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Date: 1908 Type: Farmhouse Status: Extant

This property is part of the Aliwal North Municipal Irrigation Scheme, and was acquired about 4 years ago [c1906] by Mr. D. GERRAND, A.M.I.C.E., the well-known hydraulic engineer. It is situated 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) out of Aliwal North, on the banks of the Orange River, and consists of 200 acres (80.94 hectare) of deep alluvial soil, all under irrigation from the municipal water furrow, which passes along the upper boundary of the property. Below the furrow a large dam has been constructed, into which the water flows from the furrow, and from this dam the water is led on to the different camps as required. Four years ago this farm was bare veld, but since then Mr. Gerrand has been busy laying out the ground in level beds and terraces. It is a tedious and costly job laying out land in a proper manner for irrigation, but when completed this will be one of the most carefully laid-out irrigation farms in South Africa. Lucerne is the chief growth, and is sown in beds of various sizes, the water being let in to them by sluices, so that no digging or spade-work has to be done to aid the irrigation. This wonderful food thrives to such an extent, with irrigation, that it can be cut six times each year, and is turned into lucerne hay for winter feed. After the crop is cut the lands are thoroughly irrigated, and the new crop comes to perfection in 24 days during the summer. The ostrich thrives wonderfully well on lucerne, and at the present time Conville is essentially an ostrich farm, and Mr. Gerrand has the nucleus of one of the finest ostrich flocks in South Africa, which is shown by the prominent position his feathers attain at shows in the Eastern Province (Eastern Cape), and the applications he receives for breeding ostriches. At the present time he has 220 birds, and by rearing young ones the flock will be raised to 800, which is about the number the farm will carry. The cattle are of the Ayrshire breed, and include the imported stud bull Torcross Wanderer, No. 6,301, bred by Mr. Robert Wilson, Torcross, Tarbolton, and sired by High Newton Admiral Seymour, registered No. 5,645, whose grandsire was Newhouse's Lord Roberts, No. 5,220, the dam of the sire being Susy of High Newton, No. 12,495, and the dam of the latter Jenny's Bawbee of Torcross, No. 9,861. Of the two imported cows, one is Knockdon Mary II., No. 16,732, bred by Mr. Alexander Cross, of Knockdon Maybole, and whose sire was Bright Lad II. out of Knockdon, No. 4,239, and the grandsire Flora's Chief of Adamhill, No. 3,955, the dam being Mary of Knockdon, No. 10,521, and the sire of the dam Prince of Knockdon, No. 2,683. The other is Knockdon Maid, No. 16,730, also bred by Mr. Cross, and the sire is Yellow Squire of Castlehill, No. 2,912. The grandsire is Peter of Whitehill, No. 1,397, the dam of the sire being Yellow Bess III. of Drumlanrig, No. 1,150, while the dam was Bright Maid of Knockdon, No. 11,158. The sire of the dam was Pureblood of Knockdon, No. 2,529, and the dam of the dam Bright Lady of Knockdon, No. 6,774. These well-bred animals were imported four years ago direct from Scotland. The farm is fenced throughout and partitioned into small camps of suitable size for ostrich-farming, and each camp is in process of being hedged with quince, macrocarpa, and pines. The homestead is a commodious and substantial building of neat design, the roof being covered with Marseilles tiles, while a veranda shades three sides of the building, and has a concrete roof carried on pillars of the same material. All the outside windows and doors are of teakwood, and the inside doors oak. The house is fitted with every modern convenience, and electric light will be installed at any early date. There is an irrigated orchard containing 400 young fruit trees, the apples, pears, peaches, plums, and other varieties doing very well indeed. Mr. Gerrand has made this farm his residence in South Africa, but when he is absent on professional work, or for any other purpose, the farm is managed by his nephew, Mr. J. D. Murchie. [Playne, Somerset FRGS (Ed). 1911. Cape Colony - Its History, Industries, and Resources. South Africa: JC Juta & Co. p,553-555] The house is now a guesthouse. All truncated references not fully cited below are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.