PART 11. )
It is by no means advocated that wheat should be grown instead
of maize, but, where both can be grown, it is advocated that they
should be grown in conjunction. The general tendency at present is
always to grow the same crop on the same land year after year. The
results of this policy are only beginning to become apparent. A
dissertation on rotations is not the object of this paper. Suffice it to
say that appearances suggest that proper mixed farming will gradually
be forced on the settler. Shortage of labour, conservation of sail
fertility, prevention of pests and weeds alone demand it. = Where
land is so cheap and large acreages of a crop are grown, green
manuring is likely to be the most profitable humus making manure, and
such a crop should be included in the rotation. In addition to the
ordinary reasons, wheat works in well with maize on account of the
economy effected in labour, implements, and power. Maize is sown
several months earlier in the season than a quick-maturing wheat.
There is sometimes not sufficient time between the harvesting of one
crop of maize and the planting of another to get all the land into
good enough condition for planting with maize. Some can be sown
with wheat two or three months later, the soil being in perfect
condition by then. In this connection it is better to put new land
under wheat than under maize. Breaking starting at the same time
in both cases, the land has longer to aerate, ete., before a wheat crop.
With the two crops sown at different times a great saving in labour
is effected as the same labour plants both crops, also the two crops
are harvested at separate times, and the same_ labour performs that
operation. As far as sowing is the case, this only applies if the maize
has to be planted by a certain date, but in respect to harvesting two
large crops at different times there is a great saving of labour in
comparison with harvesting a crop twice the size at one time. Again,
fewer ploughs, ete., need be used, and fewer tractors bought or fewer
oxen bought and fed (requiring less land to be set aside for grazing)
if the sowing and harvesting operations are spread out over a long
period.
The time has come to turn to the other side of the picture. The
actual average yield of maize is only eight bags to the acre, and that
of wheat about three bags to the acre. A large proportion of farms
give much higher yields than the above, but the average is pulled
down by those farms which give practically no yield at all.
There is nothing much wrong with an average of eight bags of
maize to the acre, but there is a great deal wrong with an average of
three bags of wheat, and wheat cannot be compared with maize as
long as this is so.
Maize is, however, a very low priced crop and in such a case any
increase in yield is of the utmost importance and it costs little more to
grow 20 bags to the acre than ten bags. The cause of low yields of
maize in this Colony is due to several reasons. The chief are: —
(a) Growing the crop on land not suited to maize.
(h). Growing the crop on new land, and at too high an altitude.
(c, Weeds having been allowed to obtain the mastery.
(d) An unexpected drought.
(e) The ravages of cut worm and stalk borer
(f) Poor seed.

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