Thk Drought of 19J.S-li^)l'.i. 



145 



Estimated Losses of Live Stock. 



Apart iroin the Transkeiaii Territories, where it wavS not possible 

 to obtain reliable figures, the drought is estimated to have been the 

 direct cause of the following losses : — 



Laige Stock. 



Total : 



Through 

 Poveitv. 



Through 

 Poverty. 



Small 8 ock. 



Through 



Slaughter of 



Offspring. 



Total. 



Cape ... 



Natal 



Transvaal 



Orange Free State 



Total 



No. 

 10O,25J 

 11,0!:>0 

 48.000 

 GI,3S.-, 



21(),32o 



No. 



l'.2(J7,400 



32,350 



187,000 



'.>74,(00 



3,4(J(>,7.-)0 



No. 



l,]t53,UOO 



19,300 



112,700 



fi20,300 



No. 

 3,431,300 



.51,(;50 



2!iy^70O 



1,.'.94!300 



l,i)lf,.2()0 5,37(),9r)0 



Losses of large stock were severest in tlie Cape ProAince, where 

 ().7G per cent, of the total cattle is estimated to have perished. In 

 the Xortliern Karoo 3L51 per cent, died, and in the Central and 

 l<]astern Karoo nearly 12 per cent. Heavy losses were reported also 

 Irom the western high veld of the Transvaal and the south-west of 

 the Orange Free State, estimated at 12.05 per cent, and 10.19 per 

 cent, respectively of tlie total animals. For the whole Union, it is 

 estimated that 3.98 per cent, of its total large stock was lost. 



In adult small stock the deaths through poverty were 11.02 

 i)er cent, of the Union's total, nearly three times the percentage 

 mortality of large stock. The Karoo and north-western districts of 

 the Cape suffered most, the flocks there being depleted by from 20 

 l)er cent, to 24 per cent. 



It is among- the progeny of the small stock, however, that 

 enormous losses occurred, the total for the Union lieing placed at 45.16 

 per cent. Again the Karoo districts show the greatest losses, the 

 mortality in the Northern Karoo being as high as 89.05 per cent. 

 The Southern Karoo with 78.11 per cent, and the north-western 

 Orange Fre^^ State with 72.52 per cent, also suffered severely. 



Losses of Crops. 



With tlie aid of its crop correspondents, the Department was able 

 1(j gauge the extent to which the lack, of rain affected the principal 

 crops of the country. From this cause it is estimated that the follow- 

 ing quantity of produce was lost: — 



(Note. — Oat-hay, 



v bags, 200 lb.) 



lb. per bundle; barley, 150 lb. per bag; all 



