MAIZE v. THE DROUGHT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 955, 16 February 1911, Page 4

MAIZE v. THE DROUGHT.

VALUABLE TESTS AT WERAROA. Valuable experiments conducted on the State Farm at Weraroa lead to the belief that droughts as they affect stock can be conquered, and the certainty that their evils can be mitigated by the supplying of maize. One enthusiastic agriculturist holds that on his station the dry weather period which becomes a drought to many farmers is overcome by the liberal provision of the crop mentioned. On many farms and in many districts the cry of the shortening of the milk quantity is heard. The example of the farm has begun to induce dairymen to protect themselves from the whims of the seasons by providing plenty of maize. The value of maize for this purpose has been proved at Weraroa, and as the knowledge is spreading there should soon be practical evidence of the worth of it in other districts. In theory, the idea ought to hold good in all our dairying districts, but it -is easier to bring dairymen into line by practical example, such as that at Weraroa, than by trying to convince them by lectures and published articles. If the provision of maize will go as tar iu the combating of a drought iu other parts as it has been found to go at Weraroa, the benefit to the dairying industry will be very great indeed.

At the State farm mentioned, an interesting demonstration has been made of growing rape and maize together for early feeding. The spring was eminently favourable, and the absence of frost allowed the maize to grow unchecked. Sheep were depastured on the mixture in November. At the first feeding the maize was eaten in preference to rape. After the crop was allowed to grow again, the sheep preferred the rape to the maize. The inference was that the rape became more fibrous than in the first growth. Further tests of this mixture are to be made.

In reference to maize-growing, it is worth alluding to a common mistake of farmers. Some landholders put down a crop of maize prior to sowing some crop they want particularly. That is a case of adopting the wrong order in rotation. Maize take a great deal out of the soil, and should not be allowed to precede a crop that is particularly needed.