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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS,

Agricultural Experiment Station.

CHAMPAIGN, FEBRUARY, 1891.

BULLETIN NO. 13.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

This article gives the results of the experiments with field corn in 1890, together with a summary of the results obtained in the same experi- ments in 1888 and 188.9. The following are reported:

No. i. Test of varieties. No. 3. Time of planting.

No. 4. Depth of planting. No. 5. Thickness of planting.

No. 6. Planting in hills or drills. No. 8. Frequency of cultivation.

No. 9. Depth of cultivation. No. 10. Effect of root pruning.

No. 54. Root growth. No. n. Effect of fertilizers.

No. 23. Rotations of corn, oats, and meadow, and of corn and oats compared with continuous cropping with corn.

These experiments were made on a black loam about 20 in. deep, underlaid with yellow clay — the soil common to the prairies of central Illinois. Apparently the plats were notably uniform, and admirably adapted to field experimentation.

Judged by the results, 1888 was unusually favorable for the corn crop; 1889 much less favorable, and 1890 still less than 1889. The yield of air-dry corn per acre from the medium maturing varieties for the three years was 90, 75, and 62 bu. respectively.

In 1889, the rainfall was unfavorably distributed, and the tempera- ture was below normal; in 1890, the rainfall was very deficient, but the temperature was more propitious during the corn months.

The aim is to state simply what the results have been; still it is believed that, with due regard for the circumstances, the average of the three years' results makes it possible to predict with some probability what will be.

390 BULLETIN NO. 13. {February

Among the many varieties of dent corn tried one or more years, twelve have been tested in 1888, 1889, and 1890, and each has averaged 67 bu. per acre or more, the largest average yield being 80 bu. Of the yellow varieties, Learning, Fisk, legal tender, Clark's Iroquois, and Riley's favo*rite are medium maturing, and will be found desirable for central Illinois. Steward's improved is too late for this locality. Mur- dock and Edmonds are early maturing, and may be grown farther north. Of white varieties, Champion white pearl or Burr's white, and Clark's no-day are medium maturing and desirable for central Illinois. Helms improved is almost too late for this locality.

The stand of corn has been about 10 per cent, less than the per cent, of kernels sprouting under test conditions.

Barrenness does not seem to be a variety characteristic, but depends largely upon the season and the thickness of planting. The stalks had many more ears in 1889 than in 1888 and 1890. There were fewer bar- ren stalks where corn was planted at the ordinary rate of 12,000 kernels per acre than at either thicker or thinner planting. When four times as many kernels were planted, one-half the stalks were barren.

Without exception the medium maturing varieties (maturing about September 2oth) have given each year a higher average yield than either the early or late maturing varieties — from 7 to 20 bu. higher than the former, and from 2 to 7 bu. higher than the latter.

The per cent, of water in the kernel of the corn when husked varies with the variety and with the season. During the three years, the early maturing varieties have contained an average of 17.1 per cent, of water; the medium maturing, 21.3 per cent; and the late maturing, 26.4 per cent. (Thoroughly air-dry corn contains about 1 1 per cent, of water.) Taking an average of the three seasons, the loss in weight of shelled corn from November ist when the crop was gathered until it became thor- oughly air-dry was for the medium maturing varieties, at the rate of 115 bu. in 1,000 bu. The loss from drying in 1890, was only about half that of 1888 and 1889. Seventy-five Ib. of ear corn were ample to give for a bushel of corn on November i, 1890; but in 1889, 80 Ib. were not suffi- cient.

Good crops of corn were raised from a medium maturing variety when planted at any time during May. Planting in the last week of April gave somewhat poorer results, and the land uniformly required more cul- tivation to keep it equally free from weeds. When the corn was planted after the first of June, the yield was somewhat less and the corn did not always mature.

While during no season was there any direct relationship between the depth of planting and the yield, taking an average of the three sea- sons, the shallower planted rows gave the larger yield. It was found that, not counting the roots directly at the seed, which afterwards die, the first whorl of roots starts at from one to two in. from the surface, without reference to the depth at which the kernel has been planted.

1891-] FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890. 39!

Corn planted at the rate of one kernel every 12 in. in rows 3 ft. 8 in. apart, about 12,000 kernels per acre, gave a larger average yield of corn and a larger yield of good ears; contained more corn in proportion to stalk by weight, and a larger proportion of ears to number of stalks, than when planted either thicker or thinner. The thinner the planting the larger were the single ears and stalks.

