Crop and Live Stock Report. 107 



CROP AND LIVE STOCK REPORT. 



February, 1920. 



MAIZE. 



Correspondents were asked to report on the condition of the crops in their neighboiir- 

 ■hoofi as at 29tb February, 1920. 



A revision of the estimated normal prodnction 1919-20 was deemed necessary, ond 

 the basis was increased to 12,705,100 bags. 



As compared with the condition of the crop at 31st January. 1920, the prospects are 

 stated to have improved owing to favourable weather during February, 1920, by 6 per cent., 

 so that the estimated production has risen from 10,338,500 to 10,971,200 or an increase of 

 «32,700 bags. 



At this figure the crop prospects still remain 14 per cent, below normal for the Union. 

 As applied to the various Provinces, the improved prospects are reported to be as follows : — 

 Cape Province, 11 per cent. ; Transvaal, nil; Orange Free State, 9 per cent. ; and Natal, 

 2 per cent. 



While the Western High Veld (^Transvaal) shows an improvement of 26 per cent, as 

 compared with the previous montli, a decline was reported of 7 per cent, in the Eastern 

 High Veld, 2 per cent, in Central Transvaal, and 1 per cent, in the Low Veld, leaving the 

 position as at 29th Februar}', 1920. at 16 per cent, below normal, or the same as at 31st 

 January, 1920. 



Lydenburg reports show the condition to be 8 per cent, above normal, and in the Orange 

 Free State, Bethlehem and Vrede are reported as expecting a crop of 3 and 2 per cent, 

 above normal respectively. 



KAFFIR CORN. 



The pro-pects in respect of this crop are reported to have improved to an extent of 4 

 per cent, for the Union, the estimated production for the current season now being 1,162,000 

 bags as against 1,089,800 at the end of the previous month. 



The prospects in the various Provinces are reported to have improved as follows : — 

 Cape Province by 13 per cent., Transvaal by 3 per cent., Orange Free State by 8 per cent., 

 and Natal by 2 per cent. 



In the Transvaal, the position in the Central Districts remains unchanged, whereas 

 increased prospects of 2 per cent, areireported from the Eastern High Veld and 27 per cent, 

 from the Western High Veld. On the other hand, a decline of 5 per cent, is reported from 

 Ihe Low Veld. 



TOBACCO. 



As far as this product is concerned, the crops appear to have revived even to a larger 

 extent, an improvement of 9 per cent, being reported for the Union, distributed as follows : — 



Cape Province, 1 1 per cent. ; Transvaal, 7 per cent.; Orange Free State, l.'i per cent.; 

 and Natal, 9 per cent. 



As a result of these improved conditions, the estimated production has risen from 

 7,370,500 lb. as at 31st January, 1920, to 8,791,800 lb. as at 29th February, 1920. 



