I)epaktmkntal Activities. 316 



Extension Work — Irrigation-farming in Griqualand West.— The 



Horticulturist and Chemist have recently visited vinious parts of 

 Griqualand West and spent their time protital)ly amongst the farmers 

 of that part of our area. On account ot the low rainfall in western 

 Orano-e Free State and Gric|ualand West this portion of tlie country 

 is often regarded as being- too dry for agriculture — crops and trees. 

 However, with the big rivers running- through that area, the possi- 

 bilities for development under irrigation schemes are great. Along 

 the banks of the Vaal and the Modder Itivers, farmers are gradually 

 realizing the good prospects for fruit-growing. On one farm on the 

 Vaal liiver an orchard of five thousand deciduous fruit trees will be 

 in full bearing in a year or two. The soil seems excellent for the 

 ])uri)ose, and so is the irrigation water. All that appears to be necessary 

 is enterprise in developing bigger irrigation schemes and financial 

 sup])ort for this. The fruit industry in those parts is so young that 

 the farmers are as yet handicapped by a lack of experience in the 

 new line. This is obvious from their methods of tree-pruning, fruit- 

 packing*, etc. Generally speaking, however, it seems that there are 

 great prospects for fruit-growing* in that " desert " part of our area. 

 In fact, even at present the farmers at Ritchie, on the Modder Hiver, 

 are rapidly progressing on theii small " fruit and vegetable " larms. 



Co-operative Experiments with Farmers. — The Chemist and 

 Assist;nit Exi)erinu'nlali'st are conducting manurial experiments with 

 potatoes on two farjns near Petvus])urg. It is ho])ed that by these 

 co-operative experiments we shall not only gain experimental evidence 

 of the manurial needs of those soils, but also assist the Petrusburg 

 farmers nuiterially in their potato culture. The potato is practically 

 the only croj) ciiltivated in that district. 



POTCHEFSTROOM, TRANSVAAL. 



Maize-growing Competition for Lads, — One of the competitors 

 (aged 17) in the maize-growing comijetitioji organized by this institu- 

 tion, secured at the Western Transvaal Maize Show (30th August) 

 a first and champion prize, as well as the grand champion prize for 

 the best single maize-cob on the show, and at the recent Witwaters- 

 rand Maize Show the judges spoke highly of the quality of the 

 exhibits in the juvenile section, which compared very favourably 

 with the exhibits in the senior classes. These show successes are 

 gratifying, and the field results obtained by the lads in this competi- 

 tion also call for special reference. From their one-acre plots several 

 secured yields of 7, 12, and 18 bags ; at Kinross one harvested no less 

 than 22i bags of grain from his acre. 



During the past season 1(J3 lads participated in the competition, 

 the report on which is in preparation. For the coming season close 

 on 300 have already enrolled. The Farmer's Weekly has offered a 

 silver medal for the current season's competition and also another 

 medal, should a competition materialize in the north-Avest Free State. 

 The Landbou Weekblad has made a similar offer. Mr. J. Neser, 

 of Klerksdorp, has kindly offered to donate a ten-guinea cup for the 

 Western Transvaal area. Two more cups are required, one for the 

 high veld and one for the hnv veld. 



