Irrigation 'and Inter-Colonial Co-operation. 359 



unirrigated crop. In addition, it is estimated that there are 

 6,667,000 * acres available for cultivation. Everyone anticipates that 

 mining and other industries will rapidly expand, immigration is 

 taking place, and it is well known that the Dutch and Native 

 inhabitants are prolific ; from all these causes the population should 

 largely increase. Naturally, the best lands have been put under 

 cultivation first, and it is uncertain if agriculture, unaided by 

 irrigation, will be able to keep pace with the increase of the 

 population. 



(b) The customs returns for the year ending 30th June, 1905 t 

 (Vide Appendix i), show that over ^^2,000,000 of agricultural pro- 

 duce, which could be grown under irrigation, was imported. This 

 is evidence that much lee-way has to be made up, and the increase 

 of population will for long be in advance of the increase of 

 irrigation. 



(c) It is doubtful if agricultural labour in the Transvaal, after 

 conditions have become more settled, will be as high-priced as it is 

 in purely white Colonies, for here cheap native labour is procurable, 

 and will probably be then available for agriculture. It is the 

 experience of other Colonies and of America that, even with their 

 high rates of labour, they are able, owing to the favourable natural 

 conditions of climate and soil, to export agricultural produce to 

 other countries with cheaper labour. 



Irrigation in South Africa will permit of the growth of lucerne, 

 oat hay, wheat and other crops, which can be consumed locally, 

 and of fruit, tobacco and semi-tropical produce, which can be 

 exported at a profit. It is well known that America, by greatly 

 developing its iron industry, has been able to compete with English 

 trade by exporting its surplus production at cheaper rates than are 

 obtained in its own market, and South Africa should be able to 

 adopt the same principle in regard to its agricultural products. 



6. Political Considerations. 



Politics are not in the province of the engineer, but as in this 

 country they pervade everything, so they affect the question of 

 irrigation. In all countries there is a conflict of interests between 

 town and country. Here this is intensified by the fact that the 

 former is associated with the British and with capital, and the latter 

 with the Dutch and with poverty. All prominent politicians state 

 their earnest desire to fuse the two races into one ; in no better way 

 can this be done than by developing agriculture (and with it irriga- 

 tion), so as to convince the rural population that their interests are 

 not being sacrificed to the requirements of the urban portion of the 

 community. 



The Dutch population has not taken, and probably will not 

 take, to mining, whereas the pursuit of agriculture is peculiarly 



* Transvaal Administration Report for 1903. 



t Report of the Transvaal Agricultural Department, 1904-5. 



