THE DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



77 



advances whicli have been made in the United States of America have 

 encouraged us to hope that the same results may be obtained in South 

 Africa. 



" 'Believe me, gentlemen, yours sincerely, 

 " 'LOUIS BOTHA, Prime Minister of the Transvaal 



and Minister of Agriculture.' " 



"The second message I have been requested to convey to you is from 

 His Excellency', the Earl of Selborne, P. C; Governor of the Transvaal 

 and High Commissioner for South Africa:" 



'"High Commissioner's Train, De Aar, Jan. 12, 1909. 

 "'Dear Dr. Macdonald: I think we have every reason to feel grati- 

 fied for the kindness and courtesy of the Secretary of the Department 

 of State in inviting the British Colonies in South Africa to take part 

 in the Dry Farming Congress, which is to take place at Cheyenne at the 

 end of February next, and for the great .care which has evidently been 

 taken by the board of control to make this Congress a success. You will 

 be able to tell the gentlemen who receive you how much this courtesy 

 is appreciated in South Africa, and what great importance we attach to 

 the success of this Congress, for dry farming is a scientific problem which 

 it is as much to the interests of South Africa to solve as of the United 

 States of America. 



" 'Wishing you all success, believe me, yours very truly, 



" 'SELBORNE, Governor of the Transvaal and High 



Commissioner for South Africa. 



"The third message which I have been commissioned to lay before 

 you is from the Right Hon. the Earl of Crewe, P. C, M. A., Secretary of 

 State for the Colonies, Sir. Francis Hopwood, K. C. B., Under-Secretary 

 of State for the Colonies, v/rites as follows:". 



Greeting From England. 



" 'Colonial Office, Whitehall, London, Feb. 9, 1909. 

 " 'Dr. William Macdonald, Langham Hotel, London. 



" 'Sir: I am requested by the Secretary of State for the Colonies 

 to ask you to convey to the President and Members of the Trans-Mis- 

 souri Dry Farming Congress, which meets at Cheyenne, his most cordial 

 good wishes for the success of their deliberations. Lord Crewe de- 

 sires me to add, that he has followed with keen interest the splendid 

 progress which has been made in the reclamation and settlement of the 

 arid lands of Western America; and he is confident that the scientific 

 study of the potentialities of those regions in which the rainfall is small 

 and irregular will do much to promote the agricultural prosperity, both 

 of the United States and the British Empire. 



" 'I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant. 



'"FRANCIS J. HOPWOOD, 

 Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. 



