204 



COST OF PRODUCTIOX OF MAIZK. 



(Total for Four Farms.) 



MAIZE-GROWING. 



Current Expenses : 



Seed (partly purchased, but including also the value of 



maize grown en the farm and reserved for seed) 

 Fertiliser 



Native Labour (including rations, medical attendance, etc.) 

 Animals (cost of fodder, dipping, etc., but excluding 



capital cost.s — see below) 

 Contract Work 

 Bags 



Miscellaneous Expenses 

 Management 



(Two of the farms are managed by the owners, two by paid 

 managers. In the latter case the actual salary and commission 

 is taken. On one farm practically nothing but maize is grown ; 

 on the other the manager's time is about equally divided 

 between maize-growing and stock-breeding, so half the salary 

 is debited to maize. On the other two farms an amount cor- 

 responding, as closely as possible, in accordance with the 

 amount of work done has been taken. If anything, the figure 

 stated is an under-estimate, as it would be an exceptionally 

 good manager who would keep either of the owner-farms up to 

 its present standard of cultivation.) 



£255 



789 



1,910 



232 

 117 

 835 

 159 

 1,093 



£5,390 



Capital Expenses ; 



Value of Live Stock : 

 342 Oxen = £3,600 

 13 Horses and Mules = £340 

 Value of Buildings, Fencintr. Implements. 



etc. = £7,600 ... 

 Land under Maize — 884 morg-en ") 



- £11.000 



do. Pasture for Workinj 

 Cattle— 1.000 moreen 



(The yield was 17,119 bags, giving a total cost of 9s. per 

 bag. The excess of the selling price above this is profit in the 

 strict sense. The average selling price was about 12s. 6d.) 



It should be remarked, liowever, tliat this estimate of 

 costs is derived from some of the most skilfully managed 

 farms in the country, so that it is improbable that the cost 

 of production is so low on most farms. If these farms had 

 been in the hands of the most penurious owners, the saving 

 in managerial expenses could hardly have amounted to £700, 

 or one-eleventh of the total cost. This advantage would have 

 been lost if the yield, instead of being 19i bags per morgen, 

 had fallen to 17-^ bags. It is hardly necessary to say that 

 inferior management would certainly have resulted in a lower 

 yield than this, so that good and well-paid management is 

 clearly economical. 



