DISEASES AND PESTS OF THE MAIZE CROP 433 



for the young maize shoots. He harrows the land immediately CHAP, 

 and when the hares find that the ground has been disturbed x - 

 they do not return. 



(5) Dissolve as much wolf-poison as can be held on the 

 point of a knife, in a little boiling water, together with a large 

 spoonful of sugar, stir into this a large cup of crushed maize 

 and distribute the mixture in the fields. 1 



(6) To one dessertspoonful of Government red poison add 

 three-quarters of a gallon of maize-grain, and make up to one 

 gallon with water. Let it stand for twenty-four hours, then 

 strew the mixture in the field, where the animals are likely to 

 find it. 2 



397. The Reed-rat. — In Swaziland, Zululand, and other 

 parts of the north-eastern region of South Africa, considerable 

 damage has been done to growing maize by the reed-rat, 

 Thryonomys swinderenianus Temm. It does not appear to be 

 frequent in the Transvaal, but specimens are occasionally met 

 with, and Dr. Gunning reports that whereas it was formerly 

 scarce it now appears to be on the increase. The reed-rat is a 

 large and destructive rodent ; in November, 1910, a male reed- 

 rat was killed on the farm " Busby," Lake Chrissie Ward, 

 Ermelo District, weighing 1 1 lb., and measuring 20 inches in 

 length to the root of the tail, and 19 inches in circumference. 

 The reed-rat is hunted with dogs. 



398. The Porcupine or Yster-vark. — The porcupine, Hystrix 

 africaz-australis, does some damage to the maize crop of the 

 Bush-veld, as it likes the young tender ears. On the High- 

 veld there is no complaint of loss from this cause. 



399. Birds. — Some damage is usually done to the young 

 newly-planted crop through the depredations of birds, among 

 which are the African rook or zwarte kraai, Heterocorax capensis 

 (Licht), and the blue crane or blaauwe kraanvogel, Anthro- 



poides paradisea -(Licht.), which dig up whole rows of grain, 

 and appear to be the worst offenders. 



It is said that the rook is a great evil-doer ; " he delights 

 in continually stealing maize, and does not, apparently, render 

 any useful services. . . . The guinea-fowl [Nnmidia coronata], 

 arid blue cranes or kraanvogel [Anthropoides paradisea (Licht.)], 



I Mr. W. L. de Wilde, Heidelberg, Cape Province, 4 Dec, 1911. 

 2 Mr. A. du Plessis, of De Aar, Cape Province. 



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