5 8 MAIZE 



chap, as compared with a maximum limit of eighteen days in some 

 of the maize-growing States of North America. 



The moisture contained in maize exported from South 

 Africa is some 4 per cent lower than that of the American-grown 

 article, which minimizes danger of damage in transport, and puts 

 a premium on South African grain for manufacturing purposes. 

 Farmers in Argentina find their climate unfavourable to the 

 proper conditioning of the crop for export (H 29). 



Not all of South Africa is equally well suited to the pro- 

 duction of maize. She has her Maize-belt just as the United 

 States has her Corn-belt. The hot coastal zone and the dry 

 Karroo and Kalahari regions are not well suited to maize- 

 growing. The maize zone may be roughly defined as the 

 country lying east of the 26th meridian, i.e., a line drawn 

 between Algoa Bay, Bedford, Cathcart, Queenstown, Aliwal 

 North, Wepener, Bloemfontein, and thence north to Lichten- 

 burg and Zeerust. From this area the coast belt below 1 ,000 

 feet altitude, and the mountain region above 6,000 feet, should 

 be excluded. 



54. Orange Free State. — The Orange Free State, together 

 with the adjoining native territory of Basutoland, is by far the 

 largest producer and exporter of maize of any of the four 

 Provinces of the South African Union. But of the total area 

 of the Province less than 2\ per cent is planted to, this crop, 

 and in the best producing Districts only 5^ per cent. The 

 largest acreage and best crops are found in the north-eastern 

 Districts, where the rainfall is about 1 1 inches during the three 

 growing months of December, January, and February. A con- 

 siderable part of the crop is grown by natives, and the average 

 yield is estimated at only 3 muids, or 1 1 bushels, per acre. 



55. Transvaal.- — Maize is grown more or less in every 

 District and on practically every farm, but the principal Dis- 

 tricts, in approximate order of production, are : Bethal, 

 Heidelberg, Potchefstroom, Pretoria, Standerton, Ermelo, 

 Middelburg, and Lichtenburg. Most of the Transvaal maize 

 is produced on the High-veld, because the population is 

 greater and more land is under cultivation. A good deal is 

 also raised in the Upper and Lower Bush-veld, but chiefly by 

 natives. The altitudinal range of the crop is from 600 feet at 

 Komatie-poort, to over 6,000 feet in the Steenkampsberg and 



