The country is one of vast sandy plains, except in the north-eastern portion, where it is considerably broken by the Waterberg and Zoutpansberg mountains.

In the south-western portion the surface is covered with gigantic sand dunes.

The rainfall varies from 10-30 in. and increases from the west eastwards. The greater portion of it falls during the summer months and mostly accompanying tropical thunderstorms.

Over

The vegetation is composed of trees, scattered bush, and grass. the greater portion of the country the general aspect of the vegetation is park-like. Towards the east where the rainfall is higher and more regular. the bush becomes denser and thicker.

bush.

Thorn trees, mostly species of acacia, are the dominating feature of the

Typical and widely distributed plants throughout this area are Acacia giraffae, A. detinens, A. spirocarpoides, A. hebeclada, Dichrostachys nutans, Terminalia sericea, T. pruinoides, Boscia Pechuelli, B. Rehmanniana, Zizyphus mucronata, Rhus viminalis, R. lancea, Olea verrucosa, Peltophorum africanum, Tarchonanthus camphoratus, Grewia flava, G. cana, Royena pallens, Cassia obovata, and Citrullus vulgaris.

In the northern portion, tropical African vegetation is met with and is characterized by the presence of Adansonia digitata, Copaifera mopane, Hyphaene crinita, H. ventricosa, Excoecaria africana, Balsamodendron africanum, Commiphoras, Sterculias, and Aloe rubrolutea.

Some of the more typical grasses of this area are Aristida adscensionis, Aristida uniplumis, A. mollissima, Eragrostis denudata, E. lehmanniana, E. truncata, Fingerhuthia africana, Anthephora pubescens, Panicum Marlothii, Panicum Holubii, and Schmidtia bulbosa.

(4) The South African Steppe and Forest Province occupies a large portion of the eastern side of South Africa. It includes the high-lying country in the north-eastern portion of the Province of the Cape of Good Hope, the greater part of the Orange Free State, and the southern Transvaal, together with the country which lies between this and the Indian Ocean. It thus embraces Basutoland, Tembuland, Pondoland, Griqualand East, Natal, Zululand, Swaziland, and the low-lying strip of country in Portuguese East Africa east of the Lebombo range.

In marked contrast to the areas already dealt with, this tract of country is well covered with grass, in fact, grass is dominant everywhere except where forest patches occur.

"

Within the Province itself there are several distinct climatic areas, and these exhibit corresponding differences in their botanical features. The western portion, which includes the High Veld, is typical steppe country in which Themeda triandra is dominant. The high mountainous tract of country forming the Drakensberg range contains typical forest vegetation. The terraced country between the Drakensberg and the coast is typical savanah, while the frostless coast belt is covered with bush and forest which contain many plants characteristic of tropical Africa.

The South African Steppe and Forest Province thus includes the High Veld or Steppe area, the Eastern Mountain or Drakensberg Forest area, the eastern grassveld or Savanah area, and the Coastal or East African Forest area.

The High Veld consists of vast rolling plains covered with grass and devoid of indigenous trees and bush. Its average height above sea-level is between 4000 and 5000 ft. The rainfall varies from 25-30 in., most

of which falls during the summer months, while the whole area is subject during the winter to severe frosts. The dominant grass is Themeda triandra. Other common and typical grasses are Tristachya Rehmanni, Heteropogon contortus, Andropogon amplectens, A. schirensis, Monocymbium ceresiiforme, and Urelytrum squarrosum.

The Eastern Mountain or Drakensberg Forest area includes the mountainous country which forms the eastern escarpment of the South African plateau. The mountains vary in height from 6000-10,000 ft. and enjoy a rainfall of 30-60 in. in summer, while snow frequently lies on them in winter. The forests are made up largely of Podocarpus elongata, P. latifolia, Olea laurifolia, Celtis kraussiana, Curtisia faginea, and Xymalos monospora. The characteristic grasses are Agrostis suavis, Anthoxanthum Ecklonii, Avenastrum caffrum, A. turgidulum, Festuca caprina, F. costata, F. scabra, and Harpechloa capensis.

The eastern grassveld or savannah area lies between the coast and the eastern escarpment. Its average height above sea is from 1000-4000 ft., and it rises from the coast by a series of terraces. The average rainfall is from 25-40 in. The general aspect of the country is that of grassland with scattered thorn bush and succulents. The dominant grasses are Themeda triandra, Eragrotis plana, Sporobolus indicus, Hyparrhenia hirta. A. amplectens, and A. schoenanthus. The thorn trees comprise mainly Acacia karroo, A. caffra, A. Benthami, Dichrostachys nutans, Ehretia hottentotica, and Zizyphus mucronata. The chief succulents are Euphorbia grandidens, E. Cooperi, E. ingens, Aloe ferox, A. Marlothii, and A. Bainesii.

