The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-09
THE ORANGE FREE STATE.
People and Resources of the Trans.
YaalS AllV.

The Orange Free State forms one OF
the two independent republics in South
Africa. The Transvaal is the other. The
former is bounded OH the south by the
Orange river, which divides it from
Cape Colony, British South African
colony On the north it is sepa-
rated from its sister republic, the Trans
vaal, by the Vaal river. Basutoland and
the range OF the Dralensberg dragon
Mountains) divide it from Natal on the
east. On the west it is bounded by
Griqualand West, which is better known
as the Diamond Fields, recently pur-
chased possession. This little republic
has an area of about $4,000 square miles.
1t is an elevated table land 1000 feet
above the sea level, and is 400 miles long
by 200 miles wide, running north and
south. The present population OF the
country is estimated by its government
at about $4,000 whites and 100000 ma
tivcs of the Basuto and Barolong tribes.
Bloemfontcin, which is $50 miles north
OF Table Bay, 40 miles north OF Port
Elizabeth, and 400 north OF East Lon
don, is the capital. The only mountain
ranges in the Orange Free State are the
Stall Mountains, in the eastern portion
OF the republic. From the Drakensberg
the country slopes gradually to the Vaal
river on the northern and western boun-
daries. The southern part OF the Free
State is dotted with detached kopjes or
individual hills. Otherwise the interior
is an undulating prairie or prairies, for
merly covered with coarse grass. This
is changed in the south to a scrubby
brush or copsc, which is excellent graz
ing for sheep, a sweeter grass supplant-
ing the sour or coarser grasses in places.
The Orange Free State is not forest
country. 1t is virtually treeless. The
species of forest now found on the hill
sides and in the moist valleys OF the
rivers is scant scrub Of mimosa thorn,
the wild olive, the willow, and the camel
thorn, which is species OF wild acacia.
The principal lands are best adapted
to pastoral purposes, though there is a
80 to 100 mile strip OF soil on the Basuto-
land border considered to be second to
none in the world for grain producing
purposes. The pursuits OF the people
being principally stock-raising and grain
oroy;por +1,o h,,~ot,ore l,,,,a 1o;c,.. e.
war. The strip noted above produces,
without irrigation or fertilizing, and
after planting for nearly 40 consecutive
years, from 80 to 80 bushels per acre
This fertile strip OF land is known as the
Conquered Territory. 1t was taken from
the Basutos about 1864. This little
belt of land is the granary Of the Orange
Free State and OF the Transvaal. In this
belt OF country, 80 miles wide by 1oc
miles long, are grown wheat, oats, bar,
ley, maize and Kaffir corn. 1t also car.
ries large herds of cattle, horses, sheep
angora goats, and ostriches. Pears, ap.
pies, peaches and grapes are likewise
grown to large extent. This is the
Boer base Of supplies, and the noun.
tains which face British South Africa
are depended upon with Boer endurance
and Boer strategy to hold these fields
inviolate to the homes of the twin re.
publics of the same blood.
The inhabitants of the Orange Free
State are, like the Beers of the Trans.