The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

EESOUBCES OF XATAL. 183plaiu of the importation of these troublesome rivals.In 1884 the Hindus settledin Natal already numbered over twenty-seven thousand, and this element issteadily increasinj^.Including with the Europeans and Hindus all other strangers, such as Xalays,Chinese, and half-castes, the foreigners of all kinds now represent about one-sixthof the whole population of Natal. Nearly all have special occujjations accordingto their several nationalities. Thus immigrants from St. Helena are generallycoachmen and drivers, the Gei'maus farmers or clerks, the Dutch stock-breeders,the Norwegians fishers, and so on.Agricultl'R.yl .\xdMixekal Resoukces.—CoMMUXic.vnoNS.The colonial Government still possesses a vast extent of unsold lands suitableeither for tillage or grazing.Of a total extent of over 12,000,000 acres, including,however, rocky ground and waste spaces of all sorts, 2,770,000 acres were stillundisposed of in 1885, and most of this land was situated in the southern part ofthe colony near Pondolaud. The ground actually cultivated by Europeans docsnot exceed 90,000 acres, which is scarcely more than the hundredth part of thedomains owned by them.The so-called locations, or reserves, secured absolutelyto the Kafirs represent a total area of 2,000,000 acres. The extent of the allotmentsoffered for sale or on lease has varied according to the oscillations of thecolonial policj-. The first Dutch settlers had appropriated to themselves lots ofC,000 acres and upwards, so that about two thousand j^rcprietors would^have sufiicedto swallow up the whole territory.Since that epoch the average size of the allotmentshas been considerably less, although man)' have still exceeded 1,000, or even2,000 and 3,000 acres. But in the neighbourhood of towns there is a general tendencytowards the creation of small holdings.The staple agricultural product of Natal is the " mcalic," or maize. Thiscereal yields in superabundance all that is required by the Kafirs, the Hindus,and their domestic animals, leaving sufficient for a considerable export trade.other European cereals are also cultivated, and every town and hamlet is surroimdedby a zone of gardens or orchards, which have replaced the old forestvegetation nearly entirely destroyed by the axe or fire.AllEven the dense mangrovethickets on the coastlands have been almost everywhere consumed, their incorruptiblewood being highly appreciated for aU kinds of joiners' work.Thanks to its sub-tropical climate. Natal also produces plants unknown in theEuropean temperate zone. But since the year 1872 the extensive coffee plantationshave suffered so much from the ravages of disease that this industry hasbeen almost abandoned. Attempts have here and there been made to replace itby tea ; but in 1885 the plantations did not exceed 400 acres altogether, yieldingfor exportation little over 35,000 lbs. of this article.Attention has also been paidto the cultivation of hemp, P/iormiuin tenax, and other fibrous plants. On theplantations of the seaboard the chief cultivated plant is the sugar-cane, which wasintroduced in 1851. In 1884 these plantations covered a total extent of 29,000acres, and produced a crop of 18,771 tons, over a third of which was exported