DISEASES AND PESTS OE THE MAIZE CROP 



42 r 



one half of the plot, which was about one-eighth of an acre in size 

 (70 x 150 feet); the other half was cultivated and cleaned of 

 weeds three times during the period of growth. 



The increase in yield on the cleaned plot was marked ; the 

 difference in total weight of stalks as cut was 757 per cent. 

 In weight of cobs it was 57 per cent with the Transvaal Yellow 

 flint and 70 per cent with Hickory King. 1 



383. Harrowing. — The cost of cultivation can be greatly 

 reduced by the liberal use of the harrow both before and after 

 planting, until such time as the maize plants are too large for 

 the harrow. To be effective, the harrowing must be done as 

 soon as a new crop of weed-seedlings appears, and while these 

 are so small that the harrow will break their roots instead of 

 merely passing over the weeds. 



384. Fallowing. — In localities where the soil is apt to re- 

 main so wet, for a long period, that it is impossible to get on to 

 it with the cultivators until the weeds are injuring the crop, 

 some other method of treatment must be adopted. A season's 

 crop of weeds comes from the seeds lying within the first few 

 inches of soil. Those which lie deeper remain dormant till 

 brought to the surface by the plough. It is obvious, therefore, 

 that if all the surface weeds are killed, and no fresh crop of 

 seeds is brought up from below by frequent ploughing, the cost 

 of cleaning may be materially reduced. The principal weeds 

 of the Maize-belt grow mostly in the summer, which facilitates 

 the cleaning of lands allowed to We fallow for a summer ; during 

 this time two or three crops of weeds are ploughed in or disked 

 in, as fast as they come up, and before they go to seed. Weeds 

 ploughed in in this way form a manure, adding humus to the 

 soil. The resting of the land after two or three seasons' 

 cropping with maize is also advantageous ; land cannot be 

 cropped continuously with the same crop, unless methods are 

 practised which will replace some of the ingredients removed 

 from the soil by that crop ; fallowing and ploughing-in the 

 weeds helps to renovate the soil (IT 3 1 o). 



385. Rotation of Crops for Cleaning Purposes. — A suitable 

 rotation of crops assists in keeping the land clean ('! 3 1 1 ) ; 

 another crop, such as vetches, black medik, or teff, may be 

 grown at a different season, or sown later than the maize crop, 



J T.A.J., Vol. V, No. 18, p. 450, January, 1907. 



CHAP. 

 X. 



