166 TEE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 



Hartley pasturing, that renders that expedient unnecessary, but 

 the benefits of the free night grazing are so well recognised that 

 wherever possible fenced paddocks have ousted the primitive 

 kraaling methods. The number of miles of fencing will 

 immediately be immensely extended so soon as wire is again 

 reasonably procurable. 



Southern Rhodesia offers the fanner three varieties of climate 

 and country, says a recent writer: — 



" (a) The high grazing veld of Matabeleland, with an altitude 

 of 4000 feet; (&) the higher altitude of northern and middle 

 Mashonaland, with a greater rainfall and favoured conditions 

 for the culture of mealies, tobacco and oranges; and (c) the 

 low-lying country skirting the Limpopo, which is also suited to 

 cattle. There are ranches in Mashonaland on the granite 

 lands which are too poor for mealies, but the cattle are found 

 chiefly on the Matabele side where the grass is shorter, and, it is 

 said, sweeter. The Zulus, like most natives, were good judges 

 of cattle country, and when Moselikatze went north, he picked 

 his site on land where now are most of the Avhite cattlemen, 

 and his herds grazed west to where the big Rhodesdale Ranch is 

 situated, and south to where the other big ranch, owned by 

 Liebig's, is located between the Limpopo and the Matoppos. 



Large Requirements. 

 ' ' Formerly, business men in Bulawayo talked ' gold ' ; now they 

 talk 'beef; and in the clubs most heated arguments rage 

 between the Hereford men and the Polled Angus followers, while 

 Shorthorn, North Devon and Sussex admirers have a say. As 

 a matter of fact, no breed has yet been proved, and the ranchmen 

 are at present finding out not what breed is best for the whole 

 country, but what breed or breeds do best under the varying 

 conditions in various districts. The B.S.A. ranchmen have, for 

 example, satisfied themselves that Shorthorns do better on the 

 southern ranch below Victoria than they do at Rhodesdale, while 

 Liebig's are inclined to think that the Polled Angus and Sussex 

 are the best choice. They are trying out the breeds, and as 

 they swap experiences, they will in time select their fancies and 

 stick to them ; but it seems clear that the recognised beef strain 

 will differ in one district from the other, which means that most 

 breeders of pure-bred bulls may expect a market in Rhodesia. 

 Last year, over a thousand head of heifers and bulls were 

 imported, chiefly from the Union, and each year the big ranches 

 are on the lookout for bulls. In September last, Mr. Fleming 

 (^Manager of the Rhodesdale Ranch) was in Bulawayo district 



