The Trade in Lucerne 



Census Statistics. 



Unfortunately there are practically no statistics available as to 

 the rapid development of the lucerne growing industry. 



When we were preparing the first edition of this work we 

 elicited a promise from the Government that provision would be 

 made in the next census for the collection of statistics regarding 

 lucerne. The only statistics obtained in 1904, however, were of 

 the "bundles" of lucerne, and of course this item is of very little 

 practical value. The iciurns given were, for 



The Colony proper 14,097,271 



Native Territories ... -... 16,358 



Techuanaland 8,900 



Total bundles grown . . . 14,222,529 



The Director of the 1904 Census observed : 



;t A comparison of the produce returns for 1904 with these for 

 1891 reveals some remarkable changes in the. quantities returned 

 in Sections I. and II. under the different headk Thus wheat shows 

 a drop from 909,163 muids to 561, 102 muids ; the return of tobacco 

 is less by one-half, and Kafir corn, rye, pumpkins and mangolds 

 all show a decline. On the other hand, more oats, oathay, potatoes, 

 onions and clover are produced than in 1891, and the extent to 

 which lucerne h?.s grown in popular favour is indicated by an 

 enormous increase in the amount produced. 



" More than one-third of the lucerne of the Colony and nearly 

 one-fourth of the tobacco is grown in Oudtshoorn, the figures being, 

 tobacco 1,214,324 Ibs., lucerne 5,839,320 bundles. It will l:e seen 

 that tb.3 d?crease ia the mangold and beet produced is much more 

 than balanced by the increase in lucerne and clover." 



We extract the following figures from the 1904 Census 

 Returns and give them for what they are worth, not because we 

 think them at all reliable, for some of our largest growers would 

 find it difficult to calculate how many bundles of lucerne they cut 

 in a year, and even if that were possible it would only be a partial 

 indication of the value of the crop, as it would take no account of 



