CHAPTER XIV. 
TEXTILE INDUSTRIES. 
En 
A 
OUTH AFRICAN wool is too 
S well-known to require any long 
historical or descriptive intro- 
duction. The annual wool clip is in the 
neighbourhood of 125,000,000 Ib. 
Cotton - growing has also expanded 
rapidly during recent years. Farly 
attempts to cultivate cotton failed, and 
the present successful development dates 
back only as far as 1910, when the British 
Government and the cotton manufacturers 
of England held out inducements to cotton 
growers throughout the Empire. Cotton 
from the agricultural point of view is 
treated fully in the booklet, “ Farming 
Opportunities in South Africa.” The crop 
has been increased year by year, and in 
1920-21 was three and a half million 
pounds. 
The textile industry in South Africa is 
capable of being developed to a great 
extent, and will in time prove of import- 
ance to the country. 
The abnormal conditions brought about 
by the war, the enormous increase in cost 
of freight, and the higher rate of wages 
caused by labour trouble overseas, have 
given South Africa a unique opportunity 
of establishing a woollen industry on a 
sound basis. 
A factory known as the Woollen Mills, 
Ltd., was opened two or three years ago, 
with branches and woolwasheries at 
Woodstock, Capetown, and at Wolseley, 
C.P. This is the pioneer textile factory of 
the Union. “ Waverley ”’ blankets, travel- 
ling rugs, tweeds, and blankets for the 
native trade are manufactured. 
During 1923, a large factory was opened 
at Harrismith, O.F.S., known as the 
National Woollen Industries of South 
Africa, Ltd. 
Almost the whole of the Union wool clip 
has hitherto been shipped overseas, there 
to be manufactured into goods which are 
bought back by South Africa. The pro- 
duction in South Africa is steadily 
ncreasing. For instance, the clip of 1921 
:xceeded that of 1920 by 9-3 per cent. 
Chis is accounted for by the increase in the 
1umber of sheep, and also by improvement 
n the class of sheep, due to the efforts of 
‘he Sheep Division of the Department of 
Agriculture in assisting farmers to classify 
ind grade their flocks. 
The appended tables give data on the 
.otal production, exports, and imports of 
south Africa for the years 1921 and 1922. 
statistics relative to the wool washeries 
n operation in the Union are also given. 
There are, it is plain, very good possi- 
bilities of development in the manufacture 
»f woollen goods. 
Cotton. 
Cotton-growing has now got beyond 
‘he experimental stage in many districts 
>f the Union, and promises to become one 
>f the staple crops in certain areas. This 
s important, as in South Africa there is a 
arge demand for cheap cotton goods. 
Vith the native population of between 
ive and six millions, this class of goods 
inds a ready market. Each year the 
sroduction is greater, and the figures for 
‘921 show an increase of 349 per cent. over 
he crop of 1920. 
The areas at present under cultivation 
are situated in the districts of the northern 
ind eastern Transvaal, Swaziland, Zulu- 
and, and Natal, the most important 
umong these being the Candover Cotton 
istates, Natal, and the Rustenburg 
District of the Transvaal. Producers are 
represented by : 
The Rustenburg Farmers’ Co-opera- 
tive Society, Rustenburg ; 
The S.A.Co-operative Cotton Growers, 
Ltd., Box 1423, Durban. 
An attempt is being made by the 
Division of Tobacco and Cotton of the 
Department of Agriculture to encourage 
armers in the eastern Cape Province and 
‘he Transkei to start cotton-growing in 
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