If the average of the three years be taken, the yield of corn-fodder (corn and stalks) and corn-stover (corn- fodder after the corn has been husked) decreased constantly from the thickest to the thinnest plantings. Planting at the rate of one kernel every 3 in., 47,520 per acre, gave a little larger yield of dry matter and of digestible substance, than planting at twice that distance; but the yield of grain from the latter planting was so much better that it is believed the nutritive value of the crop for fod- der purposes was greater where planted at the rate of one kernel every 6 in., about 24,000 kernels per acre. The average yield of field -cured corn-fodder from the five thicknesses of planting (one kernel every 3 in. to one kernel every 15 in.) during the three years, was nearly 6 tons per acre. Neither for fodder purposes, nor for the production of grain merely, was there any material difference in the yield whether one, two, three, four, or five kernels were planted per hill, the whole number of kernels planted per acre remaining the same, provided the land was kept .equally clean.

In 1890, where the corn was planted in both hills and drills, and :given an equal amount of cultivation, which kept the corn in hills cleaner ^than the corn in drills, the result was decidedly in favor of the corn in /hills. In 1888, there was no practical difference.

During the three years, no appreciable benefit was derived from fre- .quent cultivation, nor from cultivating after the ordinary time.

For the three years, the yield of corn has been increased by the shal- llow cultivation, one-tenth over the deep cultivation. The least increase in any one season was a little less than one-twelfth in 1890, and the great- est increase, one-eighth in 1889. In but one case in the three years did a deep cultivated plat yield more than a shallow cultivated plat. The plat -which had no cultivation after planting, except that the weeds were removed by scraping with a sharp hoe, yielded more each season than .the average of the deep cultivated plats; and in but two instances, once ,in 1889 and once in 1890, did any one of the deep cultivated plats yield ,more than the plat not cultivated. These experiments indicate that any .cultivation of the soil which effectually removes the weeds, and at the .same time. disturbs the roots as little as possible, is the best; and that, on this soil, the stirring of the ground beyond what is necessary to kill the weeds is of little, if any, benefit. Undoubtedly it is better to disturb some roots than to allow weeds to grow.

Pruning the roots of corn to the depth of 4 in., 6 in. from the stalk, has reduced the yield 16 and 23 per cent, in 1889 and 1890, respectively. The reason that root-pruning reduced the yield to a greater extent than

39* BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,.

deep cultivation, is probably, that the root-pruning was done on all four sides of the hill at each pruning. The depth at 6 in. from the plant has been determined with 251 roots, and 174 were found to be 4 in. or less from the surface; 108, 3 in. or less from the surface. In other words, a cultivator running 4 in. deep would disturb about 70 per cent, of the roots, and at 3 in. about 43 per cent. Of 115 roots on four plants exam- ined June 2ist and 28th, the end, or the point where broken, of 54 was 12 or more in. deep; of 33 was 18 or more in. deep; and of 17 was 24 or more in. deep.

Twelve trials have been made of the effect upon a corn crop of fertilizers when applied to the prairie soil of Illinois. No practical bene- fit was obtained from the use of commercial fertilizers. The increased yields from the use of stable manure probably repaid the cost of the application and left some profit; but clearly the value of stable manure was not equal to the estimates often made, based upon the cost of com- mercial fertilizers containing the same amount of plant food.

Good crops of corn -have been raised during the past three years from land which has now been in corn for 15 successive years, and has received no manure of any kind; while somewhat better crops have been raised where the land has been in corn but one-third the time, and in, timothy and clover one-half the time.

Experiment No. /. Corn, Testing Varieties.

A test of varieties of dent corn has been made during the past four years. In 1887, 25 plats were planted; in 1888, 176; in 1889, 82; and in 1890, 52. The aim has been to sift out those varieties which, for one reason or another, did not promise special merit, and each succeeding year to plant only those of special or standard merit for comparison with the varieties which are put upon 'the market from year to year. In case a variety had been especially praised, though it did not prove of merit here, it was sometimes grown for two or three years. Reports of the tests made in 1888 and 1889, and many details of the methods employed,, are given in bulletins Nos. 4 and 8.

