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had not been considered. Agriculture was at a low ebb, and the 

 then Government were fully alive to this fact. . It was at this time 

 we arrived in Africa, and we know that the then Rhodes Ministry, 

 realising the hopeless character of the Agricultural Industries, 

 were looking to fruit as a possible means of bettering the con- 

 dition of the farmers. We know from our own personal know- 

 ledge that the late Mr. Rhodes himself, also Messrs. Sauer and 

 Merriman, were keenly interested in the possibilities. Early in 

 1892, Mr. Merriman, being in London at the time, spent much 

 time in Covent Garden personally satisfying himself as regards 

 the possibility of building up a trade. It was during the follow- 

 ing session of Parliament that Major Tamplin asked for a 

 Select Committee to enquire into the prospects of pushing a 

 successful industry, this being the natural outcome of the excellent 

 returns received for the small lots of fruit sold in London that 

 autumn. In connection with the sale of this fruit the following 

 special telegram to the " San Francisco Examiner " may be worth 

 quoting as showing the general interest taken in the matter in 

 South African fruits on the London Market. 



Special to the "Examiner," London. February gth, 1892. 

 " A second Cargo of fruit from South Africa arrived to-day, and 

 it is stated that everything it comprises is in excellent condition. 

 The first Cargo, which arrived last Thursday, brought fancy 

 prices, peaches selling as high as 4 for three dozen. It is 

 believed that equally good figures will be received for the present 

 consignment. The cargo includes not only Peaches but 

 Tomatoes, Grapes, Pineapples, and Cucumbers, all of which are 

 luxuries in London at this time of the year. The trade seems 

 to have been successfully inaugurated between the Cape Colony 

 and the Mother Country, and it is believed that an immense and 

 profitable field of enterprise has been opened to all the Southern 

 fruit-producing countries ; it is certain that London can absorb 

 any quantity of fruit at this season, and there seems no likelihood 

 of the new business being overdone." 



Major Tamplin's motion was well received by the House. 

 Showing its feeling towards any possibility of Agricultural 

 development. We would say that the nett immediate result of 

 the Select Committee and the interest shown by the Government 

 then in power was the fact that it brought fruit-growing into 

 the focus of the public eye, which was what was needed at the 

 time ; but there are undoubtedly very much greater results than 

 this, which ever since that date have been quietly accumulating 

 as follows. 



It has been, we consider, largely owing to the interest taken 

 in the Fruit Industry that farms in the Western Province to-day 

 have increased so enormously in value : the value has doubled, 

 and in many instances trebled, within our own knowledge. Manv 



