114 No. 99 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ( Through this means 434 Belgians, including 41 farmers and 189 artisans, 89 women, and 80 children , were introduced up to June 30, 1912 ; 1 the effort, however, collapsed in 1912, doubtless for the simple reason that the Belgian is not anxious to colonize, especially in circumstances which are probably more difficult than those of northern Rhodesia. Only 30 farmers and their families were established in Katanga by 1913, and there is as yet no evidence to show whether or not the country is really adapted for permanent European settlement of the Rhodesian type, though it appears to be generally assumed, perhaps without adequate consideration, that this is the case. In any case, if white settlement is possible, the most natural way to foster it would be by the introduction not of Belgians but of South Africans with experience of colonial life ; but naturally enough South Africans for the present find the agricultural prospects in Rhodesia more attractive.

(c) Agriculture . Although most of the country is extremely fertile, little interest has been taken in the exploitation of its vegetable wealth , owing to the great distance of Katanga from the sea, and to the smallness of its white population, which in 1914 was said to number about 2,500 .

Stock-raising offers a more promising future, the Biano plateau being reported to be free from ' fly ' (tsetse) . This and the Kundelungu plateau are about 400 metres above the surrounding country, and covered with short grass, which , however, is thin and poor. Reports from the Government experimental breeding station at Katentania on the plateau have been uni formly good . In 1914 it had 1,737 head of cattle, 734 of which had been imported from northern Rhodesia. Sheep -farming has also given good re sults . The export of cows from Katanga is prohibited .

1 Cd . 6665—1, p. 18 .