Report of the Department of Agriculture. 489 



of reducino' such cost and investig-ating marketing' conditions with a 

 view to their improvement. 



13. Division of Cheviistry. — Steps were taken for the proper 

 organization of this Division, which had been in a state of disruption 

 since 1910. Xot only was there no cohesion between the two most 

 important sections, one located at Pretoria and the other at Capetown, 

 but steps were actually in progress for the constitution of a third 

 section independent of the other two. The different sections have 

 been iilaced under one head, who also co-ordinates the research work 

 done by the lecturers in chemistry at the agricultural schools. 

 With close co-operation of the different labfiratoiies, the work should 

 bfe better apportioned, the various lines of work arranged without 

 overlapping, and work generally facilitated by closer contact of 

 research officers with one another. 



14. Stajf : Division of Enfovwlor/y. — This important Division is 

 still seriously ujiderstaffed. Two of the senior officers who resigned 

 to take up professorships in universities have not yet been replaced. 

 Important investigations have in consequence to be left in abeyance. 



15. Payment for Technical Services. -^K. scheme of payment for 

 the services of veterinary officers for private work was instituted. 

 The tariff is a low one. Much less advantage was taken of the 

 scheme than was anticipated, the amount realized in twelve months 

 being only £130. The Government has, however, decided to extend 

 tbis practice to other services which are of benefit to the individual 

 only. It will probably be brought into force in connection with tba 

 classing of sheep for breeders. 



16. Sheep and Goats.- — The following is the number of sheep 

 and goats in the Union as compared with last year: — • 



30th April, 1921. .SOth June. 1922. 



Total sheep 31,729,512 35,091.980 



Total goats 7,836,696 8,960.954 



Total sheep and goats 39,566,208 44.052,934 



Total losses of sheep and goats* (from 



disease and drought) 2,123,030 *1, 846, 711 



The number of flocks infected with scab was 11,681 as compared 

 with 15,307 in the previous year; progress has, therefore, to be 

 recorded, notwithstanding the severe drought during the last few 

 months of the report year. 



As from 1st April, the conditions under which sheep inspectors 

 were employed were altered. Shortly after Union, inspectors were 

 given pension rights. A few years later it was recognized that as 

 inspectors were appointed to eradicate scab and not to control it, it 

 was a wrong principle to give them pension rights — a system which 

 was tantamount to recognition of permanency of tenure and incon- 

 sistent with eradication of the disease — and all new appointments 

 were thenceforth made without pension rights. The inspectors who 

 already enjoyed those rights retained them, however. From the 

 1st April last all inspectors were placed on a temporary basis, thus 

 removing all future pension rights. Further, a bonus system was 



* Exclusive of lambs and kids died, which numbered in the year 1920-1921 1,263,428 

 and 148,(175 respectively. 



