Departmental Activities. " ' 313 



Lucerne. — March is the best month for establishing lucerne 

 where there is no clanger of the caterpillar pest, and the month of 

 April ranks next. Where there is danger from caterpillar, it is 

 often to be found that the early winter months are the best for plant- 

 ing. Where irrigation is practised, lucerne may be sown during any 

 month of the year, provided the soil is not weed-infested, but March 

 and April are recommended for the summer rainfall areas for the 

 following reasons : A good germination may be expected, as the soil 

 is warm and yet is not dried out as it would be by the excessive heat 

 of mid-summer. The young plants make a good root growth before 

 the winter, and lastly the weeds that come up in spring and summer 

 are killed by cultivation prior to sowing, and any that remain are 

 killed by the first frosts. 



Maize. — Special selections made from an early yellow dent maize 

 called " Minnesota 133 " are proving to be early and prolific. These 

 were sown on the 20th October, 1920, and several matured at the end 

 of February, 1921. This would not be considered early in the maize- 

 growing areas, but is early for dent varieties in the Karroo. 

 Minnesota 133 has proved to be suited to semi-arid conditions in 

 America, especially over the Great Plains area, where it has occupied 

 first place in yield in many tests {vide Neio South Wales Agricultural 

 Gazette, July, 1919, page 499). 



Sudan grass continues to be a very successful crop for the 

 Karroo. A plot sown on the 20th October, 1920, produced a good 

 cutting at the flowering stage on the 14th January. 1921, giving a 

 weight of 5 tons of green fodder, which lost about 60 per cent, on 

 being made into hay. The height of this cutting averaged 5 feet 

 6 inches, and although the crop was grown in rows 2 feet 6 inches 

 apart, all the stalks were very fine. The second growth, now at the 

 flowering stage, is ready for harvesting and is about 4 feet 6 inches 

 in height (25th February, 1921). If harvested for fodder or hay at 

 the flowering stage. Sudan grass makes a further growth immediately 

 after cutting. Natural crosses between Sudan grass and " Early 

 Amber cane " and " Planters Friend " sorghums, are very vigorous, 

 being over 10 feet in height and possessing characters mid-way 

 between the parents, that is, the stalks are finer in growth than either 

 the Amber cane or Planters Friend, and carry heavier leaves. 



GLEN, ORANGE FREE STATE. 



Owing to copious rains, the prospects for the winter are good. 



Winter Feed. — The importance of providing green feed for 

 winter cannot be emphasized too strongly, particularly as the 

 majority of the summer crops have succumbed to the dry weather. 

 As winter crops have to go through a very dry period, the importance 

 of good cultivation is evident. 



Educational. — The staff was fully engaged during the month 

 holding various meetings and judging at shows. All available 

 accommodation at the institution is booked. The number of students 

 on the roll is 63. 



