 
recruited  by  the  local  fanners.  There  is  also  a  con- 
siderable native  population  resident  in  the  kraals  of 
the  district,  and  this  large  potential  labour  supply  is 
largely  protected  for  the  local  farmers  to  draw  upon 
by  the  fact  that  the  recruiting  of  outside  native  labour 
agents  is  to  a  considerable  extent  debarred. 


LAND    BANK. 

The  great  boon  which  the  establishment  of  a  Land 
Bank  has  been  to  South  African  farming  is  very 
noticeable  in  the  Pretoria  District.  The  loans  from 
the  bank  have  enabled  local  farmers  to  make  many 
improvements  ;  the  stability  of  farming  has  increased  ; 
land  values  have  improved,  and  a  degree  of  prosperity 
has  resulted  that,  without  the  aid  of  the  Land  Bank, 
would  have  been  deferred  for  many  years. 

The  object  of  the  bank  is  to  aid  deserving  farmers 
in  the  development  of  their  farms.  The  business  of 
the  bank  is — 

{a)  to  advance  money  to  farmers  on  mortgage  of 
land  within  the  Union  ; 

(b)  to  advauce  money  to,  and  to  guarantee  the  per- 
formance of  contracts  by,  co-operative  societies  ; 

(c)  to  advance  money  to  farmers  holding  land  under 
agreement  of  purchase  from  the  Crown,  or  holding 
land  from  the  Crown  under  a  lease  the  unexpired 
period  whereof  is  ten  j'^ears  or  more  ; 

and  generally  to  make  all  such  advances  and  do  all 
such  acts  as  the  bank  may  be  authorized  to  make  or 
do  by  Act  of  Parliament. 

10 


FaTming. 

Advances  are  made  by  the  bank  for  all  or  any  of 
the  following  purposes  : — 

(i)  Improvements,  in  which  term  shall  be  included 
farm  buildings,  fences,  tanks  and  other  structures 
for  the  dipping  or  spraying  of  stock,  the  clearing 
of  land  for  cultivation,  the  blocking  of  sluits, 
dongas,  and  water-courses  to  prevent  denudation 
of  soil,  and  the  planting  of  trees,  orchards,  vine- 
yards, sugar-cane,  and  tea. 

(2)  The'purchase  of  stock  or  plant  of  all  kinds  and 
of  agricultural  requirements  generally. 

(3)  The  discharge  of  existing  liabilities  on  land  or, 
in  special  circumstances,  any  other  existing 
liabilities. 

(.-I.)  The  payment  of  costs  incidental  to  the  sub- 
division of  land  held  in  undivided  shares. 

(5)  The  establishment  and  promotion  of  agricultural 
and  rural  industries,  including,  in  addition  to 
other  such  industries,  tobacco,  doiry,  and  like 
industries,  and  the  cultivation,  sale,  and  exporta- 
tion of  fruit. 

(6)  The  purchase  of  land  for  any  of  the  purposes 
described  in  paragraphs  i,  2,  and  5  of  this  section 
by  a  person  or  group  of  persons  whose  financial 
resources  are  deemed  adequate  to  carry  on  a 
purpose  described  in  any  of  those  paragraphs. 

But  no  advance  shall  be  made  by  the  bank  for  the 
purpose  of  any  such  irrigation,  water  storage,  or  boring 
work  as  may  be  made  the  subject  of  a  loan  under  any 
loan  relating  to  irrigation  or  conservation  of  water. 

Ivoans  are  made  [a)  upon  the  security  of  freehold 
and  quitrent  land,  to  an  amount  not  exceeding  60  pet 
cent,    of   the    agricultural   or   pastoral    value   thereof 

144 


Farming. 

(6)  upon  the  security  of  Crown  land,  to  an  amount  not 
exceeding  50  per  cent,  of  the  purchase  price  already 
paid  ;  (c)  upon  the  security  of  land  held  under  lease 
from  the  Crown,  to  an  amount  not  exceeding  50  per 
cent,  of  the  value  of  the  lessee's  interest  in  the  lease. 
In  every  case  the  vahie  will  be  determined  by  the 
Board. 

Loans  under  {a)  are  granted  for  a  period  of  thirty 
years.  During  the  first  five  years  interest  at  the  rate 
of  5  per  cent,  is  payable,  and  the  capital  may  during 
that  period  be  reduced  by  instalments  of  £^  or  any 
multiple  thereof.  At  the  end  of  five  years  the  balance 
of  the  loan  will  be  repayable  within  a  period  of  twenty - 
five  years,  by  half-yearly  instalments,  consisting  of 
capita]  and  interest,  each  instalment,  except  the  last, 
being  at  the  rate  of  ^3.  los.  for  every  ^100  of  the  loan. 

