10 Oct., 1917.] Growing Maize Under Irrigation. 635 



GROWING MAIZE UNDER IRRIGATION. 



Bi/ H. C. Churches, Dairy Supervisor. 



Much has from time to time been written on the advantages of maize 

 growing, both as a fodder crop for dairy cattle, and for grain. That 

 the area — in the irrigated districts — planted with this valuable crop, 

 should be so small, is rather remarkable. Maize growing — even if only 

 on a small scale — could be conducted liy every settler on the rich irrigated 

 Murray frontage. It is safe to say that, where land and climate are 

 suitable, there is no other crop that will give the return, either in bulk 

 of fodder or weight of grain, per acre as maize. *The average price of 

 maize per busliel during the past ten years has been 3s. 6d. When the 

 price drops below that figure, it will pay handsomely to feed it to pigs 

 and poultry on the farm. In parts of Queensland, and other places, 

 crushed maize mixed with lucerne chaff foni s the chief diet of stable-fed 

 horses. The south-coast (New South Wales) dairy farmers plant their 

 10 or 15 acres of " corn " every year, the chief object being to obtain a 

 cheap, suitable concentrate for pig feeding with skimmed milk, the corn 

 stalks or " stover " is eaten by the cows — generally the dry ones — during 

 the winter. This practice could with advantage be followed here. It 

 may be mentioned that the average yield per acre in New South Wales 

 is only a little more than half the average Victorian yield. An advan- 

 tage the irrigator ha.s in growing maize is that most of the work is done 

 in the " off " season. The land is first ploughed in winter, the firal 

 preparation, and the planting of the seed, is carried out soon after the 

 first or second "watering periods" in October — that is, before lucerne 

 cutting becomes general. Then, again, harvesting of the cobs is not done 

 until about April — when lucerne cutting and watering is finished for the 

 season. The harvesting of maize, unlike the harvesting of wheat, oats, 

 &c.,. is not an urgent work, a week or two late being neither here 

 nor there. 



Maize growing — although on a small scale — is gradually finding 

 favour on some of the dairy farms in the Swan Hill district, and some 

 nice crops have recently been inspected. A particularly fine crop has 

 been grown this year by Mr. Richard Woodgate, who is more ^satisfied 

 than ever of the advantages of a paddock of maize for corn each year. 



Although the area planted by him is small — being about 11 acres, 

 and intended chiefly for pig and poultry feed — it clearly demonstrates 

 the suitability of the district for maize production. By measuring and 

 weighing the cobs of com from one row in the paddock, a yield of 

 about SO bushels per acre will be obtained. The variety planted is 

 Yellow Moruya. No special care or attention was given the growing 

 crop, other than watering it by the ordinary methods adopted on irriga- 

 tion farms. About the end of September, the land was watered, and, as 

 soon after as practicable with soil condition, was well worked, and the 

 seed ploughed in and harrowed. No cultivation between the rows was 

 done. An important advantage the in-igator has in maize growing is 

 that the land can be watered, and, as soon after as the condition of the 

 soil will permit, well cultivated to kill all the weeds and prepare a good 

 seed bed, thereby giving the -young maize a good start in life, a very 

 important factor in the life of the maize plant. 



• See Journal of Agriculture, 10th November, 191.5. p.ape 676. 



