meant that the margin of profit derivable from its 

 production amply compensates the European for his 

 expenditure of enterprise, energy and capital. Even 

 in rVmerica where the rate of wages is high, this is 

 so; how much more profitable should it be then in 

 B.E.A. where the soil and climatic conditions are not 

 less favourable to its cultivation and where the cost 

 of labour is considerably less. 



At the present time East Africa has only begun possibilities 

 to shew that it can produce a maize equal to any- of maize in 

 thing found in the world's markets The traveller b.E.A. 

 is impressed by the enormous areas of fertile land 

 suitable for growing maize in the Nakuru districts, 

 which are at present untouched by the plough. So 

 far the average yield is about f.i bags per acre, but 

 it has been clearly proved that this yield can be 

 brought to as high as i6 bags per acre by means of 

 good farming, good management, and careful selec- 

 tion of seed. No countrj^ in the world has siich a 

 perfect climate that the farmer is entirely free from 

 worry whatever his crop may be, and no claim is 

 made for East Africa being an exception to this rule. 

 But it is claimed that the climate of the Highlands 

 is as near to being perfect as could be reasonably 

 expected, and certainly as regards the cultivation of 

 maize it has less drawbacks than have to be con- 

 tended with in most other maize producing 

 countries. 



Maize lands should be well drained, for wet soils soils. 

 are usually cold and retard germination. Its 

 growth is also backward on water-logged soils, the 

 stalks remain dwarfed, and the foliage turns yellow. 



Shallow ploughing causes the maize plant to PREPARING 

 suffer from drought in a dry season, and on some the land. 

 soils from water logging in a wet one. It has been 

 clearly demonstrated that deep ploughing conserves 

 soil moisture, and on wet soils deep ploughing allows 

 the surplus moisture to drain away better. Seven 

 to eight inches is a good depth for ox ploughing and 

 twelve to fifteen for steam ploughing. Whether it 

 is done well or badly, ploughing is a slow business, 

 so that it should be done well. 



Maize requires a deep, loose seed bed, and to 

 provide this it is essential that particular attention 



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