I/Oans  under  (5)  and  (c)  are  repayable  within  a  period 
of  five  years. 

Except  in  special  cases,  no  advances  are  made  for 
amouDts  of  less  than  ;^5o  or  more  than  ^^2000. 

The  headquarters  of  the  bank  are  at  Pretoria.  Its 
officials,  and  magistrates  throughout  the  Union,  will 
furnish  fuller  information  on  application,  and  render 
all  necessary  assistance  in  the  completion  of  forms  of 
application,  etc. 


145 


Mining. 


CHAPTER  XI. 
TO 

/flREAr  though  the  Transvaal  mineral  output  has 
^^  been  for  years,  it  has  by  no  means  reached  its 
maximum.  It  increases  every  year,  and  shows 
every  tendency  of  increasing  at  a  more  rapid  ratio  as 
the  deposits  worked  show  no  signs  of  petering  out, 
speaking  generally,  and  the  deposits  unworked  and 
untested  are  many. 

It  has  been  shovsm,  in  a  previous  chapter,  that  large 
though  this  mineral  wealth  is,  the  farming  potentiaUties 
are  even  greater,  but  largely  undeveloped,  as  the 
tendency  has  been  mainly  towards  mining.  This 
tendency  has  resulted  in  widespread  prospecting 
throughout  the  country,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Pretoria 
deposits  have  been  discovered  of  diamonds,  tin,  iron, 
gold,  silver,  lead,  coal,  and  calcareous  formations  for 
making  lime  and  cement.  Millions  are  now  taken 
annually  in  diamonds  from  the  vicinity  of  Pretoria, 
hundreds  of  thousands  in  tin  and  in  coal ;  and  the 
recent  discovery  of  a  large  deposit,  not  of  titanium 
iron,  but  of  a  superior  more  easily  worked  iron-ore 
suggests  an  additional  mining  industry  of  considerable 
importance. 

146 


MMng. 

But  considerable  though  the  prospecting  has  been, 
and  satisfactory  though  the  results,  it  has  been  neither 
systematic  nor  conclusive.  Many  portions  of  the  dis- 
trict are  still  unproved  geologically.  There  may  be 
near  Pretoria  undiscovered  diamond  mines  as  rich  as 
the  Premier  Mine,  or  tin  and  coal  fields  as  valuable  as 
those  of  Potgietersrust  and  Witbank.  There  is  still 
considerable  need  for  mineral  research  in  the  Pretoria 
District,  as  the  details  giv^en  under  each  of  the  following 
specific  headings  will  show. 

Diamonds. 

A  diamond  pipe  gives  no  surface  indications  of  its 
presence,  except  the  actual  diamonds  and  garnets  near 
it,  and  is  therefore  extremely  difficult  to  locate  ;  and 
so  infinitesimal  is  the  proportion  of  diamonds  to  the 
tonnage  of  earth  worked  to  disclose  them,  even  in  a 
payable  mine,  that  when  a  pipe  is  located  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  judge  its  payability  conclusively,  except 
by  extensive  working. 

The  result  was  that,  though  ten  years  ago  there  had 
been  a  good  deal  of  diamond  prospecting  in  the  dis- 
trict without  a  payable  mine  being  located,  this  was 
not  evidence  that  such  a  mine  did  not  exist,  as  the 
subsequent  discovery  of  the  Premier  Mine  proved. 
And  though  to-day  the  Premier  Mine  remains  the  only 
payable  diamond  mine  in  the  district,  this  by  no  means 
proves  that  there  are  not  other  payable  pipes  waiting 
to  be  discovered.  On  the  contrary  the  inference  is, 
as  experience  has  taught  in  Kimberley,  that  where  one 
payable  pipe  exists  others  are  probably  in  the  locahty, 
requiring  only  operations  sufficienth'  extensive  to  prove 
their  payability. 


147 


Mining. 

There  is  consequently  little  doubt  that  more  pipes 
than  ha\'e  been  proved  payable  exist  in  the  Pretoria 
District ;  that  some  of  them  may  be  extremely  rich  ; 
and  that,  therefore,  increased  diamond  prospecting  on 
systematic,  scientific  hues  would  be  justified. 

