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History
/ Agriculture |
* This passage was
written in 1951
:: Agriculture
The farming of the Lowveld differs as widely from the agriculture of the Union in general as the region differs in appearance and natural
characteristics from the rest of the country. Lowveld agriculture has been described as "glorified market gardening", and much of it is just
that - intensive market gardening praticesed on a large scale.
The local pioneers of agriculture had no settled tradition to follow or to fall back upon. In opening new country they were applying new
farming methods. They experimented widely, made many mistakes and had many successes. The result has been a progressive, enlightened and
prosperous farming community.
Lowveld agriculture owed its inception to the proximity of this sub-tropical frost-free area to the markets of the interior, and the
Witwatersrand in particular, with their considerable demand for winter vegetables. To this was added tobacco and the growing of fruit -
first, the short-lived but prolific papaw, then the slower and more permanent mango, avocado and, where conditions were particularly
suitable, of citrus. Earlier poineer efforts in the cultivation of cotton at first succeeded but later failed with the onset of the jassid
pest, which was, in turn, overcome by the researches of the British Empire Cotton Growing Corportation in Barberton.
In fact, the impressive variety of crops which may be grown in the Lowveld is an outstanding characteristic and, to those mentioned must be
added sisal, stokroos (the wild hibiscus), fodder, grasses, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, bananas, pineapples, rice, and probably coffee and
suger.
Scientific research has played a considerable part in discovering both the best crops for the Region and the most suitable and most
profitable methods of cultivation. The cotton research station at Barberton, the Citrus and Sub-tropical Horticultural Research Station at
Nelspruit, and the newly-estabished pasture research station in Barberton are all making an invaluable contribution to the success of Lowveld
agriculture.
Cattle ranching, which in earlier days appeared to face insurmountable obstacles, has now bright prospects while dairying, still in its
infancy, is rapidly expanding.
:: Land Utilization
The total amount of native-owned farm land in the districts of Barberton, Nelspruit and Pilgrim's Rest, comprising together 90% of the
Rgional area, is 1,028,804 morgen.
... more>>
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