The Pig as an Economical Producer of Food. (525 



farming ordinarily enjoys the following' advantages over other kinds 

 of live stock farming: — 



' (1) It requires a comparatively small outlay of capital for breed- 

 ing stock and housing equipment in order to get into the business, and 

 it is also comparatively easy to get out without much, if any, financial 

 loss. 



(2) No other kind of live stock farming offers such quick returns 

 as does pig farming. This is due to the early age at which the pig 

 will reprodv^ce. Thus a young sow is able to have her first litter at 

 about 12-14 months of age, and her second litter within months of 

 her last farrowing*. In other words, by the time she is 18-20 months 

 of age she is able to return to her owner on the average about 15 pigs, 

 and will tlien l)egin to give him a steady income from month to montli. 

 In cattle farming, on the other hand, the breeder would just be think- 

 ing of having his heifers at 20 months of age served, and he would 

 have to wait for the best part of another year before getting his first 

 return. The sow by Ihat time would have raised another 15 pigs. 

 Thus the prolificacy of pigs — an average of about 8 pigs per litter, 

 depending upon the breed — and the fecundity of pigs, that is, the 

 prodiu-tion of two litters within the year (if under proper manage- 

 ment), are very significant advantages to the tenant farmer and the 

 small holder. 



(3) In South Africa we appear to have a few additional advan- 

 tages in so far as pig' diseases, feeds, housing, and labour are con- 

 cerned. In disease, the greatest of which is "hog* cholera" — the 

 swine scourge of America and Europe — South Africa is comparatively 

 free. Outbreaks have occurred, but have not been frequent, nor of 

 sucli a severe nature as has been the case in England or America. 

 Owing to the mildness of our climate, the cost of housing is com- 

 paratively small, particularly where the system of having portable 

 pig-houses is adopted. These will provide sufficient protection from 

 the cold in winter and the heat in summer. The cheapness of our 

 native labour makes pig farming more profitable in Soutli Africa than 

 it is in other countries where only white labour is available. How- 

 ever, cheap labour becomes efficient labour only where strict super- 

 vision is practised. And last, but not least, maize and lucerne, 

 perhaps the two most highly valued pig feeds, can be economically 

 produced in many parts of the Union, as well as other crops making 

 excellent pig feed, such as rape, sweet potatoes. Jerusalem artichokes, 

 etc. 



In the past there has been, and even at the present time there is 

 still, an inherited kind of prejudice against the pig, much of which 

 may probably be put down to ignorance of the possibilities of pig 

 production, and it is trusted that once the above facts are brought 

 lionie to oui- farmers many of them will at least give pig farming a 

 fair trial 



Fruit Export. 



There were three shipments of fruit during August, 1920, 

 totalling 27,260 boxes oranges, 1668 boxes naartjes, 416 boxes grape 

 fruit, and 21 boxes pines. 