The  Premier  Diamond  Mine,  situated  twenty-four 
miles  from  Pretoria,  is  to-day  one  of  the  largest  mining 
ventures  in  the  world.  Probably  more  tons  of  ground 
are  handled  in  it  than  in  any  other  single  undertaking 
except  the  Panama  Canal  construction.  As  much  as 
40,000  loads  (i.e.  tons)  have  been  worked  in  one  day. 
During  191 2,  9,979,716  loads  were  handled,  yielding 
2,047,185  carats,  valued  at  /i, 909,564. 

Upwards  of  1200  white  men  and  17,000  Kaffirs  are 
employed  by  the  company. 

The  mine  is  worked  open-cast  and  is  approximately 
996  yards  long  by  483  yards  wide  and  of  a  depth 
ranging  from  200  to  300  feet. 

Apart  from  this  mine,  some  twelve  diamond  pipes 
have  been  located  in  the  district,  but  up  to  the  present 
none  have  been  proved  payable.  Alluvial  diamonds 
are  also  found  alongside  most  of  the  streams  flou-ing 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Premier  Mine.  From 
these  various  sources  and  the  mine  the  total  output 
for  1912  was  2,049,767  carats,  valued  at  £2,207,700, 
an  increase  over  the  pievious  year  of  244,563  carats, 
valued  at  £569,803. 

It  is  figures  such  as  these  which  emphasize  the 
mineral  progress  and  the  vast  potentialities  of  the 
Pretoria  District. 

Tin. 

As  in  the  case  of  diamonds,  so  with  tin,  prospecting 
has  been  extensive,  has  resulted  in  the  location  of  large 

148 


Mining. 

deposits,  some  of  which  are  at  present  yielding  hand- 
some returns,  but  the  district  as  a  whole  has  not  been 
exhaustively  prospected.  The  tin  deposits  found  are 
probably  only  an  iota  of  -what  may  yet  be  found. 
New  discoveries  of  tin-bearing  rock  are  continuously 
being  made,  and  with  incicased  operations,  both  mining 
and  prospecting,  there  is  ever>'  likelihood  that  the  tin 
industry  is  destined  to  become  one  of  the  important 
permanent  assets  of  the  Transvaal. 

Red  bushveld  granite,  the  miatrix  in  which  the 
celebrated  Transvaal  tinfields  occur,  begins  at  the 
Pyramids,  some  twelve  miles  from  Pretoria,  and 
stretches  northwards  indefinitely.  The  tin  mines  now 
worked  are  situated  about  seventy  miles  north  of 
Pretoria,  where  they  form  a  line  beginning  at  Rooiberg 
on  the  west  and  ending  at  Potgietersrust  on  the  east, 
a  zone  about  lOO  miles  long.  The  output  for  1912 
was  2948  tons  of  concentrates  (cassitarites),  valued  at 
;f370,ooo. 

At  the  Rooiberg  end  of  the  zone  the  tin  occurs 
mostly  in  veins  and  fissures,  as  in  other  countries,  but 
in  the  Potgietersrust  locality  it  occurs  in  a  very  peculiar 
pipe-like  formation  which  has  given  rise  to  much 
geological  controversy. 

Iron. 

Much  has  been  written,  and  more  talked,  about  the 
potentiaHties  of  the  Transvaal  iron  industry.  The 
general  contention  is  that  our  large  deposits  of  iron-ore 
could  be  profitably  worked,  being  situated,  as  they  are, 
if  not  near,  then  at  least  within,  economic  reach  of 
satisfactory'  coking  coal  and  lime  deposits.  It  has 
been  urged  by  many  that,  whilst  no  doubt  the  per- 
centage of  titanium  in  much  of  this  ore  makes  it  too 


149 


Mining. 

refractory  for  blast  furnaces,  the  difficulty  has  in 
Europe  been  overcome  by  using  electric  furnaces ; 
that  such  a  plant,  though  costly,  should  not  be  imprac- 
ticable in  a  country  importing  annually  shoes,  dies, 
steel  rails,  trucks,  wheels,  and  fencing  standards  to 
the  value  of  more  than  a  million  sterling  ;  that  the 
power  for  such  furnaces  could  be  generated  cheaply 
where  coal  is  so  cheap,  or  possibly  along  some  stream  ; 
and  that,  therefore,  enterprise  only  is  required  to 
establish  a  local  iron  industry  on  substantial  lines. 