The land used this season was tract [b] of that used in 1888 and: 1889. The tract was divided into 56 plats, each 2 rods, 9 hills, square. Each plat was so planted that there was corn growing adjacent on every side. The land was plowed, without removing the stalks, April 23 and 24, 1890. The varieties given in the table were planted May isth, the tract having been previously rolled and disked, and harrowed twice. In this, as in all these experiments, the hills were 3 ft. 8 in. apart, and four kernels were planted in a hill. The corn was covered about one in. deep with a hoe. Between May 29th and June 24th the tract was cultivated four times with a shallow cultivator. The weeds remaining in the hills, were removed with a hoe June 25th.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890. DUPLICATE PI.ATS.

393

In order to interpret intelligently the yields of the different varieties tested, it is necessary to know what would be the difference in yield from given plats if planted with the same variety under similar conditions. Below are given the results obtained with nine varieties from two or more plats each.

TABLE SHOWING YIELD PER ACRE OF AIR-DRY CORN UPON DUPLICATE PLATS, IN 1890.

Variety.	a	b	c	d	e	Average
Burr's white	ci .7	71?	6-1.6	78.1	7o	68
	3 > 72 6	6? .2	7O 4			6q
Cali'orma yellow	•56 7	<J2.6				cc
Clark's Iroquois ...	* ' 6"?. I	54.8				^Q
Clarke county champion. Clark's I to-day	61.4 60. i	56.3 ?6. i				59 68
Helms improved	42 2	60. i				CJ
T"isk's white . ..	6d I	67 4,				66
Hickory king	5' 8	53 7	63			56

The greatest difference in yield of any two plats of the 29 planted to medium maturing varieties was 28.6 bu. per acre. Two plats of Burr's white corn, planted similarly and in every way cared for as nearly alike as might be, yielded 78.1 and 51.7 bu. per acre, respectively — a difference of 26.4 bu. per acre. The largest yield of air-dry corn from any one of the 29 plats planted to medium maturing corn was from a plat planted with Burr's white corn, and the next to the least yield of any one of the hree plats was planted to the same variety of corn. The difference between two plats of Helms improved was 19.9 bu.; between two plats of Clark's no-day, 16 bu.; between two plats of Hickory king, 11.2 bu.; between two plats of Clark's Iroquois, 8.3 bu., and so on down the list until the least difference between any two plats planted to the same variety was 1.9 bu.

These are greater differences than have been found in this experi- ment in former years. The meaning is that so far as yields from indi- vidual plats in a single season are concerned, the results are inconclusive. But a great deal may be determined in regard to the value of a variety of corn in other ways than from the yield. The date of maturity, height of stalk, and of ear, shape and size of ear, depth of kernel, etc., are all of .importance, and should aid in judging of the value of a variety.

THE WEATHER.

Indian corn seems, in growing, very susceptible to climatic condi- tions. A comparison of results during a series of years should include a comparison of the weather during the growing season of the corn.

The following table gives the two principal meteorological conditions, agriculturally considered, for the four years 1887 to 1890, inclusive. Un- fortunately, a strict comparison can not be made between the first two and the last two years. The figures for the first two years were taken from the

394

BULLETIN NO. 13.

[February,

records of the Illinois Weather Service for central Illinois, and those for the last two years from the Station records. The Station record began August 16, 1888, and the Illinois Weather Service was discontinued at the end of 1888.

TABLE SHOWING TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL DURING THE CORN SEASON OF YEARS

NAMED.

	Mean temperature, F.
Year	May.	June.	July.	August.	Septemb'r.	Average.
1887*	67.9° 59-4° 59.2° 58-3°	73-6° 7i-3° 65-5° 74-6°	80.4° 77° 72.7° 73°	75-2° 72.4° 69.2° 68.7°	66.4° 62.4° 61.3° 60.5°	72.7° 68 5° 65 6C 67°
1888. f
1880. *»..
1800. ** . .
Average, 1878-87. *	64.6°	7i°	77-5°	74-6°	66.5°	70 8°
	Rainfall, inches.	Aggregate,
1887. * .	3 »4 6.84 5-52 3-56	1.62 5-75 6.81 3-80	1.65 5-34 5.84 2.83	2.56 3'11 o.oo i-93	3-68 i 95 2.74 1.19	13 35 23.02 21.51 13 3i
1888. f
1889. **
1800. *»..
Average, 1878-87. *	4-45	S-°4	2-75	3-45	3-27	18.96

^Statistical Report, Illinois f Monthly Weather Review **Station record.

State Board of Agriculture, December, 1887. of Illinois State Weather Service, December,

1888.

CLASSIFICATION OF VARIETIES.

