5 Oct., 1 910.] 



Closer Settlement Studies. 



621 



result pays handsomely ; he has repeatedly observed that, after rain or 

 irrigation, the soil retains the moisture for a longer period in dry weather, 

 besides providing a larger root feeding area for the growing crops. 

 The Crops. — At the time of 



my visit (20th February), maize 

 was the bulk crop being fed to 

 the dairy herd. There was also 

 a splendid demonstration maize 

 plot under the supervision of 

 the Department of Agriculture. 

 A .section of Yellow Moruya is 

 illustrated on page 622. The 

 other varieties were Hickory 

 King, Sandford White Flint, 

 Silvermine and Funk's Yellow- 

 Dent, but the first-named and 

 Yellow Moruya were .showing 

 the most luxuriant growth. The 

 maize and root crops are all 

 .sown in drills 2| feet apart and 

 kept constantly cultivated be- 

 tween the rows, thereby form- 

 ing a fine sand mulch and con- 

 serving the moistu'-e in the 

 soil. 



The root crops grown in the 

 season throughout the year are 

 so numerous that hardly a day 

 passes when there is not some 

 succulent fodder crop chaffed 

 or pulped for the dairy herd. 

 Mr. Higgins states that his 

 main stock crops are, broadly 

 speaking, maize for summer, 

 stout white oats for spring ; 

 mangolds, carrots, soya beans. 

 Whip-poor- Will, black and 

 white cow peas, are also grown 

 to supplement the main fod- 

 der crops. No crop is grown 

 twice in the same ground but a 

 thorough system of rotation of 

 crops is carried on throughout 

 the year. The owner estimates 

 that the 8| acres yield 400 tons 

 of green fodder for the dairy 

 herd per annum. The oat 

 crops average about 9 tons of 

 green fodder or 3 tons if kept 

 for hay ; maize, when irrigated, 

 about 45 tons, and unirrigated 

 about 25 tons per acre; carrots 

 about 15 tons; and mangolds 

 2K to ^o tons to the acre. 



