The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-06
A NEED IN SOUTH AFRICA
GREAT POSSIBILITIES FOR THE
COUNTRY H ONCE IRRIGATED.
An American Of Practical Experience
Gives Results of His Observations
Like Our Western Land.
special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal.

May "a picturesque
figure at the national capital for the past
week. though in no manner connected with
politics, has been Col" Joab L. Meacher,
who has Just returned to the United States
from South Africa, where he has been
looking into the present possibilities of
stock raising. Colonel Meacher is an
adopted westerner. being originally from
the hills and rocks of Vermont. but he has
for some years been connected with one OF
the large irrigation systems of Colorado.
He is a big. raw-boned typical American
Of the style which is recognized the world
over as Yankee.
Upon my arrival at Cape Town. this be-
ing my third visit" he said in talking of
his trip. az was treated with much good
fellowship. the residents vying with each
of friendship growing out of the conditions
arising from our Spanish war. Cape Town
has in the last few years grown to be a
large and prosperous city. thrifty and neat.
The Parliament buildings would be a credit
to any city. The suburban villas, sur
rounded by gardens rich in variety an of
luxurious growth, form a pleasing land
scape. The colony is now largely engaged
in stock raising. While the lower coast
regions, having sufficient moisture, produce
green crops in great abundance, the arid
character of the vastly largest portion
Of the colony renders il at present unfit
for any purpose other than grazing. Near
ly two-thirds of the surface of the Cape
consists of a barren plain. After the
periodical rains this plain is covered with
grass, but the summer heat soon changes
its aspect. Sheets of shallow water termed
vleis are formed at many places in the fiat
lands of the interior by the rains, and
these spots during the dry season are COW
cred with rich grasses, affording excellent
grazing.
NO SYSTEMATIC WORK.
1.-THE first act requisite for settlement
is the construction of a dam or reservoir
for the collection and saving of a water
supply. AS such dams lave always been
built by individuals the water saved is
only sufficient to supply what is required
for stock and domestic purposes. There
are great opportunities for irrigation on
a large scale i'm a number of sections of
South Africa, but with the exception of
rnimportant attempts to water small
patches, but little has been done in the
direction of systematic irrigation for agri-
culture. The soil is fertile, as shown by
the rich growth of grasses during the
rainy season, and If irrigation works on
a large scale were established as they
have been in India and our own West, and
the waste water of the rainy season
saved, millions of acres could be devoted
proftably to agriculture.
sIn fha Ua1IavS Of tho O1iphanf rfvor ond
its tributaries, emptying into the Atlantic,
the Breede river, which flows into the
Indian ocean, and the Yak and Harte-
beeste, tributary to the Orange river,
many farms a been established. The
crops of these sections depend entirely
upon the annual overflow caused by rains
in the mountains where these streams
rise. The Dutch farmers, who cultivate
most of this land, prefer to depend entirely
upon nature. If urged to take steps to
irrigate in periods of long drouth, they in
variably say: oh, it will rain again.
Such uncertain and loose methods must
necessarily give way before modern ideas
and improved farming; much of the land
will eventually be reclaimed through the
use of the vast volume of water now run
Ills " WaclC aAlQ IL dCAioS otNo
population will build up the country.
UNCERTAIN CROPS.
The lands of the Transvaal Republic
are of the same character as those of the
table land of Cape Colony. On previous
trips / nave been all through the Trans
vaal. Generally during the rainy season
farmers can produce a crop of maize. But
this is by no means sure, owing to the
uncertainty of the rainfall. The Trans
vaal %strikingly recalls TO me our Western
plains. The monotony is relieved by occa-
sional table-shaped and conical mountains.
During the dry months the Boer farmer
migrates with his cattle and his family to
the lowlands along the rivers or coolies.
He spends his time hunting. while the
children and Kafir servants herd the cat
tie and sheep. Under the existing condi-
tons the grazing development of this part
Of the world is limited. Transportation is
too costly as yet to insure a profitable
marketing. But with the stimulus to home
markets incident to the continued devel-
opment of the mining industry. with its
immense army of laborers. the agricultural
and pastoral Industries will be put on a
different footing. Eventually they cannot
"a NC VI uuOlc lLlpoI lance tudu TIE IIllueS
themselves.
ST could not but think" concluded Col.
Meacher, while travelling over some of
the great stretches of -unoccupied land of
South Africa, through which flow large
rivers, how much land there is yet in the
world which will be eventually reclaimed
TO great productiveness through the stor-
age Of storm and waste waters. In simply
these two sections of the world with which
L am acquainted-Western America and
South Africa-there must be upwards of a
hundred million acres of very fertile land
which can all be made highly productive.
and mostly by the building of large storage
reservoirs" GUY E. MITCHELL.
Bird VS.. Snake.
London Mail.
The British soldiers now in South Africa