The  argument  is  neither  conclusive  nor  convincing. 
In  it  the  point  is  overlooked  that  while  the  suggested 
electric  furnaces,  though  not  tested  with  our  refractory 
ores,  might  be  successful  in  the  Transvaal,  the  large 
initial  outlay  for  their  installation  would  be  prohibitive 
in  a  country  where  markets  are  so  restricted.  However 
successfully  refractory  ores  might  be  turned  into  pig- 
iron  and  steel  by  costly  electric  processes,  it  would  be 
impossible,  without  protection,  1o  compete,  except  in 
a  very  restricted  area,  with  steel  and  steel  products 
from  America,  Great  Britain,  and  Europe,  where 
manufacturers  work  on  so  much  larger  a  scale  than 
would  be  possible  here,  that  in  open  competition,  or 
in  face  of  our  present  Customs  tariff,  they  wouJd  con- 
tinue to  hold,  against  a  Transvaal  ironmaster  seeking 
returns  for  his  huge  outlay  on  electric  furnaces,  the 
vSouth  African  market  as  far  in  nearly  as  the  Free 
State  border  on  the  one  side  and  the  Natal  border 
on  the  other.  And  by  reducing  prices,  as  they 
doubtless  would  do,  they  could  hold  probably  the 
whole   market. 

Certainly  the  duty  on  imported  steel  might  be  raised. 
But  it  would  have  to  be  raised  much  to  be  effective. 
And  such   a  necessity  would  be  the  proof  that  our 

150 


Mining 

titanium  iron,  even  if  it  can  be  successfully  treated 
in  electric  furnaces,  can  be  worked  only  by  bounty. 
Of  course,  a  kind  of  bounty  is  being  given  in  Canada 
and  Australia  to  support  the  young  iron  industries 
there,  and  something  of  the  kind  might  be  feasible  in 
South  Africa.  That  is  a  national  question  on  which 
opinion  is  divided.  But  to  protect  the  iron  industry 
through  the  Customs  wjuld  be  to  bolster  it  at  the  cost 
and  to  the  detriment  of  more  important  local  indus- 
tries, at  least  until  sxich  time  as  the  economic 
position  of  South  Africa  becomes  very  different  to 
what  it  now  is. 

The  whole  matter  was  thoroughly  inquired  into  at 
the  instigation  of  the  Transvaal  Government  in  1910 
by  Mr.  F.  W.  Harboard,  one  of  the  leading  r,uropean 
experts  on  iron  smelting.  His  report  was  unfavourable. 
It  may  be  found  in  full  attached  to  the  1910  report  of 
the  Government  Mining  Engineer. 

But  that  does  not  dispose  of  the  possibility,  nay, 
probability,  of  starting  an  early  Transvaal  iron-ore 
smelting  industry.  Since  those  reports  were  issued  a 
very  superior  ore  has  been  discovered  some  sixty  miles 
north  of  Pretoria,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  farm  Leeuw- 
kraal,  showing,  again,  the  almost  infinite  mineral 
possibilities  of  the  district  if  adequately  prospected. 

Considerable  development  is  confidently  expected 
from  this  discovery,  as  the  quality  of  the  ore  is  excellent 
and  the  quantity  visible  very  large.  Such  an  ore  will 
prove  workable  if  it  can  be  smelted  in  blast  furnaces, 
because  such  furnaces  can  be  erected  as  small  or  as 
large  as  the  market  warrants  the  output  being.  Such 
an  industry  would  not  require  a  capital  altogether  out 
of  proportion  to  the  probable  dividends. 

151 


MMng. 

Gold. 

Near  Pretoria  one  or  two  small  gold  mines  are  being 
worked  in  quartz  veins  in  the  dolomite,  but  though 
of  geological  interest,  they  are  unimportant  com- 
mercially. 

Silver . 

The  above  remarks  apply  also  largely  to  silver. 
\'ery  rich  bonanza  of  argentiferous  copper-ore  was  at 
one  time  worked  at  the  Willows,  six  miles  east  of 
Pretoria,  but  work  has  long  since  ceased. 

Argentiferous  lead  ores  also  occur  in  the  dolomite 
south  of  Pretoria  and  at  Edendale,  fifteen  miles  east. 
At  the  latter  place  a  mine  has  been  working  more  or 
less  successfully  for  several  years  past.  During  1912 
it  was  worked  for  only  a  few  months  and  yielded 
141  tons  of  lead,  valued  at  ;{i436. 

Still  further  west  another  argentiferous  lead  mine 
was  at  one  time  worked  under  the  name  of  the  Trans- 
vaal Silver  Mine.  It  has  been  shut  down  for  some 
twenty  yea.rs  and  the  sides  have  completely  caved  in  ; 
but  its  richness  may  be  judged  from  the  fact  that 
dumps  which  were  washed  over  in  igi2  ^-ielded  1979  tons 
of  lead,  valued  at  £yooo,  and  silver  valued  at  £5000. 