On the next page is a classification of the dent varieties tested in 1890^ It is based on the time of ripening, color, and smoothness or roughness of the outer end of the kernels. Varieties maturing on or before September nth, are classed as early; those maturing September J2th to September 22d, as medium; and those maturing September 23d to October 2d, as late. If this classification were based on the results for the three or four years during which some of the varieties have been on trial, noteworthy changes would be made as to time of ripening. Thus, champion white pearl would be classed as medium, and Chester county mammoth and Steward's im- proved, as late, or non maturing. But since varieties tested here in 1890 for the first time are included, it is better to base the whole classification on the results for that season. Some varieties are not uniform as to smoothness or roughness of the kernels, and the classification in this re- spect of a few varieties might be changed another year. The yield in bushels of air-dry corn per acre in 1890 is also given.

RESULTS.*

A summary of the results obtained from the varieties on 74 plats in 1888, on 67 in 1889, and on 51 in 1890, is given in table on page 404.

There has been from four-fifths to seven-eighths of an average stand each season, with seed of which 90 to 95 per cent sprouted in the Geneva

*In the tables on pp. 400-403, are given in detail the results obtained from the varieties tested.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

395

TABLE SHOWING CLASSIFICATION OF VARIETIES OF DENT CORN AND YIELD PER ACRE

IN BUSHELS, 1890.

Yield.

{ Murdock 6l .6

j Profit 61

f Smooth . -j Clarage 55.1

| Munn's 62.7

-f Yellow . I [Early Butler 31.9

( Hathaway . 48 . 7

[ Rough . . •] Queen of the North 39 9

rEarly ^ (Edmonds .. . 55.9

r c t», j Clarke county champion 58.9

• j Champion white pearl 74.9

| Wisconsin early. 49.9

[Rough.. •< Dawn 61.9

( Beard's pearl 63 .4

f Learning 67.3

| Fisk 61.7

Smooth . -{ Legal tender 60

j Clark's Iroquois 5^-9

[Big Buckeye 52.6

f Yellow . ^ f Ri]ey,s fayorite 53 3

Haber's yellow 63 . 2

California yellow 54 6

Rough . . -{ Clark's early mastodon 58 .9

Second premium yellow 64.3

Chester county mammoth 49.5

Medium -j [ Steward's improved 54.7

f Burr's white 67 . 7

[ Clark's I IO day 68 . 1

Mixed . . -{ Smooth . -{ Cranberry 67 . 4

( Golden beauty 53

Yellow.. -[Smooth. 1 Pride of Kansas 71.4

( Giant beauty 55.5

[Late....

' White. .

apparatus. In 1888 and 1889, there were more stalks when the corn was ripe than after the corn was well up in the spring, showing that there had been some stooling. In 1890, there were fewer stalks in the fall than in the spring.

The percentage of barren stalks depends largely, if not entirely, upon the conditions of growth from season to season. With medium maturing varieties, there were n and 12 per cent, of barren stalks in 1888 and 1890, respectively; while in 1889, there was only a little over i per cent. Bar- renness does not seem to be a variety characteristic.

The height of stalks and the height of ears on the stalks increase with the lateness of maturing. The same varieties vary considerably in height in different seasons. The medium maturing varieties averaged 11.5 ft. high in 1888, 8.9 ft. in 1889, and 9.6 ft. in 1890. The other varieties varied similarly.

396 BULLETIN NO. 13. {February,

In general, the size of the ears has increased and the number de- creased with the lateness of maturing.

Without exception, the medium maturing varieties have each year given a higher average yield than either the early or late maturing varie- ties. The average yield of air-dry corn from 32 medium maturing varie- ties in 1888, was 90 bu.; from 42 in 1889, 75 bu., and from 29 in 1890, 62 bu. The yield of the early maturing varieties averaged from 7 to 20 bu. less, and the late maturing varieties from 2 to 7 bu. less.

The per cent, of water in the kernel of the corn when husked varies with the variety and with the season. During the three years the early maturing varieties have contained an average of 17.1 per cent, of water; the medium maturing varieties, 21.3 per cent.; and the late maturing vari- eties, 26.4; while during two years, the non-maturing varieties contained 36.8 per cent, of water.

