9 March, 1908.] 



Maize Growing Experiments. 



16^ 



On 10th January, Hickory King (8 feet high and starting to flower) 

 had stooled out considerably, showing abundance of foliage, and great 

 thickness of stem. Boone County Special (9 feet high) was looking 

 splendid, showing great bulk of fodder, and stooling freely. Triumph 

 Flint and North Western Dent (4 ft. 6 in. high) were starting to cob, no 

 foliage. The other varieties averaged 7 ft. 6 in. high, and all showed 



BIRD S EVE VIEW OF THE EXPERIMENTAL PLOT. 



good growth, with plenty of broad leaves. The Sydney White Horse 

 Tooth, Victorian Flat Red. and Yellow jMoruya, were 8 feet high, and 

 had not yet started to flower. The Ninety Day was cobbing, but its 

 height (4 feet) and foliage were poor. 



Continuous Cultivation Essential. 



During the whole of this time the rows were hoed once a week to si 

 uniform depth of 2 inches and the moisture thereby considerably con- 

 served. By continuous stirring of the surface soil, it was found that the 

 loose mulch, especially during the hottest days (106 deg. to 112 deg. in 

 the shade) was of great value. Cultivation deeper than between 2 and 3 

 inches injured some of the surface roots, and the plant showed a check 

 in growth at once. This prompted examination of the roots of the plants 

 at different periods of their growth. It would appear that the deep roots 



