days. These two facts together at once explain how enormous areas came to be infected from perhaps a small number of diseased imported cattle. These animals, as they trekked inland from the coast, dropped ticks along the route across which numerous other herds roamed, their owners unconscious of danger, and then in a dozen different localities wide apart the disease broke out. It is true that many districts are still clean, but the stock-farmer in an unfenced country can never be certain that his droves may not happen on a piece of tick-infected veldt, over which, perhaps, months before, a few sick cattle passed. The mischief, once compassed, is irremediable.
But this trouble, great as it is to-day, is not permanent; fencing and disinfection will follow the slaughter of the diseased cattle, and then there will be few countries in the world where the stock-breeder will have a better chance than in Rhodesia. Not only cattle, but donkeys, sheep, mules, goats, pigs, and poultry may all be farmed at a minimum of cost, so prolific is the fertile land of suitable pasturage and vegetable food.
For the small cultivator of specialized crops the outlook is equally bright—Mashonaland and the North-West afford him no less opportunity than Matabeleland provides for the stockman. Tobacco of excellent quality may be grown in many parts, and for this commodity, when the whole South African market is supplied, there remains an unlimited field in exportation. During the present season some 2,000 acres are under this cultivation, which represents, roughly, 2,000,000 pounds of tobacco. The last harvest at Enkledoorn realized £125 per acre (selling at wholesale price), and as the outlay per acre of tobacco averages, roughly, £14, it will be seen that, even at much lower returns than the above rather exceptional crop, the profit is very considerable. Tobacco, however, needs a certain amount of specialized knowledge on the part of the cultivator, both as to selection of plants, preparation of the ground, and harvesting. Above all, it is essential that the most