The Coastal or East African Forest area extends inland to an altitude of 1000 ft. It has a fairly regular rainfall of 30-40 in. and a uniform temperature which is sub-tropical to tropical. Consequently the country is covered with more or less dense bush and forest patches. The trees composing this bush are Mimusops caffra, Rhus longifolia, Albizzia fastigiata, Millettia caffra, M. sutherlandi, Harpephyllum caffrum, Macaranga capensis, Rauwolfia natalensis, Rhus laevigata, Hyphaene crinita, Phoenix reclinata, and Strelitzia augusta, most of which have tropical African affinities.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING AND DRYING BOTANICAL SPECIMENS AND FOR WRITING THEIR ACCOMPANYING

TICKETS.

By MRS. F. BOLUS, B.A., and R. MARLOTH, Ph.D.

1. Apparatus.--Provide a collecting-frame or two cardboards joined by straps, paper, field-labels, notebook, haversack, pocket-knife, and digger. If a collecting-frame is not available, two or more cardboards, 17 by II in., are necessary to give rigidity to the parcel.

The paper, used for laying out the plants upon and for putting between the layers, should be cut to a uniform size, say, 16 by 10 in. Ordinary unglazed newspaper will serve, but would naturally wear out far more quickly than a strong brown paper, and in some cases scarcely repay the labour of cutting down to size. Copies of the "Farmer's Weekly Government Gazette will be found useful, as being approximately the size required.

ΟΙ

The field-labels, measuring, say, 3 by 5 in., should have two slits cut in them beforehand, so that they may be more readily slipped on to the specimen. All information asked for should be filled in according to the directions given at the end of this article and on the fly-sheet of the block of labels.

or

The notebook is used for recording the date (day, month, and year) on which the collection is made, and the station, locality, proximity to nearest town, district, geographical division, altitude. In addition to the geographical information it is necessary to state the "habitat” * habitats covered by the station. A collecting excursion may embrace more than one habitat. For example, an expedition to the nearest hill may include the following habitats: (1) level ground; (2) river-banks; (3) river-bed; (4) rocky hill. Habitats may be further described under the following headings: (1) soil-whether sand, clay, loam, humus, lime, etc.; (2) water-whether very wet, wet, moist, periodically wet and dry, dry, very dry; (3) light-whether densely shaded, shady, diffused light, full sunlight.

The haversack is for holding the more rigid plants, like thorny Euphorbiae, etc., which would injure the more delicate ones in the papers, and for succulents, which do not require to be put between papers immediately.

2. How to Collect. In exploring a given locality botanically the collectors should aim: (1) at getting a complete toll of the flora of the locality, and (2) at getting the specimens which represent that toll as perfect as possible. To be perfect a botanical specimen should have root, stem, leaves, flowers (open and in bud), and fruit (young and mature). This, however, is not always possible, and in the case of large plants is quite impossible. One should avoid getting scraps or fragments-flowers without leaves or leaves without flower-which are comparatively useless, though some additional flowers, dried separately, add considerably to

*For a list of habitats see Appendix I.

good specimens. The collector should bear in mind when selecting specimens that the herbarium-sheets on which the specimens will be mounted eventually, measure 10 by 16 in.

Small Annuals.-Complete specimens of these can usually be collected, showing root, stem, leaves, flower, and fruit.

Shrubs and Trees.-Branches may be taken when in flower, showing the open flower and the buds. Later on when the fruit is ripe more branches should be gathered as fruiting specimens. The leaves on these specimens may not show the full size attained on the plant. Half a dozen of the largest leaves should therefore be gathered to supplement those on the branches. If the bark shows any peculiarity, pieces may be stripped off and dried.

Bulbous Plants.--Complete specimens of these can usually be obtained. If longer than 16 in. the leaves and flower-stalk can be bent once or twice to meet the required size. The bulb itself should be sliced off (and the slices dried) on each side, so that it may lie flat in the press. If this is not done it tends to be squashed out of shape. Corms (" dry bulbs ") do not require to be cut in this way.

Oxalis should always be collected with its bulbs, which should be dried whole.

