Importance of Land Symbolism

In the book Cry, the Beloved Country, the author Alen Paton uses great descriptions of the land to symbolize the ever changing land scape, and demographical statistics of South Africa.  The descriptions of the land also emphasize the former prosperity of South Africa, and the loss of the prosperity, caused by unwanted invaders of South Africa. 
"The grass is rich, and matted, you can not see the soil. It holds the rain and the mist, and they step into the ground, feeding the streams in every kloof. It is well tended, and not to many cattle feed upon it; not to many fires burn it, laying bare the soil. Stand unshod upon it, for the ground is holy, being even as it came from the creator. Keep it, guard it, care for it, for it keeps men, cares for men. destroy it, and man is destroyed." In this paragraph Paton, is describing tribal South Africa, before the Europeans came in and took all the rights from the natives.  "rich and matted" describing the close nit, and rich culture of native South Africa. "not to many cattle feed; not to many fires burn it" Cattle representing the population, meaning that there is just the right amount of people to live, and us the resources of the land. The fires represent crimes committed. Meaning that there are some crimes, but there aren't so many that it ruins the representation of South Africa.
"Where you stand the grass is rich, and matted, you cannot see the soil. but the rich green hills breakdown. they fall to the valley below, and falling change their nature. for they grow red and bare; they cannot hold the rain and mist, and the streams are dry in the kloofs. Too many cattle feed upon the grass, and too many fires have burned it. Stand shod upon it, for it is coarse and sharp, and the stones cut under the feet. It is not kept, or guarded, or cared for, it no longer keeps men, cares for men, guards men, cares for men. the titihoya does not cry here any more." Here Alen Paton is describing South Africa after the Europeans invaded the tribal lands of native South Africans.  "too many cattle feed upon it; too many fires burn it" Paton is now saying that the presence of the Europeans has caused an over population, and the land is not able to support the extra people. Now because of the influx of people, and the displacement, and famine, of natives the crime rate has risen, because the natives have no other way of supporting themselves.  "for it is course and sharp, and the stones cut under the feet. Here he is saying that the European presence, has caused the natives of South Africa, to harden. Their souls have been hardened by the way they have been treated by the Europeans.
Paton uses great symbolism in his book to show the before and after, of South Africa before European arrived.  He uses descriptions, of how the land has changed to show how much the country has changed since Europeans arrived in South Africa.