616 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. — Dec, 1922. 



seeds, the best times for seeding" and practical means of iniiiiniiziiig- 

 the macrosporium disease of tomatoes, were studied. 



An area of approximately 500 acres was recently acquired 

 adjoining the village of Bathurst, and a large number of wlieat 

 varieties and selections have been sown. 



The Farm. — In general the season was not very satisfactory for 

 crops. The acreage dealt with was as follows: — vSudan grass, 60; 

 pumpkins, 4; potatoes, 8; oats, 84; lucerne, 140; silage, 25; salt 

 bush, 13; vegetables, 2; orchard, 12; experiments, pricklv-pear. 40; 

 fallow land, 130— total, 468 acres. 



The Percheron breed of horses is kept and numbers 22. A small 

 stud of Catalonian donkeys has been maintained. Two pure-bred 

 herds of cattle are now kept, Friesland and Shorthorn. There are 

 on the farm upwards of 200 head of breeding cattle, and approxi- 

 mately 3000 .sheep (including Merino stud sheep), Karakuls, Merino 

 flock and slaughter flocks of Persians, and cross-breds. There are 

 about 160 Angora goats, and of ostriches 20 breeding birds ;ind 100 

 head of young stock. 



The annual sale of stud stock on the 16th September, 1921, 

 realized £1908. 



DeveJopme7}f . — The principal woik was on a large storage dam 

 in the vlei, which was constructed under the direction of the Irriga- 

 tion Department ; the installation of an electrical plant to pump 

 water for domestic purposes ; a shed for the Angora goats was rebuilt ; 

 and the erection of a small milk-room at the dairy stable. The irriga- 

 tion dam for experiments was enlarged to a capacity of about 750.000 

 gallons, and a system of concrete water channels was constructed. 

 A considerable extent of new fencing was erected. 



12. Potchefstroom : T. G. IT'. NeiiiecJa\ B.A., 3I.Sc.Ag., Principal. 



AfiricuJfuraJ Conditions. — There was a considerable shrinkage 

 in the maize crop of the season 1921-22, especially in the western 

 Transvaal, owing to drought and locusts, and also in the eastern 

 high veld due to stalk-borer. Poor prices ruled for maize, so that 

 many growers who are solely grain farmers were and still are in 

 serious financial difficulties. 



The year was a good one for live stock. Unfortunately, prices for 

 live stock declined considerably owing to the depression, those for 

 pigs being most discouraging to growers. It seems that here also 

 co-operation is necessary to stabilize the market. At present sufficient 

 discrimination is not made by buyers between the kaffir type of pig 

 and the well-bred, properly fed baconer. 



The market 'for slaughter she-ep and nieuino wool hardened 

 considerably in the season of 1921-22, and good prices have been 

 maintained throughout, but dairy farmers had a bad time during 

 the year. 



An endeavour was made by this Institution during 1921 to 

 induce maize growers in the western Transvaal to extend their 

 operations to peanut-growing. At the time of writing, growers of 

 this crop are receiving very fair returns for it. 



Ea-periment and Research. — The cross-breeding experiments with 

 the Suffolk ram on pure or cross-bred Suffolk-Persians again furnished 

 interesting and instructive results. The cross-bred ewes are proving 

 excellent mothers, and in nearly all cases have leared twins. The 