In 1890, the corn was considerably drier than in 1888 or 1889. The total rainfall for August, September, and October was 9.99 in. in 1889, while in the same months in 1890 it was only 5.47 in. In 1888, 32 medium maturing varieties contained an average of 21.8 per cent, of water; in 1889, 42 medium maturing varieties contained 23.8 percent.; in 1890, 29 medium maturing varieties contained 18.4 per cent, only of water. The percentage of water the corn contains when husked affects, of course, the loss that will be sustained by drying, and also affects largely the num- ber of pounds of ear corn required to make a bushel of air-dry shelled corn.

It has been found that corn stored in a crib for a year, will contain about ii per cent, of water. {Bulletin No. 4, p. 44.) In order to obtain the yield of dry corn from the several varieties on an equal basis, the yield of corn containing 1 1 per cent, of water is calculated. Subtracting this yield from the yield of shelled corn, as husked, gives the loss from drying. In 1888 and 1889, the loss of the medium maturing varieties was 12 and 13 bu. per acre, respectively; while in 1890, the loss was less than 6 bu. per acre. In 1888 and 1889, the loss from the late maturing varie- ties was each season, between 18 and 19 bu. per acre. In 1890 it was 9 bu. per acre from these varieties. With the early maturing varieties the difference was not so large. The loss in 1888 was 7 bu., in 1889 and also in 1890, 3.7 bu. per acre. As there were only three early maturing varie- ties in 1889, it is a fair statement to say that the loss from drying in 1890 by these three classes of varieties was only half as great as in 1888 and 1889.

Taking an average of the three seasons, the loss in weight of the shelled corn from the time the crop was gathered until it became thor- oughly air-dry was at the rate of 115 bu. in 1,000 bu. of the medium ma- turing varieties. Each season the corn has been husked and weighed dur- ing the last week of October and the first week of November. To make a bushel of thoroughly air-dry corn, it took, when the crop was husked in 1890, 70 pounds of ear corn in the early maturing varieties, 73 pounds

i89r.]

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

397

in the medium maturing, and 78 in the late maturing. The medium maturing varieties required 5 pounds more of ear corn in 1888, and 8 pounds more in 1889 to make a bushel of air-dry corn than in 1890, and the late maturing varieties required 10 and 12 pounds more, respectively, than in 1890. 75 pounds of ear corn were ample, November i, 1890, to give for a bushel of corn, while in 1889, 80 pounds were not sufficient.

Eight varieties of corn have been tested continuously during the past four years; 15 have been tested during the three years, 1887, 1888, and 1889, and 12 have been tested during three years 1888, 1889, and 1890. The table below gives the yield for the several years as specified in the order of their largest average yield. It will be seen that almost any one of these varieties has given large enough average yields to commend it to the corn raiser.

TABLE SHOWING YIELD OF AIR-DRY CORN OF VARIETIES TESTED, FOR THE YEARS NAMED. [Seed from original sources each season.]

Eight varieties tested in — 1887.	1888.	1889.	1890.	Average.
Learning , .... .. 29 6	86 6	80 6	60 A.	67
Burr's white 300	815.0.	7C 7	6? 7	6c
Champion white pearl ... 20.2	7o.	Q4. 8	74. O	65
Steward's improved yellow 32 4	QI.2	68.7	C4. 7	62
Murdock 33 3	80.1	65	61 6	60
Legal tender 25 8	84 2	68 Q	60	60
Edmonds 27.7	83 7	66 7	CC Q	«;8
Riley's favorite 30.8	81.1	66.1	53-3	1
Fifteen varieties tested in —	1887.	1888.	1889	Average.
Learning	2Q.6	86 6	80 6	66
Champaign	7. 4.. 2	82 i	78 2	6c
Steward's improved yellow	•12 .4.	91 2	68 7	64.
Burr's white ,	•JO	8c. o	7C. 7	64
	20. 2	70	OA. 8	62
Smii h's premium dent	7.O.2	oo o	94.0 62 2	61
Legal tender. ...'	2< 8	84 2	68 9	60
	7,7.7.	80 7	65	60
	30 8	8f i	66 i	CQ
Edmonds	27 7	87 7	66 3	5n
Smith's mixed dent	2C..2	80 4	67.7	s8
Howard's improved yellow	21 .2	87 Q	67.0	S
Improved orange pride	28.5	82	S^.2	CC
	28.1	70 I	3D 61 7	C.4.
Piasa King	30-9	56.2	43 9	44
Twelve varieties tested in —	1888.	1889.	1890.	Average.
Champion white pearl	7°	04 8	74. Q	80
Helms improved	84.8	y<t " 102 6	ci . i	80
	86.6	80 6	60 d.	7O
Burr's white .	8s Q	7c 7	6? 7	76
Clark's I lo-day .	84 6	73 1 6c c	68 i	77
Fisk's	76.6	70 e	61 7	77
Steward's improved	QI 2	68 7	C4. 7	72
Legal tender	84. 2	68 7	60	71
Clark's Iroquois	68. q	Xi q	59	7O
	80 •;	6c	61 6	60
Edmonds	87 7	66 7	ee Q	S
Riley 's favorite	81 i	66.1	53 3	67

