A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



hundred and sixteen thousand head of sheep, and 

 five hundred and ninety-four thousand head of 

 goats. 



Ostriches^ — Ostrich-farming has been begun 

 in a small way, and might be made a profitable 

 undertaking. On payment of ^i under a special 

 permit wild birds may be captured. 



Crops* — The staple product is maize. It is 

 easily cultivated and gives a larger yield than any 

 other cereal. It should not cost more to produce 

 than 4s. a bag of two hundred pounds, and the 

 selling price, which varies, should be from 8s. to 

 1 2s. 6d. per bag. Four to six bags per acre is about 

 the average yield, though crops of eight are not 

 uncommon. Ten thousand bags of maize were 

 exported last year as an experiment, and were 

 favourably reported upon at the London Corn 

 Exchange. It was pointed out that if a uniform 

 standard could be supplied, there would be a steady 

 demand for Rhodesian white flat maize. It is, 

 however, uncertain whether local needs in the 

 future may not be too great to allow of export. 



In addition to pumpkins, beans, castor oil, hemp 

 and ground nuts ; potatoes, onions, millet, oat-hay, 

 wheat, and sweet potatoes are grown ; and, occasion- 

 ally with some success, rape, buckwheat, loofa, and 

 calabash pipes. These crops can be cultivated on 

 ordinary mealie land. Linseed yields well, but is 

 principally valued as calf-meal. The European 

 cereals, wheat, barley, oats, and rye, give every 

 prospect of being remunerative under irrigation. 



Coffee* — Coffee is another crop promising well, 



268 



