194 



OPENINGS FOR BRITISH AGRICULTURAL 

 PRODUCE IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



At the request of the Board of Agriculture, Mr. Birchenough, 

 the Special Commissioner appointed by the Board of Trade to 

 inquire as to openings for British trade in South Africa, has 

 furnished a report with regard to the prospects of developing a 

 trade in the South African Colonies in British pedigree stock 

 and in other agricultural produce, from which the following 

 information has been extracted : — 



Breeding Stock. 



In reference to the conditions affecting breeding stock in 

 South Africa, Mr. Birchenough states : — There is probably no 

 country in the world where cattle are, at the best of times, sub- 

 ject to so many pests and diseases. During the war, horse 

 sickness, rinderpest, red water, blue tongue, lung sickness, &c, 

 were rampant. Fences had everywhere been destroyed in order 

 that they might not interfere with military operations, with the 

 result that stock of all kinds ran together and infectious diseases 

 spread with extreme rapidity. When the process of repatriation 

 began the Government found itself face to face with two tasks — 

 to re-stock the denuded farms and to stamp out the existing 

 disease. These two processes are still going on. Cattle have 

 been imported from the neighbouring Colonies and from Argen- 

 tina, Texas, Queensland, and Madagascar. The important point 

 has been to supply farmers with animals of some kind so that 

 they may get to work upon their land. Although the countries 

 from which supplies have been drawn have been careful I}' 

 chosen for the similarity of the conditions there prevailing, it is 

 obvious that the stock brought into the new Colonies must be 



