Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/327

 PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY, COMMERCE 205

Irainiiig cannot be enforced in rnral districts. Trained cadets will enjoy certain advantages wlien they are enrolled in the Active Citizen Army.

Production and Industry.

Until recent years, South Africa was almost entirely dependant on over- sea markets for the supply of foodstuffs ami other necessaries, but great progress is now being made towards the supply of its own domestic wants.

Slight increases have taken place in imports of sugar, butter, cheese- milk, meat, and several other agricultural i)roduets. Nevertheless, in actual fact, local production in these articles has increased very much. Cream, eries are extending in all provinces ; farms are being fenced and improved by the making of dams and by the erection of farm buildings, etc. ; more- over, live stock is increasing in numbers and improving in quality, and far greater care is now taken of stock than formerly. Perhaps the truest indication of progress lies in the greatly enhanced juices of agricultural land, which in some parts has doubled in value during the past year or two.

Maize was exported to the value of 419,531?. in 1911. The production of wheat and oats last season was probably the greatest ever known in South Africa, and the area of land under cultivation is rapidly extending, while the improved methods of farming are very noticeable. Drills and steam threshing- machines are being more largely employed, and much more interest is being displayed in other labour-saving appliances. As regards wool, the quantities and values exported were 121,671,354 lbs., valued^ at 3,830,903Z, in 1910, and 132,222,285 lbs. valued at 3,900,142Z. in 1911. Ostrich farming is carried on on a large scale.

The chief source of the country's wealth lies in the Gold Mining and Diamond Mining Industries, the former of which, in 1911, was responsible for no less than 65 •28 per cent, of the total exports of the couutry, and the latter for 14*35 per cent., while the total export of all minerals accounted for over 84 per cent, of the total exports of South Africa.

The total value of the mineral output of the Union in 1911 was47,679,294Z., the main items being: gold, 35,049,041/. ; diamonds, 8,746,724/. ; coal, 1,935,153/. ; copper, 552,145/. ; tin, 411,871/. ; lime, 135,193/. ; silver, 98,507/. ; salt, 61,160/. ; asbestos, 20,839/.

In the Transvaal 23,888,258 tons of gold ore were milled during 1911, an increase of nearly two-and-a-half million tons on the previous year.

Commerce.

The total value of the Imports and Exports exclusive of Specie, was as follows : —

rear

Imports

Exports

£

£

1907.

26,841,517

46,636,275

1908.

24,532,520

43,910,451

1909.

27,355,877

49,296,673

1910.

35,123,(i74

63,609,340

1911.

3(3,423,530

57,024,000