Coal- 
Coal  has  been  located  twelve  miles  north  of  Pretoria, 
immediately  on   the  far  side  of   Pyramids,   and   from 
there  extends,  with  breaks,  all  over  the  bushveld,  up 
to  the  Waterberg  Range. 

Up  to  date  these  coal  deposits  have  not  been  worked, 
as  supplies  from  Witbank  are  of  better  quality  and  can 
hardly  be  undersold. 

152 


Mining 

The  Witbank  Coalfield  starts  at  Balmoral,  east 
of  Pretoria,  and  stretches  as  far  as  Belfast. 
It  is,  however,  not  a  continuous  sheet,  as  erosion 
has  exposed  the  underlying  formation  in  valleys  ; 
but,  speaking  generally,  the  tops  of  the  bults  or  downs 
are  covered  by  coal,  while  vleis  or  valleys  lie  beneath, 
giving  a  curious  lace-like  pattern  to  a  geological  map 
of  the  area. 

The  coal  from  this  field  amounted  in  igi2  to 
3,587,481  tons,  valued  at  £yyy,225,  being  an  increase 
of  250,000  tons,  valued  at  £ig,8^y,  over  the  previous 
year.  Over  35,000  gallons  of  tar  were  also  obtained, 
and  used  mainly  for  street  repairing  in  Johannesburg. 
400  white  men  and  7149  natives  were  employed 
during  the  year. 

Coking  Coal. 

It  was  former!}'  thought  that  South  African  coal 
was  entirely  unsuited  for  coking  purposes.  This 
theory  has  now  been  proved  wrong.  In  191 1  the 
Government  sent  to  Britain  six  samples  of  10 
tons  each  taken  from  representative  collieries  of 
the  Province.  These  were  tested  under  ordinary  con- 
ditions at  Middlesborough,  in  England,  under  the 
personal  supervision  of  Mr.  Harboard.  the  eminent 
expert  formerly  mentioned.  The  results  were  sur- 
prisingly favourable.  Details  may  be  found  in  a 
pamphlet  issued  in  191 1  by  the  Department  of  Mines, 
entitled  "  Coking  Tests  of  Transvaal  Coals." 

Cement. 

The  only  cement  factory  in  South  Africa  is  estab- 
lished in  the  Pretoria  District.  It  produced  62,745 
tons  of  cement  during  1912. 


153 


S4Mng. 

The  cement  equals  in  quality  any  imported  Portland 
cement,  though  it  requires  slightly  different  treatment. 
That  the  industry  is  profitable  is  proved  by  the  fact 
that  for  several  years  past  the  company  has  paid 
dividends  of  nearly  40  per  cent,  per  annum,  and  is 
now  establishing  subsidiary  factories  at  points  nearer 
the  coast  to  compete  more  extensively  with  the  imported 
article  ;  for,  as  in  the  case  of  iron,  cement  can  be 
brought  from  London  to  a  South  African  inland  point 
as  far  north  as  Beaufort  West,  in  Cape  Province,  as 
cheaply  as  from  Pretoria  to  that  point. 

Attached  to  the  cement  factory  is  an  industry  known 
as  the  Concrete  Construction  Company,  which  produces 
concrete  shapes  of  every  description,  from  sheep  troughs 
to  pulpits,  but  chiefly  hollow  blocks  for  building  pur- 
poses. The  company  possesses  the  most  advanced 
American  plant  obtainable,  and  its  manufactures  are 
equal  to  any  imported. 

Clays. 

At  Olifantsfontein,  eighteen  miles  south  of  Pretoria, 
the  ConsoHdated  Rand  Brick,  Tile,  and  Pottery  Works 
are  situated.  These  turn  out  not  only  ornam.ental 
brick  and  tile  work,  but  eveiy  description  of  domestic 
earthenware  and  chiuaware. 

Salt  and  Alkali. 

What  is  known  as  the  Pretoria  Saltpan  is  situated 
twenty-five  miles  north  of  the  city.  It  is  one  of  the 
geological  enigmas  of  South  Africa.  To  all  appear- 
ances it  is  the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano,  the  bottom 
of  the  crater  being  some  400  feet  below  the  rim  and 
200  feet  below  the  surrounding  country.  The  floor  of 
this  crater-like  depression  is  occupied  by  a  pan,  covered 

154 


Mining. 

in  the  dry  season  by  an  incrustation  of  salt  and  alkali, 
which  is  sub-layered  by  a  lo-feet  deposit  of  pure 
natron  or  native  carbonate  of  soda. 

