The Department op Agriculture during the War. 273 



paid for wool ew warehouse diuiug- the year previous to the outbreak 

 of war, plus half the profit, if any, realized by the sale of wool not 

 required for the use of the British Government or its allies, which it 

 was estimated would be about half the wool, these beino- the terms on 

 which the Australian and Ngav Zealand wool clips were bought. A 

 conference of leading- farmers and wool buyers and merchants was 

 held at Pretoria to consider this offer, and as an outcome the Imperial 

 Government withdrew their orig-inal scheme in favour of one agreeing 

 to purchase any wool offered within thirty days, the wool to be 

 delivered at warehouse at the ports and paid for after valuation. 

 Under this arrangement about one-third of the wool clip was sold, but 

 at that time, contrary to expectations, freight to the United States of 

 America and Japan became available, and the better class wools were 

 purchased freely on behalf of those countries at about 4d. per lb. 

 above the price obtained under the Government scheme. This was 

 represented to the Imperial Government, who consented to the with- 

 drawal of wool already registered under their scheme by any one 

 desirous of doing so, and this relaxation was availed of to the extent 

 of 59.597 bales. Thanks, therefore, to the offer of the Imperial 

 Government and the unexpected buying- on behalf of the United States 

 of American and Japan, the problem of the accumulated stocks was 

 solved . 



The Sheep Division strives to eradicate scab. Much good work 

 is done in this direction and infection has been reduced to small pro- 

 portions, but comment is often made on the continued presence of the 

 trouble and the failure to eradicate it entirely and permanently. It 

 must lie realized, however, that there are few, if any, countries in the 

 world in which the disease is more difficult to cope with than South 

 Africa. The vastness of the country, rendering supervision and 

 control arduous and difficult, scarcity of water, recurring periods of 

 droug'ht and the consequent trekking of sheep, kraaling of sheep for 

 protection against jackals and other vermin, are serious obstacles to 

 contend with. Then, also, large numbers of non-woolled sheep and 

 g'oats harbour scab, and the disease does not cause the same measure of 

 loss in the value of their produce as would occur in that of woolled 

 sheep ; the former class of sheep is largely owned by backward 

 fanners, and it is obvious that, lacking the same incentive to cleanse 

 as impels the owner of the woolled sheep, the menace of scab will 

 continue in such quarters until the danger can adequately be coped 

 with. The matter is complicated by the large number of natives 

 scattered throughout the country who almost invariably have grazing 

 around their kraals a few non-woolled sheep and goats, which are a 

 further source of scab. Thus it is that while in parts of the country 

 occupied by progressive farmers with the necessary facilities for 

 dealing- with the disease, scab has been entirely eradicated, there are 

 parts where it still prevails, and the danger of the reinfection of clean 

 areas continues and has to be guarded against. Consequently 

 complete eradication, if ever accomplished, will be a lengthy business, 

 but there are good prospects of speedy control in the chief wool- 

 producing areas and a gradual improvement in others. The erection 

 of dipping tanks, the extension of fencing, the decrease of trekking hy 

 road and conveyance of slieep by rail, and the destruction of vermin 

 are all helping to reduce scab. Above all, the evergrowing interest 

 in sheep and wool by progressive farmers who, determined to kee]i 