398 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

Among the yellow varieties, Learning, legal tender, Champaign, Fisk, Clark's Iroquois, and Riley's favorite, are medium maturing. Steward's improved, improved orange pride, and Howard's improved yellow, ripen too late to be depended on in this latitude. Murdock and Edmonds are early maturing and may be grown farther north. Among white varieties, Champion white pearl or Burr's white, and Clark's no-day are medium maturing. Helms improved is rather too late in this latitude, while Piasa king will not ripen here. Champion of the north is an extra early variety. Other good varieties have been tested a less number of times, as may be seen by consulting tables giving results in detail.

Brazilian flour corn has been tested during two years, seed from two sources having been tested in 1890. It has proved entirely unsatisfactory. It does not ripen under the most favorable circumstances, and has no characteristics which would make it probable that it would be desirable if it did ripen.

Hickory king was tested in 1890, seed from three sources. It is characterized by a very small cob. It barely ripened this season, and would not ripen in an average season.

EXPLANATION OF TABLES GIVING RESULTS IN DETAIL.

Table i. The germinating power of 50 kernels of each of the varie- ties of seed planted, with the exceptions noted in the table, was tested in a Geneva apparatus* at an average temperature of 61° F. The number of plants growing on each plat was ascertained about three weeks after planting. The per cent, of kernels producing plants at the dates specified is given in the table. September gth to i2th, the number of stalks and the number of barren stalks were ascertained. For comparison a full stand is considered to be four stalks to a hill, whicn was the number of kernels planted. The height of stalk and of the butt of the ear from the ground was ascertained by selecting and measuring what' appeared to be an average hill, usually of four stalks each bearing an ear, and taking an average of the measurements thus obtained.

Observations were made upon the ripeness of the corn September ist, September nth, September 22d, and October 2d. The date given in the table indicates that maturity was reached during the eleven days preced- ing the observation.

Table 2. The number and weight of good ears and nubbins, and the proportion of the shelled corn from each was ascertained on one -third of each plat. The weights were taken nearly as fast as the corn was husked, and the corn was re- weighed before shelling. In shelling, any corn remain- ing on the cobs was removed by hand. The cobs were then weighed and the difference between this weight and the weight of the ear corn was the weight of the shelled corn. By the use of these data, the yield of corn on the other two-thirds of each plat was calculated from the field weights taken when the corn was husked. An average pint sample of the shelled

'Described in bulletin No. 4, p. 30, Illinois Experiment Station.

1891.] FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890. 399

corn of each variety was sent to the Station laboratory and the per cent, of water ascertained. From these data there were calculated the yield per acre of corn containing 1 1 per cent, of water and the pounds of ear corn, as husked, that it would take to make a bushel of corn containing ii per cent, of water, or air-dry. The corn was shelled within five to six days of the time it was husked. The per cent, of shelled corn in ear corn was calculated from the field weights.

Mr. Farrington makes the following statement in regard to the method of determining the water in the samples of shelled corn:

The samples of shelled corn were received at the Station laboratory in quart fruit jars, sealed. The per cent, of water in the corn was estimated in the following way:

Each fruit jar of corn was weighed before it was opened, and the weight recorded on the jar. The corn was then ground to meal, the mill thoroughly cleaned, the ground corn put back into the jar, and its weight, after grinding, recorded on the jar.

Ten portions of ten grams each were weighed out from one sample, put into a dry- ing oven, at 100° to 103 ° C. At the end of two hours two portion were taken out, cooled and weighed. The other portions were withdrawn, cooled, and weighed, two each time, at the end of 4, 6, 7, and 24 hours, with these results:

Hours of Heating. Per cent, of loss in weight on 10 grams.

I 2 Average.

2 17.05 17.35 !7-2

4 1766 17.84 17.75

6 179° *7-94 !7-92

7 17.88 17-78 I7-83 24 16.70 16.22 16.46

In this sample the loss in weight was greatest by 6 hours heating; by longer heating there was an increase in weight, probably from oxidation. This seemed to be the general tendency of these samples, although some continued to lose weight till the 24th hour.

