392 JOUTJNAL OF THE ])ePARTMENT OF AoRIfrLTUBE. NoV., 1922. 



Departmental Development: A Division of Extension. 



Few, if any, countries in the world can, comparatively speaking, 

 show better progress than ours has in farming during recent years, 

 due to the unremitting eiforts of the farmer and the work of the 

 Department of Agriculture in South Africa. There are many farmers 

 alive to the advantages to be derived through close touch with the 

 Department, and their eagerness to receive the advice and assistance 

 it is able to render is, it is shown, rewarded by the benefits that follow 

 advanced methods of farming. There are others, however, who do 

 not enjoy these benefits to the full and that miglit be theirs by putting 

 into practice the methods, the outcf)me of both local experience and 

 world-wide research, the Department constantly advises. It is to be 

 expected that in a country of great distances and sparse population, 

 difficulties abound in keeping in close touch with the farming com- 

 munity, though the Department has endeavoured to cope with the 

 situation as far as its organization and limited staff have made it 

 possible. In a large measure it depends on its Journal to bring to 

 the home of the farmer a monthly bulletin of original agricultural 

 literature of essentially South African applicability, that will keep 

 him cognisant of the work and thoughts of the Department. 



A stage in our development has arrived where our produce must 

 enter into competition on the world's markets with the best that 

 farmers in other countries (with the close assistance of their respective 

 Departments of Agriculture) are able to produce. Under conditions 

 that now exist in the Union, the present is a critical stage, and there 

 are those farmers, referred to above, who are alive to the situation 

 and are joining with the Department in coping with it. But with the 

 majority a general s])eeding \\\) of effort is imperative if the advance 

 that has characterized the agricultural industry in recent years is to 

 be maintained, and with a view to this attainment the Department 

 has decided to focus a section of its activities in a Division of Exten- 

 sion. Under the direction of Mr. Heinrich S. du Toit, who, as 

 Government Agronomist, and recently as Chairman of the Drought 

 Investigation Commission, is known and respected by farmers in all 

 parts of the country, the Division will aim at co-ordinating the work 

 of Departmental officers whose duties bring them in touch with the 

 farmer, and at building up that organization among the farmers 

 themselves which history has shown to be the only foundation on 

 which a sound and lucrative agricultural industry can be established. 



In the first case, it will be the duty of the Division to organize 

 the various officers of the Department throughout the Union so as to 

 make the best use of their services in meeting farmers, and their 

 wives and children, at more or less central places in the several 

 districts. Overlapping and dissipation of effort will be guarded 

 against, and in consultation with the governing bodies of different 

 farmers' organizations a programme of work, if possible for twelve 

 months hence, will be drawn up from time to time, so as best to meet 

 the interests of the district at the most suitable seasons. Thus groups 

 of officers will be detailed to operate in various areas at prearranged 

 periods of the year. 



By far the most important part of the Division's duties will be 

 to use every possible means of accelerating organization among 



