lo May, 19 1 o.] A Pioneer Maize Crop in t/ic '•'' immera. 



299 



A PIONEER MAIZE CROP IN THE WIMMERA. 



/. M . B. Connor, Agricultural Supcrintoidcnt . 



'Jhat maize can be successfully grown in the heart of the Wimmera 

 district, to supplement the dry feed during the summer months, has been 

 clearly demonstrated b\- the practical results obtained on the pioneer plot 

 of 4 acres on the farm of Mr. James E. Hutchings, of Wimmera Park. 

 Glenorchy, 



In these days of scientific and up-to-date methods of cultivation, rota- 

 tion of crops, and the successful gro^wing of fodder crops on what has been, 

 in the past, thought to^ be unsuitable land, many old ideas regarding agri- 

 cultural pursuits are losing caste. The opinion generally held bv the 

 average farmer is that maize can onlv be grown on rich river flats. The 

 experiment now recorded conclusi\-elv proves that the area of successful 

 culture is not so limited. 



BILLAEONG FROM WHICH WATER !• OR IRRIGATION IS OKTAINEU. 



The plot of 4 acres was sown on the 12th October. 1909, with the 

 following ten varieties of maize : — Silvermine, Sandford White Flint. 

 Blood Red, Early Yellow Dent, Funk's Yellow Dent, Boone County 

 Special, Yellow Moruya, Hickorv King, Eclipse, and Sunshine. The 

 soil consists of a light chocolate loam for the first 12 inches, then a similar 

 depth of red clay, overlying 10 feet of dry sand. It was thoroughly 

 worked by the owner into a fine tilth, and manured at the rate of i cwt. of 

 superphosphate to the acre. During its growth, the plot was watered 

 three times from the billabong illustrated, viz., on the following dates: — 

 24th November, nth December, and 24th January, and was hoed once 

 onlv (13th December). 



The photograph on page 301 shows the crop of Yellow Moruya which 

 averaged 9 feet in height with abundance of luscious green leaves and stems. 

 It cobbed well, and when harvested on the 26th Februarv. yielded 9 tons; 



