The Progress of Agriculture in South Africa. 5 



indication, they do not fully disclose the progress that has been made 

 ;ind which, perhaps, is whollj- realized by those only who have lived 

 in South Africa for the past twenty years. Althoug'h much remains 

 to be done, farming- has emerg-ed from its old status and is now on an 

 entirely different plane. The majority of farms are fenced and 

 frequently sub-divided into paddocks, superior farm buildings have 

 been erected, while irrigation works and other permanent improve- 

 ments are seen on all sides. Transport and marketing facilities 

 improve yearly, and, above all, better methods of farming are 

 practised. Individualistic and nomadic occupation has given way to 

 settled organized industry. The development of mining (bringing 

 money into the country), an extended railway system, and other 

 agencies, also have their share in the forward movement: the war 

 which ravaged the country seventeen years ago, and the recent 

 conflict in Europe and elsewhere, have left in their wake the need for 

 greater production and enterprise ; our young men have visited and 

 returned from countries oversea with valuable experience; and men 

 from other parts have made their homes with us and have brought 

 with them new ideas and learning. These advantages have materially 

 aided us in our fight with the problems of South Africa's climate, 

 soil, and economics. 



Out of the failures and successes of the past is evolved outstand- 

 ing evidence of the country's suitability for pastoral pursuits. The 

 improvement in recent years in our live stock has been wonderful. 

 There has been a steady stream into the Union of high-class animals 

 from Europe, Australia, and elsewhere, and splendid studs have 

 been established. AVell over 60,000 pure-bred animals have been 

 registered in the South African Stud Books, and locally-bred stock 

 have sold for huge sums, merino rams fetching £1500 each ; a Fries- 

 land bull, " Admiral Beatty," bred at the Potchefstroom School of 

 Agriculture and Experiment Station, was sold recently tor £5250. 



Departments of State, such as Agriculture, Railways, Posts, 

 Lands, Irrigation, Forestry, Land Bank, etc., have played a large 

 part in our marked development, especially during the past two 

 decades, and it is probable that in no country with resources similar 

 to ours has the State fostered and guided its agricultural industry 

 more systematically and thoroughly. At the outbreak of the Anglo- 

 Boer war there were Departments of Agriculture in the Cape Colony 

 and in Natal, but in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State there 

 were no organizations of this nature; in the two latter territories 

 systematic control and organization of agriculture was introduced 

 under Crown Government following the conclusion of hostilities. The 

 evolution of the Union Department of Agriculture is well known ; it 

 is organized on similar lines to those which characterized the late 

 Transvaal Department, the latter having been modelled largely upon 

 the United States Department of Agriculture. 



When established, the present Department of Agriculture was 

 found at the outset to lack scientific and technical officers, a great 

 disability in the successful control of an industry like farming. The 

 building up of a scientific staff was proceeded with, and though 

 recently hampered by the war, its numbers are now nearly double 

 what they were at the time of Union, but still not nearly what they 

 ought to be. Then, also, suitable equipment for dealing with the 

 many problems awaiting investigation was sadly lacking, and this 



