52 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING ON GOVERNMENT 

 SMALL HOLDINGS. 



An Object-lesson from the High Veld. 



The histoiy of South Africa's agricultural progress conjures in the 

 mind a picture of vast areas and isolated homesteads. After two 

 hundred and sixty years of occupation we still find a sparse popula- 

 tion and extensive farming, and generations of these conditions have 

 imbued the idea that it is the big proposition only which is likely to 

 afford financial success in this country. But the country is slowly and 

 surely being taken up by a growing community of farmers and, as 

 surely, the days of the earlj' pioneer whose huge farm " farmed itself " 

 are passing. The value of good farm land is rising and the man con- 

 tent with a small return from his numerous acres is gradually retreat- 

 ing to the remoter parts, impelled by the irresistible approach of the 

 intensive farmer whose every acre gives its carefully calculated 

 return. And with the approach of the intensive farmer comes the 

 need of greater attention to the economy of farming. It is in this 

 field that there is a dearth of information, yet, as in all enterpri&e, 

 the first essential is knowledge as to the payability or otherwise of 

 the proposition. No matter how sound our theories may appear or 

 how attractive the picture we paint of the many opportunities open 

 to the agriculturist in the Union, the prospective farmer wants 

 practical demonstration in the shape of a reliable profit and loss 

 account. It is, therefore, with much pleasure that we publish the 

 following figures obtained by Mr. Mason, of this Department, who, 

 as Director of Training Farms, has had the opportunity of going 

 closely into the matter. The data he furnishes will serve a valuable 

 lesson to the man already on the land and illustrate to those Avho 

 wish to take up farming what can be done, not on the large farm 

 usually associated with South African agriculture, but on the small 

 holding and with a modest capital. 



The illustration we give concerns a settler on the Government 

 Settlement at Strypan, in the Pretoria District, who owns a holding 

 of 94 morgen situated between the Germiston-Witbank and the 

 Germiston-Breyten railways, land typical of thousands of acres suit- 

 able for the same class of farming in the high veld portions of the 

 country. The soil is a greyish loam varying in depth from 5 inches 

 to 11 inches and is underlaid by an ironstone gravel. On this hold- 

 ing certain improvements have l)een effected; there are a house, store, 

 borehole, and windmill, and the lands and grazing camp have been 

 fenced. The farm was purchased just over two years ago. and the 

 price is set down as follows : — 



Paid to previous owner for goodwill £300 



Paid to Government to liquidate previous owner's 

 liabilities for loose assets and accrued rent and 



interest 116 



Purchase price of ground (including cost of borehole 



and windmill, under Land Settlement Act. 1912) 361 



£777 



