Description | In this covering letter for their description of the Eastern Division of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope [located in modern South Africa], Cuyler and Emett ask for the Royal Society's patronage and influence in their Society, explaining that little progress has been made in that section of the colony. They blame the native population for setbacks in their progress and mention the use of military forces to control the population. They explain that a disease called rust [fungus; Pucciniales] then affected their crops for seven years. The Society hopes to improve the rearing of cattle and sheep and the cultivation of corn. They also hope to 'eradicate' the local wheat, barley, and oat, replacing them with European seeds.
Subject: Agriculture / Colonisation
Written by Cuyler and Emett at Uitenhage, Eastern District of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope [Kariega, South Africa]. |