COMMERCE IN MAIZE GRAIN 501 



474. Cape Stock Fanners. — A considerable quantity of CHAP, 

 maize is imported into the Cape Province from the other xl1 ' 

 Provinces, for feeding ostriches and other live-stock. During 

 1908, 174,827 muids were exported from Durban to Cape 

 ports. Since Union, reduction of railage rates has permitted 

 the direct consignment of maize by rail from the interior 

 Provinces to consuming centres in the Cape Province. 



475- The Native Trade. — The native trade provides a 

 valuable local market for those farmers who live in proximity 

 to Locations of sufficient importance. The South African native 

 is characteristically lacking in thrift ; no sooner is the crop 

 harvested than he — or more often she — starts to barter it off 

 for trinkets, salt, etc., without any thought of the future. The 

 individual crop is small, and in this way soon exhausted ; 

 then the native begins to buy back from the local store-keeper 

 or farmer at greatly enhanced prices. The native's methods of 

 agriculture are not conducive to the conservation of soil-moist- 

 ure; in seasons of only comparative drought his crop often 

 fails, and he is compelled to purchase from the more successful 

 white farmer, paying for his grain in labour or in kind. It is 

 this improvidence which largely maintains the supply of native 

 labour ; if the native were himself a good farmer and thrifty, 

 he would not be under the necessity of working for wages, 

 and the white farmer would lose the benefit of his services. 



476. Local Prices. — There is no doubt that the establish- 

 ment of an export trade for South African maize has had a 

 steadying effect on the local market. Although it is true that 

 before it was established farmers were often able to realize 

 20s. per muid for their maize, it should not be forgotten that 

 when there was a " bumper " crop prices fell to 4s. or even 

 3s. per muid, figures at which maize-growing did not pay ; 

 these low prices were due to the fact that production had 

 exceeded local consumption ; now that it is possible to ex- 

 port the surplus, the local market can no longer drop below 

 paying prices. 



The following figures, culled at random from the pages of 

 the several South African Agricultural Journals, the Keeling 

 Agency Reports, etc., etc., will give some idea of the range of 

 prices prevailing in the several markets, 



