South Africa and its future . mbatted yellow tulip or the incango, both weedsdeadly to the soil. The veldt and the karroo, say the pessimists, offer no homefor the Englishman. They moreover aver that only so long asthe mines hold out will the settler remain in South Africa. But VOL. VIII. 11^ H South Africa and its Future there are others, Lord Kitchener and Lord Mihier among them,who see in the country the latent possibihty of modern NorthAmerica, or, at least, a great agricultural future which will endurelong after the history of the mineral districts is a closed science of irriga
South Africa and its future . mbatted yellow tulip or the incango, both weedsdeadly to the soil. The veldt and the karroo, say the pessimists, offer no homefor the Englishman. They moreover aver that only so long asthe mines hold out will the settler remain in South Africa. But VOL. VIII. 11^ H South Africa and its Future there are others, Lord Kitchener and Lord Mihier among them,who see in the country the latent possibihty of modern NorthAmerica, or, at least, a great agricultural future which will endurelong after the history of the mineral districts is a closed science of irrigation in its most modern development—thefoundation-stone on which can be built the permanent prosperityof South Africa —is capable of transforming the profitless desertsinto flowering gardens and fruitful orchards which in very few-years will do more than pay their way. But to properly developany scheme requiring eternal vigilance, industry, and foresight, it isnecessary that a goodly sprinkling of the enterprising British. Wellwood Farm in Graaff Reinet District (Mixed grass and karroo veldt) population shall be dispersed all over the land, so that not in thetowns alone will the characteristics of the dominant race be main-tained. Some one has said South Africa must irrigate or perish. Thismay be a truism ; but it is also very certain that South Africa,while irrigating, must offer homes to a leavening mass of soundand desirable British settlers before the irrioration schemes underdiscussion can effect the agricultural transformation which, inBritish hands, might speedily come to pass. The nature of thissettlement and the expedition of it, from an economic, social, andpolitical point of view, is declared by Lord Milner to be of supremeimportance. A new and progressive farming population must rein- 114 The Agricultural Outlook force the old ; for, it is most essential that the old condition of thingsshall not be reproduced, in which the race division coincided almostcompletel
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