The Department op Agriculture during the War. 277 



be of great assistance to the breed and to dairying generally, and was 

 welcome as an indication of a disposition towards self-belp on the part 

 of the farmer. The year was an important one also in regard to 

 legislation, a Bill being presented to Parliament and eventually 

 passed (Dairy Industry Act, 1918) providing comprehensive and up-to- 

 date legislation on dairying matters, particularly the production and 

 grading' of butter and cheese for export. 



Thus during the stress of the world war dairying made excellent 

 progress in South Africa. Nevertheless, as pointed out by the Super- 

 intendent of the Dairying Division, much remains to be done before 

 the industry will be placed on a thoroughly sound basis and be inde- 

 pendent of the stimulus afforded by the high prices caused by the war. 

 Although the improvement in dairy cattle has been remarkable, and 

 the management of stock, collecting- and transport of milk and cream, 

 and making of ])utter and cheese have shown such gratifying progress, 

 much scientific investigation is still necessary to enable us to keep 

 abreast of the times and solve some of the many problems confronting 

 the industry. 



(This review will be continued in subsequent issues of the 

 J ournal.) 



Pig Production. 



• A prominent produce merchant of London visited the Union recently 

 to ascertain its business possibilities, and in reviewing the impressions 

 of his visit, refers to oui' wide scope for increasing production in pigs, 

 which, lie saj's, only wants impetus given to it by farmers generally. 

 As an illustration, he cites the case of Denmark (a small country in 

 comparison with ours) which in normal times killed from 45,000 to 

 60,000 pigs per week, for M'hicli there is a ready market in 

 England. Commenting on the pig as a " rent producer " 

 and its immunity from certain of the drawbacks attending 

 crop production, he states: "If fi-rmers went in largely 

 for pigs they would of necessity keep sufficient stock of 

 food to provide for droughts, and, further, the pig would not be 

 affected by hailstorms, as it instinctively makes for shelter." It has 

 been proved that we can produce suitable bacon hogs for the oversea 

 market. There was no better bacon in London during September and 

 October last than some from the Union, although, he points out, the 

 produce of some of our factories, while of fairly good quality, was 

 of entirely unsuitable cuts for the English market. " The Wiltshire 

 cut," he adds, " is the only form of cut tliat appeals to the English 

 trader — that is, the entire side, and it is further important that it 

 should be made widely known to bacon curers that a side of bacon 

 should weigh from 56 lb. to 75 or 80 lb. for export. Anything smaller 

 than 56 lb. does not produce good bacon. It becomes much too salt 

 and hard in the process of curing." 



The Jounuil is llie Department's medium of making known its 

 activities. It contains information of value to every 'farmer in the 

 Union. Keep it for reference. 