A  borehole  sunk  170  feet  in  this  pan  disclosed  nothing 
but  alternate  layers  of  mud  and  salt.  The  banks  of 
the  pan  and  the  crater  itself  consist  of  bushveld  granite, 
and  not  a  trace  of  pumice  or  other  volcanic  ejector 
can  be  found  in  the  neighbourhood.  Apart  from  its 
geological  significance,  the  spot  is  an  extremely  pretty 
and  interesting  one,  well  worth  visiting  by  ever}'  one 
in  search  of  the  picturesque. 

An  alkali  industry  is  now  being  started  in  Johannes- 
burg to  absorl)  the  natron  excavated  from  this  pan  in 
dry  season. 

Chrome  Iron-Ore. 

Beds  of  chrome  iron-ore  have  also  been  found  near 
the  Pyramids.  Up  to  the  present  no  serious  work  has 
been  done  on  these  beds,  as  the  visible  outcrop  contains 
less  than  40  per  cent,  of  chromic  acid.  It  is,  however, 
possible,  and  even  probable,  that  richer  beds  ma^'  be 
found  by  prospecting  beneath  the  sub-soil,  as  has  been 
the  case  in  Rhodesia. 

Manufacturing. 

As  Pretoria  is  exceptionally  central,  is  extensively 
connected  by  rail,  is  the  centre  of  an  extremely  rich 
mining  and  farming  area,  has  a  huge  market  on  the 
Rand,  is  within  economic  reach  of  Natal  and  Rhodesia, 
as  well  as  the  port  of  Delagoa  Bay,  the  opportunities 
it  offers  for  industrialists  of  all  kinds  are  unusually 
good.  There,  if  anywhere  in  South  Africa,  manufac- 
tures of  certain  kinds  may  be  established  successfully. 
Splendid  sites,    abundant   water  supply,    and   electric 

155 


Mining. 

power  if  desired  will  be  supplied  by  the  Municipality 
to  manufacturers  at  reduced  rates.  L-arge  quantities 
of  raw  materials  are  produced  in  the  districts ;  huge 
quantities  will  soon  be  produced,  especially  if  there 
are  local  factories  to  absorb  such  raw  material.  To 
Pretoria,  therefore,  manufacturers  should  turn  atten- 
tion. 


156 


SOUTH    AFRICAN 
RAILWAY    MAP. 


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LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Plate. 

I — Panorama. 
II — Union  Buildings. 

HI-     ,. 
IV-    „ 
V-     „ 
VI—     „ 
VII — Pretoria  Scenes — Early  Days. 
VIII — Old  Pretoria  Residences. 
IX — Modern  Pretoria  Residences. 
X —      ,,  II  ,1 

XI— Jess's  Cottage,  Pretoria. 
XII — Church  Square. 
XIII—      „ 

XIV — Post  Office  and  Government  Buildings. 
XV — Governor-General's  Residence,  Pretoria  Club,  etc. 
XVI — Market  Squaie. 
XVII— Burgers  Park. 

XVIII— New  Railway  Station  and  Old  Station  Yard. 
XIX — Museum. 
XX— Typical  Street  Scenes. 
XXI — Lovers'  Walk,  Pretoria. 
XXII— Street  Scenes. 

XXIII — Aapics  River  and  Fountain  GroTC. 
XXIV — In  and  near  Fountain  Grove. 
XXV — Hennops  River. 
XXVI— To  Hennops  River. 
XXVII — River  Scenery — Aapies  and  Hennops  River. 
XXVIII— To  Haviaans  Poort. 
XXIX— Baviaans  Poort. 
XXX— The  Wonderboom. 
XXXI— At  the  Zoo. 
XXXII— The  Zoo. 
XXXIII -In  the  Zoo. 
XXXIV— At  the  Zoo. 
XXXV— Pretorius  Street  and  Town  Hall. 
XXXVI— Town  Hall. 
XXXVII— Fire  Brigade  Station. 
XXXVIII— Education  Institutions. 
XXXIX— Union  Buildings,  West  Block,  etc. 
XL — Railway  Station. 
XLI— Country  Club,  Waterkloof. 
XLII — Plant  Pathologist's  Laboratory, 


I  N  DEX. 


