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Editors Note

OOD wine needs no bush," and Natal needs no extravagant

advertisement. The aim of the editor has been to give the

public a thoroughly reliable volume deseriptive of the country, and dealing with the commerce, life and prospects of the Province of Natal, indieating to the intending emigrant, and to the business man, what chances there are of suceess, should he be inclined to take up his residence in Natal, or to extend his commercial Operations in the "Garden Colony."

A strict adherence has been made to facts, and every effort has been made to bring the information up-to-date, and to supply it in as coneise a form as possible, combined with elearness and reliability. Accuracy has been the prineipal object, and the statistics have only been drawn from official sources.

The Compiler is indebted to the following gentlemen—who, out of their expert knowledge, have contributed chapters on special subjects, whieh it is anticipated will greatly enhance the permanent value of the work—Mr. C. J. Bird, c.M.c, for notes regarding : "The Early History of Natal"; Mr. J. Stuart, for the chapter on "Natives"; Dr. E. Warren, d.sc. (Lond.), Director of Government Museum, Pieter- maritzburg, on " Mammals and Birds"; Mr. Claude Füller, F.E.S., for information on " Fruit Growing in Natal"; Mr. C. J. Gray, " Mining in Natal"; Mr. H. Choles, "Agriculture and Land Settlement " ; and Mr. William Anderson, f.r.s.e., f.g.s., late Government Geologist, Natal, pn " Notes on the Geology of the Drakensberg."

Aeknowledgement must also be made to the authors or editors of former books on Natal, including Mr. J. Forsyth Ingram, f.r.g.s., and Mr. C. W. Francis Harrison, f.r.g.s.

The editor also takes this opportunity of thanking the officers of the several Government and Municipal departments, and others who have so willingly contributed useful information during the preparation of this work.

It is worthy of mention that the whole of the work connected with the printing and illustrating of this volume has been done in the Province, and the Compiler gladly records his thanks to the offieer-in-charge of the Railway Printing Works at Durban for the eare and thought he has bestowed on the work.

A. H. T.

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