The Topeka state journal., 1900-07-27
THE SOUTH AFRICAN MARKET

The possibility of extending our mar
Iet for agricultural implements in South
Africa is suggested by the following ar
ticle written by prominent merchant of
the Orange River colony, and published
in a recent number of the British Trade
Journal, just received at the treasury
bureau of statistics Commenting upon
prospective trade opportunities in South
Africa, the writer says:
4 think all are agreed that now the
British flag is hoisted in Pretoria, de-
claring Enthusiastically to the world Brit
aims supremacy from Cape Town to
Zanbesia. symbolizing security, justice,
and equality. that country will soon en-
joy an unprecedented era of prosperity
/ would warn our manufacturers, espec-
tally agricultural implement makers, and
those in kindred trades. to be first in the
market. It appears somewhat invidious
to single out particular articles for spec
ial mention, SO great will be the demand
for all classes of merchandise; yet it is
impera tive in the interests of agriculture
and agricultural implement makers to
state a few facts that have come within
my personal experience. 1t has been too
much the custom to send out to South
Africa the same class of implement that
is selling in this country. Such policy
is stupid and ruinous.
ITO begin with plowS. The sale of
these is practically unlimited. yet go to
any store in the Orange River colony
and you will find for every English
1ndCe plOW three or more American and
other foreign makers. Farmers declare
In favor of the American plowS because
they are lighter yet equally strong, less
complicated. lending themselves more
readily to the undulating nature of the
land They are better designed than the
average English plow. The American
pillow does not get out of order SO. readily
as the EngiiSh-made pillow, for the sim
pie reason that it is less complicated
and it has not so many springs. 1t is
very possible that under new conditions
there will be an opening for steam
ploughing- A few sets are already work
ing successfully in the TransvaaI
with the exception of a disc roller
harrows and rollers are not much used
as yet. think there should be a future
for the disc roller in breaking up newly
ploughed land; and there is q great eI1-
tent of new land broken up every year
for maize.on which the disc roller should
be very effective. The few l
have seen were of American make
Drills and sowing machines should be
cheapened and SiInplified as much as
possible. There can be but little do11bt
about the future demand for these. be-
cause great and rapid improvements
viii be made in the methods of farming
out there once the country is settled
down to its normal self and after this
war there is bound to be a large influx
of new blood
For reaping and binding machines
there IS a large market. so far scarcely
entered upon by home manufacturers. /
Tor up to the present time they have
been supplied almost exclusively by
American makers. The potential market
for these machines is very great.
Makers should give machines a good fin
fshing of with paint Paint goes a long
way in South Africa in helping to sell /
anything. Above all. they must not for |
get to provide duplicate parts at rea-
sonanle prices, procurable at convenient
stores.
'Threshing machines are mostly of
British manufacture. Yet here again |
there is room for vigilance, for 1 have
heard that one or two American thresh-
ing machines have been introduced The |
advice offered as to hghtness and COM |
pactneSS Of reaperS and binders applies |
with even greater force in the case of |
threshers.
THE demand for portable engines has
been great in the past, but l think I
the demand in the future will put into |
the shade that of the past, not alone for /
threshing, but in every other direction /
where engines are necessary for the de- /
velopment o
veloping OF new country. tt is the 4
duty of our manufacturers to prepare /
for the future great thrush of trade that /
must follow the war"