4^6 Journal of ~Agricultiirc . \\o July, 1909. 



(10) Mr. G. Williams, of Dandenong, made a similar sowing of seed 

 to that last mentioned (plot 9) on 22nd October; and i^ cwt. of super- 

 phosphate was used per acre. Here, again, diough Hi"ckory King was 

 estimated as a 20-ton crop it withered the earliest of the three. Eclipse 

 stood slightly the best as regards colour, and also cobbed heavier. Flat 

 Red was about equal with Hickory King. All three varieties were grown 

 on a flat of deep, sharp, sandy soil, and were about 6 feet high. The 

 crop was scarified four times, and hand hoed once. A later .sowing of 

 Flat Red averaged 10 feet high. The yields were found to be greater 

 and the qua lit v better than when sown in the ordinary manner (broadcast). 



Taking the plots as a whole all the varieties tested gave very fair re- 

 sults ; and, where maize crops in the Cranbourne Shire this season have 

 been drilled in and properly cultivated while growing, little fault was to 

 be found with the yields." 



In Kew, Lilydale, and Upper Yarra districts. Supervisor J. S. 

 McFadzean reports: — 



" Ten demonstration plots came under mv supervision; three at Kew, 

 one at Croydon, two at Mooroolbark, one at Coldstream, one at Yering, 

 and two at East Warburton. That at Croydon was a very interesting 

 trial of four sowings of six varieties each, with seed purchased l)v Mr. 

 Gwillam from the Department. 



Besides the maize that was being sown for the usual fodder crop on 

 each place, nine other varieties were tested. The result was decisively 

 in favour of the large white-seeded variety Hickory King. The plots were 

 all sown in drills 3 feet apart, « with the seeds about 6 inches apart in the 

 rows. This allows for about 30 to 35 lbs. of seed per acre according 

 to the size of the grain. All but two- of the plots were kept culti\"ated 

 between the rows. One of these two was neglected on account of the 

 extra rush of harvest work; and the other was left to itself through a 

 misunderstanding as to the object to be gained by the repeated working of 

 the soil. 



The importance of inter-cultivation in drill sowing of maize appears 

 to be a matter which many farmers fail to fully realize. If the ground 

 mellows down well, and. remains loose on the surface, the idea obtains that 

 further cultivation is unnecessary. This is wrong. In drv weather 

 evaporation from an unprotected soil is continuous. This is capable of 

 simple demonstration by obser\ing how moisture gathers at the surface of 

 the soil below wood, bagging, litter, stone or almost any such substance • 

 that has been left lying on the ground for a day or two. That moisture 

 which is apparent on lifting the protecting material would have evaporated 

 unnoticed from uncovered ground. Any such protection of the surface 

 soil from the direct rays of the sun when used in cultivation is known ;is 

 "mulching." In small gardens much of this mulching is done with 

 manure, loose stable litter, cut grass, fern tops or such light material. 

 On larger areas the same end may be attained bv keeping a coui)le of 

 inches or less of the loose surface earth reijealeilK stirred. In the course 

 of evaporation the moisture continuously rises through the soil along 

 capillary or hair-like passages through which it escapes mo^re readilv to 

 the surface. By repeated stirring of the soil these capillarv tubes are kept 

 broken, and a mulch of loose earth is formed mi the ground surface. The 

 upward course of the moi-sture is thus checketl ; and it remains and diffuses 

 just below that layer of loo.se soil where the rootlets of the growing plants 

 are abundant. The object of the repeated stirring of the surface soil in 



