388 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [June 2, 1920. 



in open bins or in sheds for periods varying from several weeks to several 

 months, according to the season and weather conditions Green maize 

 cannot even be bagged with the certainty that it will not sweat, let alone be 

 sealed up in vessels or silos. The demand for early maize leads to green 

 maize being rushed on to the market, and sometimes sweating leads to 

 serious losses. 



The alternative to natural drying of maize, which occupies weeks or months, 

 is to dry the grain artificially, either in kilns or else in special conditioning 

 machines, provided with hot-air blasts to reduce the moisture content rapidly. 

 Maize may be dried in kilns within three or four days, and in special hot-air 

 machines within an hour or two. English and American firms have on the 

 market various types of conditioners able to deal with 50 bushels and up to 

 1,000 bushels or more per hour, a hot-air blast of 140 degrees Fah. to 180 

 degrees Fah. being forced by fans through layers of maize spread out on 

 racks. This means an even distribution of heat, and makes it possible to- 

 raise or lower the temperature as re(i[uired, and allows the exposure of the 

 maize to the heat to be increased or reduced as may be necessary to dry the- 

 maize and inciilentally to kill most of the weevil. The cost of such con- 

 ditioning machines varies from £300 to £5,000, which places them outside 

 the reach of most farmers unless a number were to co-operate for the purchase 

 and operation of one. With such co-operation, the establishment of plants 

 at various centres on our river fronts, especially if supplemented V>y erecting 

 silos alongside, is a sound proposition that cannot be too strongly urged upon 

 our maize growers. With them, the grain could be treated and marketed at 

 once, or stored in silos indefinitely for a favourable market. 



However, the farmer at present seems to prefer to handle his maize 

 himself, and as an alternative to the larger and more effective co-operative 

 scheme we offer the particulars of home-made kilns that can be erected with 

 wood and other material usually available on the farm, at a cost of, perhaps, 

 £5 to £15, while firing amounts to about four or five 7-feet logs per day. 



With kiln-drying, in which the direct heat from the fire is applied to the 

 maize, we cannot hope to control or distribute the heat so evenly throughout 

 the maize as with the speciallj' constructed conditioners, but the method 

 suffices to reduce the moisture (withal somewhat irregularly), and permits of 

 green maize being bagged after three or four days in the kiln, without any 

 danger of sweating. The quality is not affected for purposes of food for 

 stock, even in tlie case of the maize nearest the fire. Where, however, a 

 parcel of maize was so green as to be about the doughy stage, its viability 

 was so reduced that when tested for seed purposes, in three different tests, 

 55 per cent., GO per cent., and 25 per cent, (or an average of 46'2 percent.) 

 failed to germinate. 



On .slightly more mature grain the effect might be less harmful to the 

 viability. However, with care in keeping the fire glowing hot and not too 

 fierce, even maize intended for seed may easily be treated without its 

 germinating qualities being affected, and the farmer will then be able to tank 

 it with safety. 



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