5.l8 MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 



they cultivate on a large scale, are maize, mexoeira, and 

 rice. All these are exported, but it sometimes happens 

 that rice is imported. 



The cultivation of these cereals is dependent on the 

 regularity and abundance of the rains, and as a result 

 their exportation is very irregular, exportation being 

 prohibited during years of scanty production in order to 

 avoid famine. 



Following the Customs classification, we distinguish 

 round maize (mutama of the natives), Sorghum vulgare, 

 flat maize (mafloeira of the natives), and Zea maize. 

 The cultivation of these cereals is met with all over the 

 Territories. (Governor Vilhena : Report and Memoirs, 

 page 365). 



In order to build up a remunerative export industry 

 in maize cheap transport is necessary, not only from the 

 localities of production to the coast, but thence to its 

 destination. In many cases large quantities of maize 

 are wasted in the interior, simply because it will not bear 

 the cost of transport to the coast. 



As regards the future of cultivation of maize Mr. 

 Stocks writes: "The value of maize as an article of 

 export to South African colonies has not apparently been 

 properly recognised, except during the South African 

 war. There appears to be great possibilities of a large 

 export trade being done in this direction. For the 

 past five years Cape Colony's imports have averaged 

 1,657,336 bushels per annum, of the value of over 

 250,000 yearly, chiefly from North and South America. 

 Transvaal imports amounted to 196,894 and 156,475 

 in 1904 and 1905 respectively. Maize grows luxuri- 

 antly under native cultivation, and with the introduction 

 of new varieties of seed the crops would show a con- 

 siderable increase. The valley of the Rovuma would 

 suit maize admirably; its culture is of the simplest, and 

 in this case the native would need little teaching beyond 

 the use of simple machinery." (Re'port to the Search 

 Syndicate, 1907.) 



The anticipations of 1907 as to the demand for this 

 cereal, for South Africa, have been completely fulfilled, 

 as is known. 