A 

Page 

Agricultural  College 93,109 

Annexation  of  Transvaal 29 

Arcadia 39 

Architecture 83 

Church  Square 86 

Fire  Station 86 

■ Government  House 91 

■     M  useum 86 

Post  Office 87 

Railway  Station 85 

Schools 93 

Transvaal  University 93 

Union  Buildings 88 

Around  Pretoria 44 

Art  Gallery 86 

B 

Back  to  the  Land 103 

Backv^ard  Glance,  A 5 

Bacteriological  Station,  The 63 

Bapedi  Rebellion,  The 28 

Barberton 33,34 

Basutos,  The 29 

—       War 31 

157 

II 


Index. 

Page 

Baviaans  Poort 43 

Boer,  The 

—  as  Colonist 8 

—  as  Hunter 24 

—  as  Pioneer 13 

—  as  Ruler 28 

—  War,  The 31 

Boys'  High  School,  The 65,83 

British  Annexation  ol  Transvaal 29 

Burgers,   President 28 

c 

Cattle  Farming 128 

Cement 153 

Chrome , 155 

Church  Square 86 

Clays 154 

Climate  of  Pretoria 40,64 

Coal 152 

—  Coking 153 

Commando  Nek 45 

Cotton  possibilities 1 26 

Crocodile  River 45 

Crops,  General 127 

D 

Dairying 128 

Daspoort 42 

Diamonds 1 47 

E 

Early  'Eighties  in  Pretoria 29 

Educational  Facilities 64 

Electric  Supply 76 


Farming  ; 


F 

Back  to  the  Land 103 

Cattle 13! 

158 


Index. 

Farming :  Page 

Cotton,  Possibilities  of 126 

Crops,  General 127 

Dairyi 129 

Facts  about  Pretoria 109 

Fruit,  Enormous  Profits  in 1 13 

Labour 142 

Lank  Bank 143 

Maize  and  Aflluence 122 

Pastoral 128 

Poultry 135 

Sheep 134 

Statistics 138 

Tobacco,  Fortunes  in 118 

Fire  Department,  The 79,86 

Flora 95 

Founding  of  Pretoria 7 

Fountains,  The 45 

Fruit  Growxng,  Enormous  Profits  in , 1 13 

G 

General  Crops 127 

Girls'  High  School 66 

Gold 152 

—  Discovery  of 32 

—  The  Rush  for 32 

Government  H  ouse 91 

Great  Karoo,  The 16 

Great  Trek,  The 

Causes  of 8-11 

Commences 12 

The  Journey 16 

Obstacles  of 13-18 

Growth  of   Pretoria , 22 

H 

Hennops  River 45 

High  School,  The  Boys* 65 

„        „      The  Girls* 66 

Hunting  becomes  a  Trade 24 

159 


Index. 

I  Page 

Introductory 3 

Iron 149 


J 

Jacaranda,  The 39 

Johannesburg 33,  34 

Joubert,  General 32 

K 

Kafir.  The 9 

Kroonstad 19 

Kruger,  Paul 32 

L 

Labour 81,142 

Land  Available 141 

Land  Bank,  The 143 

Lead 152 

Libraries  of  Pretoria,  The 62,86 

Lydenburg 19,31,33 

M 

Magaliesberg 42 

Maize 122 

Majuba 32 

Manufacturing 155 

Mining 146 

Moselekatse 17,  18 

Municipal : 

Electric  Supply > 76 

Fire  Department 79 

History 70 

Labour 81 

Population 73 

Rates 73 

Roads,  etc 80 

i6o 


Index. 

Municipal :  Page 

Sanitation 77 

Sewerage 77 

Tramways 76 

Valuation 73 

Water  Supply 74 

Museum,  The 52,  86 

N 

Natal 16 

Native  Raiders 8 

Normal  College 67,93 

O 

Olifantsfontein 154 

Orange  Free  State 16,  18,  19 

Orange  River 16 

Ox-wagon  Transport  : 

■ Comedy  and  Tragedy  of 26 

Value  of 16 

P 

Past  and  Present 6 

Pastoral 128 

Post  Office 87 

Potchefstroom 19-31 

Potgieter 18 

Poultry 135 

Pretoria  : 

1864 21 

Administrative  Capital 36 

Architecture 83 

Climate 40 

Compared 36 

Early   'Eighties 29 

Educational  Facilities 64 

Electric  Supply 76 

i6i 


Index. 

