SOUTH AFRICA 253 



contemporaries, when it comes to backing their fancies with 

 their cash. Many high-priced rams have gone to South Africa. 

 Even the w r ar and the absolute dislocation of shipping between 

 Australia and South Africa did not daunt the spirit of 

 South Africa to progress, for Mr. J. S. Minnaar, of Cape Colony, 

 purchased a ram from F. S. Falkiner and Sons, Limited, 

 Wanganella Estate, for 2000 guineas during the war. This 

 was a plucky purchase in times like those, when shipping was 

 so disorganised. 



Mr. P. Greathead, presiding at the annual meeting of the 

 Transvaal Land-Owners' Association in May, 1919, said : — 



" It is only since the war began that we have become a 

 meat exporting country, and until quite recently we had not 

 really recovered from the heavy wastage of stock during the 

 Anglo-Boer War. Indications are very definite in showing 

 that big expansion is in progress. Quite a number of ranching 

 companies have been formed, and individual farmers are pay- 

 ing much attention to their live-stock husbandry, as is shown 

 by the greater appreciation of improving sires. Never before 

 were such prices realised for highly bred beef and dairy stock 

 as during the last year. Reports on consignments of beef to 

 oversea markets have been highly complimentary to the stock 

 of the country and are very encouraging to growers, and I 

 think that many of our members could not do better than 

 establish herds of cattle on some of their bushveld land, which 

 is so highly suitable for the purpose. I think they would find 

 that with careful management — which is necessary in all 

 business — their ranching efforts would be very remunerative. 

 I have recently gone into the question of the cost of production. 

 I find on examining American statistics that it costs these 

 growers to-day thirty dollars — say, £6 — to produce a yearling 

 steer, and that it costs them forty-two dollars — say, £8 8s. — to 

 produce a two-year-old marketable steer. Allowing that the 

 American two-year-old steer is equal in weight to our four- 

 year-old, I find that we can produce meat at from one-third 

 to one -half the cost to the American grower. General agri- 

 cultural statistics in this country are not available, but by 

 examining my own Company's case, and the cases of numbers 

 of other cattle farmers, I find that the cost of raising a four- 



