114 CEREALS 



market in South Africa for maize-growing implements, 

 such as are manufactured in the United States and 

 Canada. Also for shellers, nearly all of which come from 

 England. Reapers, shockers, and binders are not yet in 

 demand, but the demand is growing as the farmers get 

 more capital to spend on implements. Nearly all our 

 maize planters and cultivators are made in the United 

 States. Every year the merchants underestimate the 

 demand for planters owing to the astonishing increase 

 in their use and in the acreage planted. At the be- 

 ginning of the planting season it happens, year after 

 year, that one cannot get a single planter of certain 

 favourite makes at any place in South Africa. I know 

 one small country firm which sold fifty-two maize planters 

 in one season, which was more than they had sold in the 

 preceding seven years ! This will give some idea of the 

 rapid progress being made. There is great need for a 

 smaller and cheaper husker and shelter. 



The preparation of maize silage is steadily on the 

 increase, and the demand for silage cutters and for 

 shredders is keeping pace with it. These facts should 

 be brought to the notice of the English, Canadian, and 

 Australian manufacturers. 



Bulk Handling. If the Government would take its 

 courage in both hands and adopt the bulk handling of 

 maize, as so ably recommended by Sir Thomas Price in 

 his Report of 1911, it would give a great impetus to the 

 export trade. 



We use 2j Ib. "A " twill jute grain bags, imported 

 from India, for the export trade, and " B " twill for the 

 local trade. The cost of these bags to the farmer has 

 increased 100 per cent, in the last five years, and this fact 

 may force us to adopt bulk handling. Indian grain bag 

 manufacturers would be well advised to consider this 

 point and to try to keep our grain bag trade. It is 

 claimed that this increase is due to the shortage in the 

 supply of jute, a point which should be considered by 

 planters in regions where jute can be grown profitably. 



I am fully alive to the fact that it is better to make our 

 maize walk to market on four legs than to export it in 

 the form of the raw article. This, however, must come 



