The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-03-26

I AiAb it17l TX y IL.
| army horses, is particularly prevalent
| during January and continues as late
| as April. It Is caused by vapor arising
1 from the dew on the ground and being
| breathed I'm by the horses. The symp-
| toms are very similar to those OF ma
laria, and low lying areas or pastures
are the dangerous places one OF the
\ peculiar features of the disease Is that
| although ii appears every year in one
I or more places. IL becomes general over
large areas only I'm certain seasons It
! appeared exceptionally early this year
among the horses. About 81 per cent
of those affected die. while among
mules and donkeys only % per cent or
even less OF the cases prove fatal.
Horses that have been exposed TO the
disease three times and have recovered
are known as "salted" horses. and are
practically immune against the pest.
Various experiments by the Bacteri-
ological institute at Grahamstown have
shown that no material can be obtained
from the bodies of animals which have
died of the malady that can be used In
practice 10 produce immunity in
healthy animals.
The tsetse fly. which Is about three
fly. is greatly dreaded by farmers and
herdsmen alike. II attacks the cattle
and horses, and within few hours the
animals are dead. A less dangerous but
more troublesome pest is the ubiquitous
white ant. which is about one-quarter
of an inch long. 1t win eat through
anything except iron or steel and can
only he destroyed by killing the queen.
which is sometimes one inch In length.
The ant hills make conspicuous iand-
marks.
There are no forests i'm South Africa
that can be used for building purposes.
The little wood that does grow TO tree
size is not available for either building
above ground or for underground work.
because it decays so rapidly. All tho
timber used for constructive purposes
is brought from foreign parts.
The land Is generally covered with a
scrub growth. During the height or
the winter season the Beers burn tho
grass which grows in profusion on the
open vedt. They do this to increase
the productiveness OF the pasturagc for
cattle during the following season. The
veldt fire burns almost nightly, Gaping
the hilltCps with a wavering line OF
light which seems to cut the sky with
a vivid dash of color. outlining the rise
and fall of the hilly country. Fires are
often the result OF accident. but more
frequently they are set by the farmers
for purely precautionary purposes. The
grass has a tendency 90 become .so'ir
during the fall season. making very
fodder for the cattle. The
simple process OF burning the grass pro-
duces an alkaline manure which is a
fine fertilizer for the soil. Horses espe-
cially dislike the field fires, and when
ever they hear the cracking of the
flames rush wildly in the opposite di-
rection. The rush Of burned out little
animals is something extraordinary TO
see. They scramble helter SHELTER be-
fore the field fire. regardless of any dan
ger in front OF them. Many Of them 90
headlong into the nearest water and are
drowned. The systematic firing OF the
veldt is said to Ice a preventive of ma
aria, owing to tho decaying matter be-
ing promptly disposed of instead OF
being allowed to slowly decomposc.
a cause Of much suffering in South
Africa is the lack of drinking water.
rhe water OF the Tugela and the Mod
Ter rivers is poisonous and cannot be \
ised for drinking or cooking purposes.
,ut. strange as il may seem. native an
mails can partake of IL without any
Ianger. Buffers troops. when camped
Ilong the Tugela river i'm December.
he height Of the summer season.
rought all the water that was used IN
amp from Frere by narrow gauge rail-
way. The scarcity Of water is one OF
he greatest trials OF the British SOL .
lers during the present invasion, as
he Beers made IL a rule 10 destroy all
he wells in any neighborhood they yis-
ed.