Maize in Rotation. 533 



MAIZE IN ROTATION. 



Notes on Co-operative Experiments in Natal supplied by W. H. Hall, 

 Assistant Experimentalist, Cedara School of Agriculture. 



During 1915 and 1916 co-operative experiments with maize in rota- 

 tion were commenced on three farms in Natal, the experiments being 

 designed and closely supervised by the School of Agriculture, Cedara. 

 These experiments have not been concluded, and will be continued, it 

 is hoped, for some time. It is thought, however, that the publication 

 of a progress report, giving results to date, even though these results 

 are not conclusive, would be both of interest and of value, inasmuch 

 as they are distinctly suggestive of the value in the rotation of cow- 

 peas in improving the yield of maize, compared with maize grown 

 continuously, even though fertilized every year. 



The series of experiments was started in 1915, on the farm of W. G. 

 Stead, New Leeds, Thornville Junction, and in 1916 on the farms of 

 D. Bester, Besters, and J. Mackillican, Matiwane. The following is 

 the rotation — 5 years : First year, maize ; second year, maize ; third 

 year, teff ; fourth year, silage (maize) ; fifth year, cowpeas for hay. 

 In addition, the following four-year rotation is carried out on Mr. 

 Stead's farm : First year, maize ; second year, maize ; third year, 

 maize; fourth year, cowpeas — ploughed in. 



Arrangetnent of the Ea'periment. — The plots are arranged side by 

 side and each consists of an area of 1| acres. At each end of the 

 range is an area of Ih acres used as a control plot, and planted with 

 maize every year. A dressing of 250 lb. bone meal per acre is applied 

 to all maize plots every year. The cowpea sections and teflt sections 

 are not fertilized. 



The farmers are supplied with fertilizer, cowpea seed, and tefi 

 seed free, but supply their own maize for seed. They maintain the 

 experimental area, and in return take the produce of all the plots. 

 They prepare the land, plant, cultivate, and harvest under the 

 supervision of the experimentalist from Cedara. The maize (grain) 

 sections are harvested when ready. The maize silage section, teff 

 secijon, and cowpea section are cut and weighed when deemed 

 advisable in April. The silage and cowpea sections are taken at 

 fresh weight and the teff (after curing) as hay. The roots of the 

 cowpeas remain in the land and are ploughed in during the following 

 season. In the case of the four-year rotation at New Leeds, the 

 cowpeas are all ploughed in during the flowering stage (or early 

 podding). 



Particulars of the Farm^. — W. S. Stead, New Leeds, Thornville 

 Junction; soil, grey sandy loam; altitude, 3000 feet. 13 . E,. Bester, 

 Besters; soil, red loam with ironstone; altitude, 4000 feet. J. 

 Mackillican, Matiwane ; soil, heavy dark grey loam ; altitude, 3591 

 feet. 



