382 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 June, 1908. 



TOP-DRESSING LAND FOR MAIZE CROPS. 



A. J. Ross, Dairy Supervisor. 



The small plot of maize illustrated (Sydney Flat Red) was planted 

 the first week in December last and when the photograph was taken, 12 

 weeks later, it had attained a height of ii feet. The only water used was 

 when the plot was top-dressed with well rotted manures and then I went 

 through the rows with a watering can only once. The top-dressing was 

 done three times and helped materially in retaining the moisture. I am 

 a firm believer in top-dressing land for maize crops, in dry seasons 

 especially. The soil between the rows was raked to a depth of 2 inches 

 every other dav and in very hot weather every e\ening. 



Previous to planting the only thing 1 did was to satisfy myself that 

 there was sufficient lime in the soil. There were 9 inches of fair soil to 

 work on with a quartz gravel subsoil. 



Three. stalks recently cut from this plot weighed 12 lbs. and a rough 

 estimate of the weight of crop would be about 30 tons to the acre. The 

 plot was sown to show sceptical dairymen that good crops of maize can be 

 grown in Ballarat district. 



