The state herald., 1912-09-27
III WHEN the settler has chos-
en- his farm, he will lose
no time in proceeding there,
SO as to begin the new

en- MS 1arm, ne VIII lose
no time in proceeding there,
SO as to begin the new
round of existence at once.
The farm may be OF 1900 acres. or
OF 5000 morgen, which is about 5000
acres, and It will be readily under
stood that In such wide area OF un-
broken land there 10 much to do. AS
likely Us not the farm will consist OF
an almost unbroken plain with few
undulations. or perhaps It may have
a few rocky kopjes on Its borders. to
vary the monotonous outlook. There
may be watercourse. which very
likely will be dry II the time OF the
year is between April and October.
Most OF the water-courses are dry at
that period OF the year. and form drifts
only, which sometimes are n terror
to the trekker. For in Rhodesia the
farms adjacent to the railway are
pretty well all taken up. and II will
be necessary to trek to some distant
spot, either by bullock or mule wag
on, so as to enter into possession OF
an unbroken farm. It is to be borne
in mind that while the farms" are
large In size they are cheap enough,
costing only some 6s. per acre for
the freehold, and even then may be
acquired on extended payment terms.
Surely there is every inducement here
TO the farmer who would seek to own
his farm.
Mules and Oxen.
Tho settler must needs start OF
with mules or oxen, and slowly trudge
along from day to day towards his
destination. 1t is pleasure to trek
on the weld. II Ia best to start at sun
rise. and get on good part OF the
way before ten or eleven o'clock.
Then II is well to outspnn your team,
and prepare the forenoon meal, The
outspan must be near water. for that
is the first consideration for the mules
and oxen. They will forage for them.
selves on the weld, and pick up suf.
ficient to keep them going from the
sweet weld grass. The heat OF the
day Is always trying. and lasts pretty
well TIL 2 O'Clock in the afternoon,
when the teams may be inspanned and
the journey renewed. For the most
part the roads are good. but some
times the drifts arc dlnicult TO nego.
date. and II is Just as well to leave the
wagon then and negotiate them on
foot. II Is characteristic OF the roads,
which are merely tracks through the
weld. that near 70 tbs riyor.beds they
are frequently broken up by the heavy
rains which have fallen during the
wet season. and great chasms often
occur on the track. A dotour must be
made to avoid these washed away
roads. as. n you travel In n buck
board" or covered ambulance waF,
on. you will certainly have hard
time Of Il II you try TO negotiate n
track that has been partially washed
away. The Journey ia interesting
enough as you push on in the cool OF
the evening; then you may SEQ game
OF all kinds on the weld. such as stem.
box. duiker. reedbuck and all kinds
OF antelopos. and the supply Of fresh
meat for the journey depends upon
being able TO stalk some OF these sue.
ccasfully. But thoro IL plenty Of 9th.
or game. not only Of animals but
birds. such AZ buFtardH. guinoa.fowl
md fnlpe.
Hut the trek 10 the farm comes 10
nm end. and then the real business OF
agriculture begins Tho oxen, mules.
or donkoyh. which have brought you
10 FAR. - lst now bo utilized for break
ing up the farm, and The sooner the
work IL started the better
Tho clearing has hrnt 10 be- done.
and stgmplng will most likely bo the
firHt task IL consists OF removing
atumps Of trees from tho ground. 20 M
TO make n continuous fold The
stumpa arc tho relies Of the native
method Of clearing the weld Thoy
break down tho branches Of the trees
and fot fre 10 them at the base, and n
possible the stump n then removed
More often than otherwise Il ia left
behind. and the native cultivation goes
round about Il There are great os.
panHra Of territory whore such Htumpa
exist In large numbers. aud the only
thing for tho settler 20 do n 10 star,
aud remove them. They may come In
useful Tor hnlldlng n dam over a
donfa. 10 a. 20 conserve tho water
supply, but IN any case they must
come out
II the settler Ia wise ho will have
seen that bis farm has a large catch.
ment area, M during the dry months
from April 20 october be viii want all
the water he can ret Possibly thofe
n nm aluyiai valley with black. rich
coll. and alongside may be- a portion
Of "red formation soil. or granite for
nation These hre the three princi
pal soils IN RhodeHlh. and II n usual
10 have them mingled on most farms
They all baVe their uses. but tho red