MAIZE. 75 



In the rapid development of the country subsequent to that 

 war, maize growing assumed a position of unprecedented impor- 

 tance in our agriculture. New varieties were imported, im- 

 proved machinery was introduced, up-to-date methods of 

 cultivation were employed, and the then newly-established 

 experimental farms demonstrated how crops could be grown 

 profitably. Added to this. Government itinerant instructors 

 assisted in revolutionising this industry, so that in less than a 

 decade South Africa changed from an importing into an export- 

 ing country. In 1907 1,545,266 bushels of maize were 

 exported, and in 1910 Government grades were established and 

 facilities under Government supervision were inaugurated. In 

 this year nearly 6,000,000 bushels were exported, while in 1908 

 the export had risen to approximately 8,500,000 bushels. 



PRODUfTiON OF Maize, 1904 — 1919. 



* Excluding maize produced in Native Locations, etc., which amounted to 

 292,748 tons. 



The leading districts in these Provinces are :— 



Transvaal: Potchefstroom, Lichtenburg, Bethal, Heidel- 

 berg, Standerton, Middelburg and Pretoria. 



Orange Free State: Kroonstad, Bethlehem, Heilbron, 

 Vredefort, Frankfort, Senekal and Winburg. 



Natal: Estcourt, Klip River, Ixopo, New Hanover and 

 Umvoti. 



Cape Province: Griqualand East and Griqualand West. 



In the future, when closer settlement takes place, there is 

 no doubt that in some of the less developed parts of South 

 Africa, e.g., Zululand and North-Eastern Transvaal, maize 

 growing will play an important role. 



