The Department of agriculture during the War. 271 



THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DURING 



THE WAR. 



[This article, which commenced in the May, 1920, issue, briefly reviews the work carried out 

 by the various branches of the Department during the years of the war, and records 

 some achievements despite the many difficulties encountered through the abnormal 

 conditions then existing. — Acting Editor.] 



Sheep and Wool. 



This division is cliarged with the eradication of scab, the promo- 

 tion of sheep and goat industries by advising- upon the grading and 

 management of sheep and goats, and the preparation and marketing 

 of wool and mohair. 



During the year 1914-15 operations against scab received a severe 

 set-back. The rebellion and the campaign in West Africa caused the 

 absence of over 100 sheep inspectors, and, in addition, excessive rains 

 in the northern Provinces brought on serious outbreaks of various 

 diseases amongst sheep, so that dipping operations were impeded in 

 many parts. At this time, also, the regulations regarding scab were 

 made more stringent, and power was given to proclaim as protected 

 any area free from scab, and no small stock could be moved into such 

 area unless at prescribed times and places. 



This year saw on the whole a reduction as compared with the 

 previous year in the quality and value of exported wool. Shortly 

 after the outbreak of war the market for wool was dislocated and 

 prices for merino woo] dropped to a low figure, the demand being 

 chiefly for cross-bred wool (suitable for soldiers' uniforms), which is 

 not largely grown in South Africa. The world's supply of this class 

 of wool, 'lowever, apparently could not meet the demand, and merino 

 wool had to some extent to be brought into use. Arrangements were 

 also made with the British Government for supplying the American 

 market. is a consequence the demand for merino wool increased 

 rapidly and prices recovered correspondingly from the low prices 

 which ruled at the end of 1914. 



In 1915-16 the absence of several officers on military duties was 

 a considerr^ble handicap, while the old trouble continued of areas 

 controlled by many individual sheep inspectors being too large for 

 one man to do justice to. Then, also, the rebellion referred to above 

 rendered it impossible to control movements of infected stock over a 

 wide area of the Union. 



Owing to disorganization no statistics could be collected in 1914 

 regarding the extent of infection of scab in sheep, but during that 

 year, as already stated, there was a large increase in the number of 

 infected sheep. In 1915, however, the position was considerably 

 improved, as the new conditions regarding staff, etc., were being- 

 coped with, but the set-back was not made good, the percentage of 

 infected flocks at the end of 1915 being 1.43 as compared with 0.99 in 

 1913. The numbers oi sheep and goats were seriously depleted, due 

 principally to drought in 1915, which was estimated tO have accounted 