Succulent or Fleshy Plants.-The leaves and stems of these often take much longer to dry than do the flowering portions, which get too much dried and are apt to fall to pieces. Separate specimens, therefore, of the flowering parts should be dried to supplement the others, which are left in situ merely to show their position. Care should be taken to attach the proper number to the flowers.

Grasses. Specimens of these must show the root and lower leaves, as well as the erect stem (culm) which bears the inflorescence. As it is important to know how many nodes the culms have, the taller ones should be bent to size before drying. They are inclined to snap and break if bent after being dried. If the grass grows in thick tufts, the latter may be broken up into pieces-each piece showing a few roots and lower leaves with one to four culms.

The collector should aim at getting about twelve "sets" of each species. A set varies according to the nature of the plant. A single branch, if provided with a fair supply of flowers, and another with fruit will constitute a set. Of annuals three to four specimens, of bulbous plants two to four specimens, of grasses two to four if small plants, and one if large, will constitute a set.

3. How to Dry-In the field the collector should endeavour to get his plants between the papers as soon as possible to avoid the risk of their wilting, or in the case of heaths of the leaves dropping. One or two sheets of paper between each layer of plants will be found sufficient at this stage. Each layer should be filled with as many plants as it will hold without overlapping. Throughout the drying process care should be taken to see that the corners are filled first, before anything is placed on the other available spaces on the sheet-the tendency being for the centre to bulge and the corners to be insufficiently pressed. The base of the specimen should be directed towards the edge of the sheet so that the younger and tenderer portions may be protected more within. One specimen of each species is provided at once with its field-label. On returning to the base

of operations the collector proceeds to sort out the more rigid specimens from the more delicate ones, and either uses separate presses or puts a rigid cardboard between-his object being to get as smooth and even a pressure as possible. Instead of one or two sheets of paper between each layer of plants at least eight or ten will be required now. It is necessary to keep a sharp lookout for stray insects, especially caterpillars which, if overlooked, are capable of ruining a specimen.

When the pile reaches 8-12 in. in height fasten with a tight strap or rope, or much better, put on the top a weight of heavy stones, or tins, or bags of sand, of about 80-100 lb. Experience will teach the desirable weight-rigid, dry shrubs need more; soft and especially succulent and damp plants need less pressure.

The first change of papers should take place within twenty-four hours. This shifting is the great secret of thoroughly satisfactory work. If left too long, fermentation sets up in the tissues of the plant, and they become rotten internally instead of drying, and eventually fall to pieces. Except in the case of grasses and grass-like plants it is advisable to make the second change within twenty-four hours of the first, allowing the intervals of time to increase gradually from two days to every three days or four days. It is impossible to give accurate directions, since so much depends on the dryness or moisture of the climate, as well as on the degree of succulence of the plants or the thickness of their parts. The best time to change plants, in the earlier stages, is in the late afternoons or evening. During the heat of the day the plants will tend to part with a considerable amount of their moisture, and to leave them for a night between the warm damp papers would be likely to cause fermentation and rotting.

If time allows and the specimens are not frail, it is as well to shift each specimen separately on to a dry layer; otherwise the whole layer may be moved bodily without disturbing the separate specimens.

The same papers may be used over and over again until worn out. so long as they are dried in wind or sun during the intervals of changing.

There are certain thick and fleshy plants which dry more quickly if they have a little treatment before being put in the press. Thick inflorescences like those of Aloe and Protea may be cut down the middle longitudinally and dried in two halves. In the case of fleshy Pelargonia and Euphorbiae the whole plant, or its branches, may be cut from the bottom to the top, and all the pith in the centre scooped out, leaving only the bark, with the leaves, flowers, and fruit in position. The stems of Stapeliae may be treated in the same way.

Of plants with delicate corollas (Homeria, Moraea, etc.), some flowers should be placed between sheets of thinner paper and left undisturbed in them throughout the drying process.

4. How to Kill.-Succulent plants will scarcely make satisfactory botanical specimens unless they are killed before being put in the press. The old method of killing was to dip the specimen, all but the flowers, in nearly boiling water for a few seconds. Another method is immersion for twenty-four hours in a 3-5 per cent. solution of formalin. A third method, considered the best by the most experienced people, is immersion in a saturated solution of corrosive sublimate. This last requires very careful handling. The specimen should be attached to a string and be let down into the vessel, remaining five to thirty minutes, according to its thickness. The plants may be placed straight from the killing-mixture into the press. Perhaps the easiest method of killing is with sheep-dip (Cooper's). One teaspoonful mixed with half a pint of cold water will be found sufficiently