Pretoria :  Page 

Farming  Opportunities 108 

Garrison  Town,  A 29 

Growth  of 22 

Land  Available  Around 141 

Manufacturing  in 155 

Modern  City,  The , 36 

Municipality  of 70 

■     Population  of 73 

Rates 73 

■ Siege  of 32 

Tours  Around 44 

Valuation  of 73 

Pretorius,  M.  W 19 

R 

Railway  Station,  The 85 

Ranching 128 

Rand,  The 33 

Rates 73 

Roads 80 

Rustenburg 19-31 

S 

Salt  and  Alkali 154 

Sanitation • 77 

Schools 65-69 

Sheep 134 

Shepstone,  Sir  T 29 

Siege  of  Pretoria 32 

Silver 152 

Slave  Emancipation 8-11 

South  African  Republic 20 

Early  Days  of 25 

Statistics  : 

Farming 138 

Land 141 

Land  Bank 143 


162 


Index. 

Statistics  :  Page 

Mining 146 

■ Weather 64 

Stock  Farming 128 

Streets 80 

Sunnyside 39 


T 

Tin 148 

Tobacco,  Fortunes  in 118 

Tours  Around  Pretoria 44 

Trade  School,  The 68 

Tramways 76 

Transvaal  Annexed 29 

Handed  Back 32 

Transvaal  University  College 64,  93 

Trichardt 18 

Trek,  The  Great  : 

—  Causes  of 8-11 

—  Commencement  of 12 

—  Journey,  The 16 

—  Obstacles  of 13-17 


U 

Union  Buildings  : 

Opening  of 4,88 

Union,  The  First 19 

University  College,  Transvaal 64,  93 

Utrecht 19 


V 

Valuation  of  Pretoria 73 

Voortrekkers,  The  : 

Obstacles  of 13 

Qualities  of  the 13 


163 


Index. 

Page 

War  of   1880 31 

Water  Supply,  Pretoria 74 

Winburg 19 

Witbank 153 

Wonderboom 43 

z 

Zoo,  The 56 

Zoutpansberg 18 

Zulus,  The 29 

—     War 29 


^ 


164 


If  anything  is  required  by  you  when  on  a 
VISIT   TO    PRETORIA, 


-YOU    WILL    FIND   THK — 


BEST  CLASS   OF  GOODS 

—  AT^ 

REASONABLE  PRICES 

— BY   CALLING   AT — 

JOHN  JACK,  Ltd,, 

CHURCH  STREET. 


Gent.'s  and  Youths'  Outfitting. 

Ladies'  Drapery  m  Latest  Fashions. 

Household     Ironmongery. 

TRA  YELLING     REQUISITES, 

— AND-  - 

All  kinds  of  Grocery  and  Sweets,  etc.,  etc. 


HENWOOD'S, 

Church  Street,  Pretoria, 

Is  a  large,  well-equipped   Modern   Store  devoted  to 

the  necessaries    for    outdoor  and   indoor  wear,   the 

Home,  the  Garden,   the   Farm. 

A    Visit    of    Inspection    is    cordially    invited. 


A   Splendid   Range  of   

exclusive  Novelties 

in    ALL    Departments. 
Oi  ic         II zno  nt  ir         II in 


Gowns, 

Blouses, 

Hats. 


oc 


DOC 


Men's  Wear, 
Boots  and 
Shoes. 

lOI 


lO 


Hardware, 

China  and  Glass, 

Furniture. 

ni  ir 


"II  in 


Pretoria's  Lowest  Prices  Always. 


THE 

WORLD    OF    DRESS 


) 


ALWAYS     : 
::     SHOWING 

The  Newest  Styles 
for 

LADIES'  AND     :: 
CHILDREN'S  WEAR. 


SPECIALISTS  for  Household   Linens, 

FURNISHING    DRAPERY, 
Blinds,  Carpets  and  Linoleums, 


Store  Bros.,  p'RETORlt 


^^^    Private  Hotel,      ^^ 
PRETORIA, 

Box  548.  185   Schoeman  Street.  'Phone  631. 


CENTRAL.     CLEAN.     COMFORTABLE. 


Excellent  Table,  Up-to-date  Sanitation. 


TERMS:  lOs.  PER  DAY.  K.  GROENEVELD, 

£2.    10s.  per  Week.  Proprietor. 


& 


Pretoria  Shopping  Centre. 


i 


?T.  W.  BECKETT  &  Co. A 

Ltd., 

Church   Street,   PRETORIA 


o   o   o 


The  leading  store 


^'I'fi 


For  High-grade  Drapery,  Outfitting, 
Boots,  Shoes,  China  and  Glass, 
Hardware,  Furnishing  and  Furniture, 
Provisions,  and  all  Household 
Requisites.  ::  ::  :: 


&■ 


^ 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGK/.'AL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


81     5 


000  979  1 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

305  De  Neve  Drive  -  Parking  Lot  17  •  Box  951388 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA  90095-1388 

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