to note a new machine — mealie planter — which is being made to suit 

 South African conditions, with a special device for sowing Hickory King 

 maize. I was struck with the intelligent and contented appearance of 

 the men, mostly Swedes, who were working with great rapidity. There 

 was no loafing, and I was informed that they are paid by piece-work 

 and earn on an average $2.50 per day. Xo trade union men are admitted 

 to this factory. 



From Chicago I took the train on the New York Central, and twenty- 

 four hours later, sharp on time, sp>ed into the Grand Central Depot, in 

 the heart of the great metropolis. The whole of the Hudson Valley was 

 wrapped in a glorious green, and even the shimmering waters seemed 

 touched with the magic of spring. I sailed from New York on the- 

 Lasitania, of the Cunard line, on 9th June, and arrived in Liverpool, 15th. 

 June, having made the passage in five days two hours and five minutes,, 

 and sailing from Southampton on the Kinfauns Castle. 26th June,. 

 reached Pretoria on the 15th of Julv. 



CONCLUSION. 



In a journey covering over 11,000 miles throughout the different sec- 

 tions of America, I have been afforded an exceptional opportunity of study- 

 ing every phase of dry-farming, and of meeting all sorts and conditions of 

 persons actively engaged, either directly or indirectly, in this work — 

 western farmers, departmental officials, experiment station experts, land 

 agents, and business men ; and my investigations lead me to the following 

 conclusion : — Dry-farming has proved to be a profitable practice, and h as- 

 taken a firm hold on the American people. The proof of this statement 

 will at once be evident from a consideration of five great movements i 

 (a) The Annual Dry-farming Congress ; (b) the Drv-fand Experiment 

 Stations established by the National Department of Agriculture ; (c) the- 

 State dry-farms in the West ; (d) the recent remarkable development of 

 dry-farming in the whole semi-arid region of "Western America ; and 

 lastly (e) the action of the Federal Government in passing the Mondell 

 Homestead Bill, which is specially designed for the dry-farmer. In a; 

 word, dry-farming is destined, in the immediate future, to play a far 

 more important role in agricultural development than even the great art 

 of irrigation. This being so, it is almost superfluous to urge the necessity- 

 of its application to the Transvaal, and of a systematic study of the 

 special problems involved, without further delay. In view of what I have 

 recently seen in America, I respectfully submit the following recommenda- 

 tions : — 



I. That a Dry-farming Division be at once established in the- 

 Department of Agriculture to foster and to promote this new 

 branch of agricultural science, comprising the following staff r 



(a) Dry-land Agronomist — having a special knowledge of the 

 science and practice of dry-farming, combined with a wide, 

 knowledge of agriculture. 



(b) Assistant in Soil Physics — having special qualifications 

 in physics and chemistry and a general knowledge of agricul- 

 ture. 



(c) Assistant in Soil Bacteriology — having a special knowledge 

 of bacteriology applied to soils, combined with a sound 

 scientific training. 



