October, 1912,] 



305 



MAIZE. 



Mr. R. H. B. Dickson, Assistant Director of Agriculture, Mozambique 

 Company, has written an instructive Bulletin on the cultivation and 

 production of Maize. 



Storing in Cribs. 



Cribs for storing maize must be built in such a position that they can 

 be filled and emptied with the least delay. Weevil being destructive to 

 stored maize, it is advisable to construct cribs so that they can be made 

 practically airtight and to treat the crop with carbon bisulphide. Ventil- 

 lation, to allow the excess of moistme to evaporate before shelling, is 

 required and must be arranged for. Shutters to fit over the ventilators 

 when disinfection is being carried out must also be provided. The eaves 

 should extend well over the sides of the crib to keep out the rain. 



Yields in America. 



Lack of proper cultivation and clearing may reduce the yield. It is 

 said that on a very rich farm in Rhodesia 22 bags per acre have been 

 harvested, while in the maize belt of America nothing less than 14 bags 

 is considered satisfactory by up-to-date farmers. In 1909 the State of 

 Ohio produced over 4| million tons, the average yield for the State exceed- 

 ing 114 bags per acre. Illinois produced over 10j million tons with an 

 average acre yield of 10j bags. 



Selection of Seed and Judging. 



Seed should always be selected in the field, taking the best ears from 

 the best stalks. Ears holding kernels of a wrong colour must never be 

 used for seed. Seed ears should be stored where they will not be exposed 

 to damp. It is good practice to test the vitality of each doubtful ear by 

 removing two kernels and germinating them between damp sheets of 

 blotting paper. The following are the points and score of the judging 

 cards used in the State of Illinois : — 



Perfect score. 



Uniformity of exhibit 



5 



Shape of ear 



10 



Length of ear 



10 



Circumference of ear... 



5 



Tips of ears 



5 



Butts of ears 



5 



Kernel uniformity 



5 



Kernel shape 



5 



Colour in grain and cob 



10 



Space between kernels at cob 



5 



Space between rows ... 



5 



Vitality or seed condition 



10 



Trueness to type 



10 



Proportion of shelled grain to cob 85% to 90% 



10 





100 



Flint Maize- 





This is largely composed of flinty material containing but little starch. 

 It matures early. The best known of the Flint varieties are :— Canada 



• 39 



