4 2o MAIZE 



CHAP. 380. Plant Less Maize and Produce More. — The solution 



x - of the weed problem lies in planting only so much maize as can 

 be well cultivated. A small acreage well cultivated gives 

 better returns than a large area allowed to become weedy. 

 In maize-growing it is the high average yield per acre which 

 pays ; a low yield per acre makes an unprofitable crop. 

 Unless one can get a high average yield the cost of production 

 takes too much out of the cash returns ; then the farmer finds 

 that "maize-growing does not pay". 



381. Cultivation. — The South African farmer complains 

 that it costs too much to keep the lands well cultivated and 

 clean. The American maize-grower cultivates thoroughly 

 though he has to pay more for his labour, yet he finds it 

 profitable ; the secret of this is the higher yield per acre 

 which he obtains through clean cultivation. The average 

 South African farmer says that he cannot get enough labour 

 for clean cultivation ; the American has less labour, and 

 therefore plants only 90 or 1 00 acres to the South African's 

 300 or 400. Those successful South African farmers who 

 produce 1 5 to 20 muids per acre, do so by dint of good 

 cultivation ; some give as many as eight cultivations in 

 a season. Those who complain of having too little labour 

 for more than four cultivations could give eight by halving 

 their acreage. Where there is a small acreage, check-rowing 

 may be practised ; this allows the land to be cross-cultivated 

 and facilitates clean cultivation. 



The initial costs of ploughing, disking, harrowing, and 

 cultivating an acre of ground are the same, whether the resulting 

 crop is light or heavy; so that every additional 100 lbs. of 

 maize from that acre means so much extra profit, or, in other 

 words, reduces the cost of production per bag. 



382. Effect of Clean Cultivation of the Maise Crop. — To 

 demonstrate the value of cultivating the maize crop and keep- 

 ing it free from weeds, an experiment was carried out at the 

 Botanical Experiment Station, Pretoria, in 1905-6, on a piece 

 of good black vlei land, which was weedy with sweet-grass, wild 

 gooseberries, and mest-briede. Transvaal Yellow flint and 

 Hickory King dent were used. The land was treated uniformly 

 before planting and all the seed was planted on the same day ; no 

 manure was given in either case. No cultivation was done on . 



