MATZE PRODUCTIOX. 193 



In each of these four cases more nitric nitrogen was brought 

 down by the summer than by the winter rains, and ammoniacal 

 nitrogen was also larger in amount during the summer than 

 during the succeeding winter months at Grahamstown and at Dur- 

 ban ; at Bloemfontein considerably more nitrogen was brought 

 down as ammonia in winter than in summer during 1910-1911, 

 but during the succeeding year Bloemfontein also fell into line 

 with the other two localities. 



The salt spray from False Bay during south-east rains had 

 a considerable effect in increasing the chlorides at Retreat during 

 the summer months of 1912. At Douglas the rain showed large 

 proportions of chlorides for a locality so far inland : possibly this 

 may be in some way connected with the saltpans in the district. 



My thanks are due in the first place to I^Ir. R. T. A. Innes, 

 Union Astronomer, and ]\Ir. C. M. ^Stewart, Chief jNIeteorologist, 

 for their valued advice and aid ; next to all those who undertook 

 the trouble of collecting rain vrater from month to month and 

 forwarding the samples to the Government laboratories ; and, 

 lastly, to the officers of the various laboratories, for their assist- 

 ance in carrying out the analyses here recorded, and particularly 

 to Mr. A. Stead, B.Sc, F.C.S., of the Bloemfontein Laboratory, 

 and Mr. J. S. Jamieson, F.T.C., of the Durban Laboratory, for 

 the work done bv them in this connection. 



Maize: Production. — In a brochure, entitled " Maize 

 Cultivation and Export," issued towards the close of 1909, 

 under authority of the Governments of the Cape, Natal, Orange 

 River and Transvaal Colonies, it was stated that " maize is the 

 staple crop of a large part of Natal, the Transvaal. Rhodesia, 

 and Eastern Province of Cape Colony, and the Eastern Districts 

 of the Orange River Colony."' On the same page it was frankly 

 confessed that " the whole of civilised South Africa produces, at 

 present, less than one per cent, of the world's crop " ; and yet 

 " maize is a crop eminently suited to vast areas of South Africa, 

 and vast quantities could be produced if the veld were brought 

 under cultivation." Mr. J. Burtt-Davy. who interested himself 

 very greatly in maize breeding during his incumbencv of the 

 post of Government Botanist and Agrostologist, resigned that 

 office some months ago in order that, in the ampler atmosphere 

 of a private position, he might with greater freedom and eft"ec- 

 tiveness devote his energies to fostering the maize industr\ in 

 South Africa. Under those circumstances all — and they ' ar^^ 

 numerous— who appreciated Mr. BurttT^avy's efforts on 

 behalf of that industry in tlie past, will give a warm welcome to 

 the bulky volume that has just issued from the press as a result 

 of his labours.* The book is written with the object of meetino- 



* •' Maize : its history, cultivation, handling, and uses." 8vo., pp. xl 

 0,31. London: Longmans, Green & Co. 1914. 60 oz., 25s. 



