lo July, 1909.] Maisc as Fodder. 427 



summer cultivation is thus apparent. This work, however, requires to be 

 done with some care. 



Scarifying or horse-hoemg can do a lot of harm to a crop if done 

 carelessly ; for there is the dual danger of both the moist soil below being 

 brought to the surface, and the surface roots being damaged by working 

 too deep or too close to the growing plants. If too much soil is stirred 

 in the w^orking, too deep a layer of dry earth will be formed ; the surface 

 roots will then wdther and the growth of the plant will be retarded. Again, 

 although w'hen the maize- first comes through the ground scarifying can 

 be done quite close to the young plants without injuring them, it must be 

 remembered that roots grow and spread rapidly. Each successive hoeing 

 therefore should be of less width than the previous one ; and care must be 

 taken not to work below the already loose surface soil. Under this 

 treatment the maize plants soon make a heavy leaf growth ; and by the 

 shade they thus provide for their roots thev become self protecting; and 

 no further working is then necessary. 



The varieties of maize sown were Hickory King, Eclipse, Sibley, 

 Hildreth's Yellow Dent, Victorian Fla,t Red, White Horse Tooth, Early 

 Teaming, Solomon's Pride, Funk's Yellow Dent, Hill's Blood Red, Pride 

 of the North, l.ongfellow and Ninety Day. The growth of the plots as 

 a whole varied considerably according to the weather' conditions immedi- 

 ately following the sowing of each. The varieties, however, maintained 

 their several positions in the plots with remarkable evenness. Hickory 

 King made a growth in the several plots, ranging frbm, 4I feet on the 

 poorest plot to 10 feet on the best; with a likely average of about 7I feet 

 throughout. Some of the sowings were fortunate in having a fall of rain 

 within a few days from planting ; while others did not get a good shower 

 for several weeks. One of these latter plots came very close to a 

 failure ; but all the drilled crops showed to advantage over broadcast 

 sowings under similar soil and weather conditions in each locality. 



As previously mentioned, Hickory King stands out from all the other 

 varieties as having made a higher, stronger, and more continuous growth 

 of leaf and stalk thaai any of the others sown. On several of the plots 

 this variety was full;/ 18 inches higher than the next best, and far 

 heavier in the stalk. Its growth was a little slower in general than 

 several of the others for the first 3 or 4 weeks; but from then on it 

 made great headway, and continued growing after all the others had 

 matured. P'rom this it may be taken as a variety which would gi^'e its 

 best returns when sown not latef than early December. It would then 

 have full time to reach its full growth and mature before it would be in 

 much danger from frost. On the whole no marked difference was noticed 

 in the ultimate growth of the next 7 varieties as named, all making very 

 fair stalk, and cobbing well. Funk's Yellow Dent and Pride of the 

 North showed up well as early maturing varieties, making heavy cob, but 

 not much stalk as compared with the others. Longfellow and Ninety 

 Day were poor both in stalk and cob. Not enough of the Blood Red 

 variety was sown to express an ©pinion on its growth. What little there 

 was showed much variability, the best being only about equal to the 

 medium varieties. On Mr. Gwillam's plots at Croydon both Funk's 

 Yellow Dent and Pride of the North made very good cobs at about 3 feet 

 high. At <"he same date — about 100 days from sowing — the Eclipse, 

 Hickory King, and Sibley varieties were 6 to 7 feet high and growing, 

 Hickory King there also having the advantage a little in height and a 

 good deal in thickness of stalk. 



