SOUTH AFRICAN A( IKlCrLTL' Kl". : AN AN.^L^■STS. 151 



for a comparative statement as regards other parts of the Union. ) 

 In the succeeding years of the last century : — 



Wheat. Oats. 



(Muids.) (Muids.) 



t8c)2 1,296.966 545.706 



1893 1.032.543 463.488 



1894 821,564 325.782 



189.S 729,216 551.501 



1896 689,679 293,881 



1897 650,277 482,451 



1898 740.249 603,537 



1899 Not available. 



After the Anglo-Boer War the production for the Union 

 was : — 



Wheat. Oats. 



(Muids.) (Muids.) 



1904 708,695 871,413 



1908 1,150,000 1,750,000 



1911 1,810,315 2,060,922 



Again we observe the increase in production in recent years. 



Viticulture in South Africa is, on the whole, unfortunately, 

 a stationary industry. If the restrictive policy now in force 

 were maintained — and, so far as one can judge, there is no 

 present indication that it is likely to be altered to the advantage 

 of that indnstrx' — artificial means of creating an export trade 

 wnll alone induce greater ])roduction. 



Under present conditions, the most that can be hoped for 

 is increase in production in proportion, more or less, to increase 

 of population exclusive of the Native races. For the purpose 

 of the conclusion which I propose to point to, further remarks 

 on the subject of viticulture are unnecessary. 



As regards tobacco growing, the only figures Avhich register 

 the position of the industry in the Union, as a whole, are those 

 for the census years 1904 and kjtt. when the production was 

 12.112,565 lbs. and 14,961,199 lbs. respectively. After 191 1 the 

 production increased still more, but latterly drought, and prob- 

 ably also mani])ulation of the market, caused a temporary set- 

 back. It may be that, so far as internal consumption is con- 

 cerned, production will increase slowdy, if at all. The immediate 

 future pros])erity of this industry lies in so improving the quality 

 that an ex]:)ort market can be developed. 



Fruit. l)eing a jjcrisliable article, is in a different category 

 to any of the branches of agriculture already mentioned. Our 

 ri])ening seasons l)eing tlie reverse of those in the Northern 

 Hemisphere, where tbe largest markets exist, we are in a favour- 

 able position for an export trade, and, therefore, production is 

 regulated to a great extent by the quantities which these markets 



