IMPROVING MAIZE.

Northern Advocate, 24 June 1920, Page 4

IMPROVING MAIZE.

The ease with which maize is cross-fertilised, and the difficulty on that account of obtaining pure seed, are known to all farmers (says tho writer of the "Weekly Notes" issued by the New South Wales Department of Agriculture). Indeed, the danger a few years *ago was that varieties would become so hopelessly mixed as to lose their identity, and it was in those circumstances that the Department of Agriculture deckled to grow only one variety of maize at each experiment farm. Fortunately, sufficient data had already been collected as to the best and most popular variety in each district, so that the variety most suitable for the conditions could be located ac each farm. Moreover, some 15 to 20 pure seed plots have been permanently established on private farms ! in different parts of the State, so that acclimatised pure seed of varieties suitable for every district can now be supplied to growers.

Variety trials and tests with different mixtures of fertilisers are conducted in all maize-growing districts on farmers' experiment plots, with a view to demonstrating r.D

farmers what they should be doing. The success in coastal districts of a mixture consisting of equal parts of phosphate and, bonedust has been pronounced; an average of nearly 30 tests has given an increase of nearly 15 bushels of maize per acre for an application of 15cwt per acre of this mixture. At the experiment farms, experiments are being conducted to determine the best rate of seeding, the most suitable method of soil improvement, rotations for maintaining or increasing the tilth and fertility of the soil, the best methods, time and depth of cultivation and preparation of the soil for seeding, the best time for sowing, and many other problems, the solution of which will make for increased yields.

At the experiment farms, also the work of improvement is being continued on special plots, where stu;l seed is being raised each year by the ear-row system of breeding and selection. Every ear for the seed plots is selected in the field, so that the growth in the field can be noted, some varieties being open to still further improvement in the field characters, such as height and cover ing of ears.

Investigation is also proceeding in the establishment of correlation between visible characters of the stalk and ear, and the yielding capacity for varieties in definite districts, it s thought that it will be found that a certain type of plant, ear and grain will ibe found to be associated with high yield, 'and it with the hope of establishing some connection between these factors that this research is being conducted.