1 Ava., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 89 
Agricultural and Pastoral Conference. 
FIFTH SESSION. 
Fripay Mornina, 137m May, 1898. \" Cae) ee ae 
NE Dy A 
Business was commenced by the adoption of a motion, -aafitaesst taps 
Sandrock, that in the discussion to take place that afternoon on the flying-fox 
pest, be included insect and other farm pests. After a short discussion about 
the consideration of subjects not on the printed programme and the order of 
the remaining business, the following papers were read :— 
MAIZE-GROWING ON THE DARLING DOWNS. 
[By Mr. W. D. Lamp, Yangan. 
Maize has for some years been one of the leading crops on the Darling Downs. 
The latest official figures giving detailed particulars of the maize crop are those for 
1896. Why we are compelled to wait until August of each year for the returns of 
crops grown in the preceding year is a matter which might very well engage the 
attention of the Department of Agriculture with a view to bringing about some 
improvement in this respect. In the year 1896 the area cropped with maize in 
Queensland was 115,715 acres, which gave a return of 3,065,955 bushels, equal 
to nearly 263 bushels per acre. Of this large quantity nearly one-third was 
grown on the Downs, or rather that portion of the Downs stretching along 
the western slope of the Dividing Range from Toowoomba to Killarney. arwick 
roduced 263,613 bushels; Toowoomba, 260,613 bushels; Allora, 253,326 bushels; 
Killarney, 117,170 bushels—or a total of 894,722 bushels. Though the details for the 
past year are not yet available, the preliminary return published by the Registrar- 
General some time ago gives the area planted with maize in 1897 as 112,854 acres, 
yielding 2,784,942 bushels, being a decrease of 2,861 acres cultivated and 280,391 
bushels yielded. When the details are available it will probably be found, however, 
that the decrease occurred, not on the Downs, but in the districts on the coast side of 
the Range. The 1897 crop of maize about the Warwick and Killarney end of the 
Downs was a good one, and when, towards the end of the year, there sprang 
up a sudden demand for grain for the Sydney market, between 40,000 
and 50,000 sacks were obtained without difficulty (chiefly from the Killarney 
branch railway) and sent forward by rail. Many special trains laden. entirely 
with maize were despatched from Warwick to Wallangarra, en route to Sydney. 
The best soil for maize is a free loam, such as creek flats and upland 
scrub. Over 100 bushels per acre is a common crop on such land in a fairly 
good season. The scrub lands along the foot of the hills of the Main Range from 
Gladfield to Killarney are specially suited for this crop, an area embracing some 
thousands of acres of rich volcanic soil originally covered with thick scrub. Any 
fairly good soil will grow maize, but will not yield so large a return per acre. The 
SELL of maize cultivation on the older cleared lands is to plough the land in 
winter, say July to September; let it lay fallow until spring; then cross- lough. 
The ploughs most commonly used are two and three and up to six furrow, drawn y from 
four to twelve horses. In old land the depth ploughed is about 6 inches the first time 
and a lighter depth the second time, the object being to get a good seed bed on the 
previous season’s soil, which, being thoroughly aerated, gives the maize a better start. 
On new downs grass land, the ground is broken up at the same time as above, but only 
to a depth of 3 inches to 4 inches, and in the second ploughing a little deeper. This 
puts the upper soil down deep enough to form a good seed bed. ‘The land is then 
treated similarly in both cases and harrowed down fine, harrows covering up to 16 feet 
wide being mostly used. The time for planting on the Downs is from the middle of 
September to the middle of December. Drilling, instead of the old method of open- 
ing furrows and planting by hand, is most in favour. Drills that plant two rows at a 
time are preferable, as, having large travelling wheels, they are not liable to 
