218 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



CO-ORDINATION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WORK. 



An Important Conference. 



A CONFERENCE of great importance to the Department, and tlie result 

 of wliicli is likely to serve as a plan of its future development, took 

 place at Pretoria on the 26th, 27th, and 28th January, 1921, when 

 the heads of divisions and principals of the schools of agriculture 

 and experiment stations met at the instance and under the chairman- 

 ship of the Secretary for Agriculture, for the purpose of discussing 

 the relationship between the work of the divisions and that of the 

 schools. 



The organization of the Department to-day is well known to 

 farmers. Under the direction and control of a permanent secretary, 

 it is composed of a number of technical divisions and schools of 

 ag-riculture, the latter also serving the purpose of experiment 

 stations, while attached to certain of the divisions is also a number 

 of experiment stations. The history of the evolution leading to the 

 present composition of the Department need not be traced here. It 

 is sufficient to say that the most pressing needs and problems of the 

 country were the compelling factors in the establishment of the 

 various divisions and schools as they exist to-day. Those responsible 

 for the building up of the Department had before them the example 

 of other countries with the different systems adopted by them, and 

 while in this respect the famous system of the United States enters 

 largely into t(he plan fashioned for the Union's Department of 

 Agriculture, there are problems peculiar to South Africa to which 

 the exj)erience of other countries is not applicable; consequently, like 

 other countries, our Department must develop along lines best suited 

 to our extremely varying conditions, and so work out its own sah^a- 

 tion. South Africa's unified system of Government, under \vhicli 

 authority is exercised from a single centre, is favourable for effective 

 organization. To aid us in surmounting our present problems, which 

 are many, and also new ones arising with the expansion of the country, 

 we possess both our past experience and the example furnished by 

 other countries, which will enable us to organize according to a definite 

 design and so to cope with our expanding needs. The conference 

 was, therefore, important, for arising from it certain broad lines of 

 organization were agreed upon, and it is confidently hoped that upon 

 this foundation will be built an enduring structure. 



The Department as constituted to-day has involved the establish- 

 ment of the several divisions and schools ; and to obtain the greatest 

 economy and co-ordinate all effort and activity, it is essential that 

 their duties should be so arranged as to avoid unnecessary overlapping 

 and ensure development on right lines. The diverse and numerous 

 activities of the Department present an intricate webwork of organiza- 

 tion, and the proper control and guidance thereof calls for the 

 greatest care and foresight. It is gratifying to state, therefore, that 

 a free discussion marked the conference, and agreement was 



