670 CATTLK AND DAIKY FARMING. 



For light -draft on fair roads they answer tolerably well, being very 

 fleet of loot. 



The cows I'm 1 milking purposes air all but worthless. giving but a 

 small quantity of milk, though of good quality. In the bes; pastures 

 thev fatten tolerably well, but on dry. hard food readily succumb to 

 hard>hip. Friesland bulls have been used in crossing, and have proved 

 succcs>ful in improving the milking qualities of the cows, as well as 

 better oxen for drult for heavy roads. It is a common praetiee among 

 the farmers of the e^untiy, after using Friesland bluod ibr some gener- 

 ations in their herds, to again have recourse to an Africander bull, in 

 the belief that this .strengthens the constitutions of the animals. This 

 process naturally leads to no advance in the direction of any distinct 

 breed. In some instances Shorthorns from England have been tried, 

 but have not met" with much favor. 



In th. 1 vicinity of Cape Town tin.', best-bred cattle are to be met with 

 for dairy purposes. Kerry bulls have been put to half-breed Dutch 

 cows, giving compact, handy little cattle. Jerseys for the same purpose 

 have also met with some favor, llerefords have had but a limited 

 trial in this colony, but so far have given great satisfaction in pulling 

 through drought on dry too-. I while other animals succumbed. 



By so;:i" farmers it is t hnnght that this and the Devon are the breeds 

 best suited for the requirements of this country. 



The average weight of a defent-sized ox of the Africander breed is 

 about (JOU po-unds dead weigh!:. 



There is great and ample room for improvement in the cattle industry 

 of this couiltry, but such can only come as greater care is used by 

 farmers in segregating their herds; as at present, through carelessness 

 in the castration of young stock, the progeny must necessarily be much 

 mixed. 



According to the census of this colony taken in ISG.j, there were 

 G!2. ol4 cattle; in JS75. 1,111,713, At this ratio of increase the num- 

 ber of cattle now in the colony would approximate something like 

 l,77s,000 head; to this number may added about 203,000 head in Brit- 

 ish iiasnto land and Transkeian territories which were not included 

 in the c"iisu<, making an aggregate of L','M^>WK) head of cattle in the 

 colony. 



The, average value of a sound matured work-ox is about $50. 



.Milch cows vary in prices from $,'JO to 100, ntvording to age and 

 their milk-giving qualiii'-s. 



]?ir<;RT.S OF DATUY PJIODTCTS. 



Little or no interest is hcMowed upon dairy business in the colony 

 except in the neighborhood of towns. The majority of cattle, farmers 

 are the greater part ol' the year without milk or butler so Jar as any 

 product from their own herds are concerned. For dairy products the 

 ((luiiy is almost whollv dependent upon foreign countries. 



Last year there were imported for the use of tins colony 1, -124,750 

 pounds of butter, and valued at .C ( .)7,UV.); and 1. (>',):), !!() pounds of cheese, 

 valued at .'i7.s.'iD. Vv'i'h little care and foresight this enormous ex- 

 penditure could be saved to the colony. 



No cattle are exported iVo;n this colony except coastwise and to the 

 gaiiisonsal St. Helena and Ascension. 



.JAMES W. {SILl-;i{, ' 



Consul. 



UMTKIJ STATKS CONSTLATK, 



(.'(tjx; '1 'turn, M<! JO, 1SS1. 



