Notes. 395 



seriously, and there is no doubt that the conference will rigorously 

 advocate efficient means of protection. An embargo has already 

 fallen on the products concerned of certain countries where anthrax 

 is known to be rife, but fortunately the cleaner state of the Union 

 has hitherto prevented a similar disability being placed on our 

 exported wool and other produce liable to anthrax infection. The 

 Department views the presence of anthrax in the Union as the 

 greatest menace of all the diseases to which our live stock is subject, 

 and the efforts being made to control its spread, combined with that 

 most important of all things, the rapidly awakening realization of 

 the farmer to the danger and his greater co-operation with the Depart- 

 ment, will, it is trusted, convince those who will meet in conference 

 that the situation in South Africa does not call for any embargo on 

 our exports. Mr. Dixon is intimately acquainted with the position 

 of anthrax in this country and of the various steps in operation to 

 prevent its further spread and to bring about its eventual eradication, 

 and farmers may be assured that the interests of the Union will be 

 fully and conscientiously guarded by him. 



Pig Breeding in South Africa. 



During his visit to the Union some months ag'o, Sir Henry Hall, 

 President of the English Large Black Pig Society, inquired into 

 the treatment, progress, and prospects of our pig industry. He was 

 principally interested in Large Blacks, but is of opinion that his 

 conclusions apply with equal force to pig breeding generally in the 

 Union. One of them is that Large Black pigs deteriorate rapidly here. 

 The second generation show evidence of losing tlieir points and of 

 becoming smaller, the causes being ascribed by Sir Henry to the 

 following defects in treatment: (1) Litters are weaned too early; 

 the young pigs are thereby deprived of tlieir natural food and pre- 

 maturely given food which they are unable to assimilate properly. 



(2) Mating too young% resulting in unhealthy and stunted progeny. 



(3) The feeding is unscientific and haphazard. 



A properly grown pig should weigh 180 lb. at six months, where- 

 as pigs were seen exhibited at Bloenifontein and Johannesburg shows, 

 which at this age would not turn the scale at 120 lb. During his 

 four months in South Africa he dealt with many inquiries, which 

 pointed to very little knowledge of pig raising, and he considered 

 that, while the country was suitable for the production of pigs, the 

 industry was going back through ignorance of proper methods of 

 treatment. He is of opinion that with our present stock, our meat- 

 producing capacity could be doubled in twelve months, and he has 

 been assured that the existing capacity of the bacon-curing factories 

 could deal with twice the present production ; also that English 

 markets would take our bacon provided a suitable animal was 

 produced. 



On his recommendation, the liarge Black Pig Society has agreed 

 to undertake propaganda work in South Africa on behalf of their 

 breed, having impressed upon the society that no satisfactory results 

 can be obtained until our breeders deal with their animals on common- 

 sense lines : if farmers adopted proper methods the industry would 

 figure prominently in the future prosperity of South Africa, but 

 until this change is brought about, he does not advise the sending 



