MAIZE GROWING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1294, 24 November 1911, Page 10

MAIZE GROWING.

PLANTING FOR GREEN FEED. Maize growing, a much articled subject of late, receives tho attention of Mr. J. Drysdaie. manager of the Weraroa State Farm, in the latest issue of the Department' of Agriculture's Journal. Mr. Drysdaie says-.— "in growing maize the first consideration should bo - to select good landr-ncw land if possible, well sheltered from the prevailing wind.. To get tho best results it is most essential that the land should bo of good quality. ' To sow in poor soil or land that has been overcropped would bo a waste of time and labour. "I would recommend the sowing of the medium early varieties, such as Clarence Wonder, Large Yellow Morgane, Ninety Days, and Red Hogan. As regards analysis, it has been arranged to have analysis made of a largo number of varieties this season, and nert season w.o shall be ill a position to'give' feeding-values of those. With regard to dates of sowing, I wonld recommend the first sowing to bo made early in October; further sowings at intervals up to January. This would allow the maize to be fed during the whole season at about the same stage, and would also give tho small farmer an opportunity of preparing his ground in small sections, so that his land would be in better form for producing a good crop. Maize being a vigorous grower under favourable conditions—such nsgoodsoil, iv'ell worked and free from weeds, with a liberal application of. manure—it will not give the woods a chance to grow, thereby doing away with the necessity of wide sowing, when scarifying or cultivating is imperative. On the other' hand, if the soil is of poor medium quality and good cultivation neglected,' the growth will be much slower, thus allowing the weeds to make headway and retard tho growth of the plant. ■' Scarifying and cultivation under theso conditions are a necessity. To enable scarifying .to be carried out tho rows should be at least 2ft. Gin. ■apart. The corn could be sown with the ordinary grain-drill, shutting up the' required 'lumber of coulters to get the proper width. With close sowing the grain could be sowtv out of every second coulter: this would be 'Win. wide. Under favourable conditions as mentioned above closo sowing will'give the heaviest yield per acre; but in regard to feeding-value this can only .be determined by analysing tho same' variety, close versus wide sowing. This will also be undertaken at Weraroa this year.

The influence of various-fodders npon the nuftlity of milk produced will require careful investigation. With the number of varieties on the market, and the absence of analyses of varieties with regard to' feeding value, it ,'ts it. difficult matter to advise as to the most profitable varieties to sow. There are recognised early varieties and Into varieties. It is not necessarily important in all coses that early var : efi c s should be sown if it can he. found that late varieties give a larger feeding value per acre. The greater number of late varieties will be at a feeding =to?e before the season would call for artificial feeding. If soTvn in the middle of October this would a'low twelve weeks before renuircd for'feeding nurnntes. We have found-Red Ho?an and Yellow Morgane. although reeo?piced as late varieties, when sown in, October have grown to the proper stage for green fodder early in January,

"I recognisc thai it is imnortant for tho farmer that a few onlv of the varieties should be recommended, as it is difficult and expensive to procure many early and late varieties of maize. The sowing of tho most vigorous growers, apart from the analysis, vill to a great extent have to be taken into consideration.

. "To obtain tlio best results.of feeding maize as green fodder it would be a mistake to allow it to Vcomo too for advanced. Maizt should lie fed in tlie early stages, sonic time before coming into flower. The stems are then juicy and pweet, and are eaten . gro?dily by all stock without, any waste. If allowed to cob before feeding the succulence departs, and the st»ms becoming dry and wecdv are rejected bv the stock. Although it is that tlie robs in the early sta?c possess a treat amount of nutrition, it d"c= not eonTit"rbnla'ice tlie loss nf about 75 per cent, of the fodder, as would bo the case in allowing to cob. On the other hand, if maize is grown for the purpose ensilage, the cob stage is the right time to cut.