slaughter, average weight 400 lbs. Sheep, Cape slaughter, do. Prices of Agricultural Stock, &c., in the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope, 1842. 66 2 50" 1 10 300 5 0 0 " 7 10 0 40 lbs. Spades per dozen 020 0 1 0 60 0 0 15 0 0 6 0 0 1 16 0 Timber, &c.-The Cape is not considered to be a wellwooded country. Yet there are parts of it rivalling the forests of the Malabar coast. The frontier of Albany is girt with woods or copse; and the whole eastern district resembles a series of noble parks, with their clumps of trees and bush, set by nature on the noblest scale. The border clothing of every streamlet, and of the bold kloofs made by the ancient rents of nature, is formed of noble trees. Between them we have the open ground ready for sheep walks or tillage. Government retain several forests which will yield invaluable timber. In the county of George is the forest of Lange Kloof, about thirty miles long, and five miles broad, with timber unrivalled in length and diameter. But from the very foundation of the colony, planting has been forgotten. Timber or firewood is wanted, and the nearest forest furnishes the supply without a thought of planting. Forests of oak might be raised and renewed in moist situations in a short space of time. Round Cape Town itself, when the colony was settled 200 years ago, timber abounded; but, as usual, the Dutch think not of their posterity, so that their wants are supplied without thinking of those who have to follow them. This should, however, no longer be the case, either with individuals or the government. The neighbourhood of the Knysna, in the county of George, is famous for fine scenery and inexhaustible forests, supplying not only Cape Town, but also a great part of the inland districts with timber for building and other purposes. It is sent thither by sea, and carried by land even to the county of Beaufort, and other unwooded districts. In these forests, whence flow numberless rivulets, a creeping plant grows in great plenty, whose interior bark, drawn off in fibres of forty or fifty feet, is an excellent substitute for hemp, the natives making a good cordage out of it. But as it is impossible to give every tree a particular notice, we are contented to refer to the annexed tables. Statement of the various Woods growing in the Western and Eastern Provinces of the Cape of Good Hope. *Notwithstanding this name, the assagai wood is not used by the natives for their assagais or lances-these are usually made of a species of salvia. † A species of the teak. Splits well, clean grained. § African Lignum vitæ-when large the heart is quite black. A strong astringent in cases of dysentery. Known only to the eastward. It has already been noticed that previous to the arrival of the settlers on the eastern frontier, in 1820, there was little or no trade, and that any transactions to be dignified with the name of commerce were utterly unknown. A single establishment in Algoa Bay had attempted to carry on the business of salting provisions; but, owing to many complicated circumstances, this well arranged speculation, supported by a large capital, proved a failure. A small quantity of butter was occasionally shipped on which enormous profits were realized; but little of any other commodity, in the way of produce, was transmitted from the frontier districts, coastways, to Cape Town,-at that period the only port whence exports were made from the colony direct. Even the troops assembled on the frontier were often obliged to be supplied from Cape Town. Hides were only used to be converted into harness or clumsy shoes (veldt schoen) for native use, on the spot of their production, or were allowed to perish where the animal was flayed. Sheep and goat skins were cut into clothing; for every farmer and his family, not excluding the |