434 THE farmers' handbook. 



effective, and treatment with this substance can be recommended for seed 

 maize. Naphthaline, used at the rate of 1 per cent, by weight, that is, at the 

 rate of 4i oz. per bushel of maize, has given immunity for a period of about 

 four months in almost open bins, a larger percentage of naphthaline keeping 

 the maize free from infestation for more than five months. 



< 'onditioning. Maize for Storage. — Before maize can be stored safely in silos 

 or sealed up in tanks or other air-tight receptacles, the moisture content 

 must be reduced to about 14 per cent. The danger of tanked maize sweating 

 is well known to farmers, and the excess moisture which is responsiMe for 

 such sweating also encourages mould and decay, and favours the rapid 

 development of weevil and moth. Green maize cannot even be bagged, let 

 alone sealed up in vessels or silos, with the certainty that it will not sweat. 



The alternative to drying maize by natural means, which is a process 

 occupying weeks or months, is to dry the grain artificially, either (1) in 

 special conditioning machines, provided with hot-air blasts to reduce the 

 moisture content rapidly, or (2) in kilns. A home-made kiln can be erected 

 with wood and other material usually available on the farm, at a cost, 

 perhaps, of <£5 to £15, while firing only amounts to about four or five logs 

 per day. 



Various types of kiln have been inspected by the Department, but one 

 built to the following dimensions is recommended as most satisfactory : — 



Platform. — 17 feet long, 12 feet wide, 7 feet above the ground, maize on platform, 

 2\ feet deep. 



Fireplace. — 8 feet long, 3 feet wide, and scooped out to a depth of 9 inches. This 

 leaves 4 feet 6 inches between the fire and the walls on all sides. The hollow prevents 

 logs spilling or rolling. 



These dimensions would allow sixty-five to sixty-eight bags (about 200 

 bushels) to be treated at a time. The time required in the kiln would be 

 about three or four days according to the greenness or moisture of the maize 

 under treatment. Preferably four days should be allowed, as implying a 

 slow fire and more even heating. 



Summary. — The following are the Department's recommendations in brief 

 for the safe storage of maize : — 



1. Clean up all barns and sheds, raking or sweeping up all rubbish and 



scattered grain from on or under the floors, and burning it. Dust 

 with a mixture of one part flaked naphthaline to 20 parts lime. 

 Carry out this work not only before putting the new season's grain 

 into the barn, but before the grain has begun to ripen in the field. 

 Weevil from the barns may otherwise infest the growing crop. 



2. To condition maize quickly, whether for immediate dispatch to the 



early market or for fumigation and storage in tanks or silos, utilise 

 the kiln drying or machine drying method. 



3. Treat small quantities of seed maize with flaked naphthaline. 



4. To fumigate maize in bulk, whether for seed oi" food, treat with 



either liquid carbon bisulphide or carbon dioxide gas as described. 



5. Foster the idea of co-operation among maize-growers in your district. 



Co-operation will make the use of silos and conditioning machines 

 feasible even for the small grower, and centrally-situated co-opera- 

 tive plants and co-operative methods of marketing are capable of 

 making our maize industry vastly more profitable. 



