Report of the Departmext ov AGRirn/ruRE. 575 



Report No. XIV. 



AGRONOMY, INCLUDING DRY-FARMING. 



(rorerurnent Afp-onov>ist : H. S. DU Toit. 



1. General. — The Division's activities in agronomical itinerant- 

 extension, co-operative experiment and org^anization work are carried 

 out in various parts of the Union. i?Lssistance is aL'^o given (mostly 

 by letter and seed parcel post) to farmers seeking advice outside the 

 IJnion. 



2. Co-operative E,:rperiinetits.—Th.e fast growing spirit o'f co- 

 operation among the farmers of the Union has again manifested 

 itself in the vastly increased numbers of applicants for seed, and also 

 in the greater number of agriculturists who sought advice. During 

 the period under review 95,714 lb. of different varieties of the most 

 suitable seeds were issued to 714 farmers in 151 districts of the Union 

 on the co-operative system. Owing* to the increased demand for seed, 

 the financial depression of the country and the shortage of funds on 

 our Departmental Seed Vote, a great number of applications for seed 

 could not be acceded to. 



3. Pietershurg Experiment Station. — Many wheat varieties were 

 planted during the season, but unfortunately all were very severely 

 damaged hy a terrific hail -storm (ni the 17th October, 1921. 



Great Scott Wheat. — Owing to this particular wheat proving to 

 be rust-resistant, a quantity of seed was obtained and distributed for 

 experimental purposes. 



Grasses. — In March, 1921, the following varieties were planted 

 in small plots: — Pennisetum, Rhodes Grass, Phalaris Bulbosa, Star 

 Grass, two varieties of Buffel Grass, Blue Grama, New South Wales 

 Blue Grass, Side Oats, and Grama. Pennisetum, Buff'el Grass, and 

 Rhodes Grass gave the best results. Molasses Grass was planted in 

 December last and has up to the present been very disappointing, 

 giving very poor growth. It was nipped by frost during the early 

 part of June. 



Maize. — The following varieties were planted: — Leguna, Sahara 

 Yellow, Hickory King, Wills Gehu, Oil Dent, Silver King, Golden 

 Nugget, Rhode Island, White Flint, Natal 8-row Flint, and Minne- 

 sota 133. The most drought resistant of these varieties were: — 

 Leguna, Sahara Yellow, Oil Dent, and Natal 8-row, with yields of 

 12^, lOi, 6, and 6 bags per acre respectively. The season was 

 ^ 19 ' 



