600 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



the latter. He was also a member of the Committee of the Govern- 

 ment Library, Pretoria, and up to Union was a member of the Com- 

 mittee of the Transvaal Zoological Gardens. 



In addition to the book referred to, Mr. Smith has written various 

 papers on agricultural subjects, one on agricultural education being 

 read before the British Association in Johannesburg, and another, 

 " Some Observations on the Probable Effect of Closer Union of South 

 Africa upon Agriculture," before the South African Association for 

 the Advancement of Science. 



At Union, Mr. Smith was appointed to his late position as 

 Secretary for Agriculture, when he had to undertake the great task 

 of forming an Agricultural Department for the Union in place of 

 those which had previously existed in the four component Colonies. 



In the course of a letter to the Journal, written immediately 

 prior to his departure for England, where he has accepted a reader- 

 ship in Estate Management, oifered him by the University 

 School of Agriculture. Cambridge, Mr. Smith writes : " I 

 have endeavoured to make the Department a ])rofessional 

 one, and to organize it so that each branch of its work was 

 entrusted to men who had specialized in these particular lines, and 

 could devote their whole attention to them and in such a way that 

 the workers should be as closely in touch with their work on the one 

 hand and with the public on the other as it was possible for them to 

 be. My one aim has been to help the agriculture of the country by 

 every means within my power and particularly to build up the 

 Department as the most powerful instrument possessed by the State 

 for assisting it." 



Mr. Smith has been associated with South Africa during a time 

 of transition and remoulding and of marked progress, and he takes 

 with him our good wishes for success in his new sphere of work. 



Temporary Staff Arrangements. 



Until a permanent successor to Mr. Smith is appointed and in 

 the absence of Mr. P. J. du Toit, the Under-Secretary, who is at 

 present engaged on the Public Service Commission of Inquiry, the 

 duties of the Secretary (excluding those pertaining to agricultural 

 education) will be carried on by Mr. G. N. Williams, who has been 

 acting as Under-Secretary for some considerable time in Mr. Du 

 Toit's absence. 



Similarly, Mr. E. J. Macmillan, the Under-Secretary for Agri- 

 culture (Education) will control the section of the Department 

 concerned with matters of agricultural education. 



The Local Market. 



In addition to the local market prices of agricultural produce and 

 stock which are published monthly in the Jouimal, we propose, com- 

 mencing with this number, to include in future a brief review under 

 the above heading of the local market conditions and prices concerning 

 wool, mohair, hides, skins, and ostrich feathers. With this additional 

 information there will be available very necessary intelligence regard- 

 ing the prevailing market rates of the principal agricultural products 

 of the Union which should prove useful to farmers in respect both of 

 ciQTent prices and, in the course of time, as a record of past prices, 