The course adopted with the samples right through was to weigh duplicate portions of ten grams of each sample after heating for 6 and for 24 hours. If the duplicate por- tions agreed in loss of weight within .2 of a per cent, at the end of 6 and also 24 hours, then the average loss of weight for the period showing the greatest loss was taken as the per cent, of water in the portions analyzed. In case the duplicates did not agree in loss of weight within .2 of a per cent, at the end of either period, other duplicates were tried until the agreement within the limit was attained. From the per cent, of water deter- mined in these portions, the per cent, of water in the original samples as brought to the laboratory was calculated.

Table j. A division into good ears and nubbins was made, and the calculated number per acre, and the average weight of one hundred of each is given in the tables. What constituted a nubbin was a matter of judgment, and varied with the character of each variety.

Table 4 gives a summary of the results obtained from the dent varie- ties on 74 plats in 1888,67 in 1889, and 51 in 1890. The division was made strictly upon the observed date of ripening for each plat. Different divisions sometimes contain the same varieties grown on different tracts or in different seasons.

400

BULLETIN NO. 13.

\_February,

Maturity in period ending

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FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN,

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402

BULLETIN NO. 13.

TABLE 2. NAME OF VARIETY; PERCENTAGE OF WATER; POUNDS OF EAR CORN TO A BUSHEL; BUSHELS SHELLED CORN PER ACRE; TOTAL AIR-DRY CORN; Loss IN DRYING.

2 p" r	Name of Variety.	Per ct. water in shelled corn when husked.	i Pounds ear-corn per bu. when husked.	Pounds when husked to make bushel shelled corn when air-dry.	Bu.shelled corn per acre.
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i 2 3 4 6 8 9 10 ii 12 '3 14 :i 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2I 26 27 28 29 3° 3i 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 4i 42 43 44 4l 46 47 48 49 5° 5i 52 53 54 ft		18.1 18.2 16.6 18.1 15-3 14.7 16.7 18 6 20.3 17-4 20.0 18.6 19.4 20. 6 19.1 '5-5 15.9 18.0 21.6 17.8 17.9 16.3 16.5 19.0 17.9 19.6 20.2 20.3 17-4 IS »7 17.2 17-5 16.7 I5.6 »9 23 18-5 '5-2 18.1 25 2 24.7 28.5 25 t8.3 I7.8 21-3 2O 16.6 23 5 33-i 17 7	67.7 65.2 67 66.6 66.7 65-5 63 9 68.3 66.9 65.6 67.9 68 65-9 67-7 65-3 67.2 64.7 66.6 69.8 66.8 65.4 67-7 67 68.1 65-7 67.2 67!? 67 65.6 67.2 68.3 65-9 65.6 64.2 68. 65.7 67 65-7 70. 65.8 65.9 64.4 69.7 69.6 68.5 99.8 70.6 73-3 84.6	73-6 70.9 71.6 72.4 70.1 68.3 68 74 6 74-6 70.7 75-3 73-4 72.7 75-9 71.8 70.7 68.4 72-3 79-2 72-3 70.9 72 71-3 74-9 71.2 74-4 74-7 76.4 73-1 70.1 70.4 72.2 73-6 70.4 69.2 70.5 79-4 71.7 70.3 71-4 83.2 77-7 82.1 76.5 75-9 73-7 77-4 77 7 75-4 85-1 112.7	64.7 46.4 53-4 53-9 38.7 29.8 29-3 56.3 51-3 45 57-9 57-i 56.3 54-8 59-9 34-6 45-6 46.5 57-' 46.6 42 4 56.3 25 47-9 43-7 36.8 50-7 35-7 36-3 33-3 39-9	14-2 14.4 12.4 14.8 12-5 II.9 4-8 n. i 15.6 16.1 14.6 9.1 I3.3 II. 2 10.8 23 20.7 197 23-9 13- '53 18.6 3» 15 * I5i 24.6 8.4 19.6 19.4 189 26.5	789 60.8 65.8 68.7 51 2 4i 7 34-1 67.4 669 61.1 72.5 66.2 69.6 66 70.7 57-6 66.3 66.2 81 59.6 57-8 74-9 56 63 59-4 61.4 59-i 55-3 55-7 52.2 66.4 806 80.4 656 66.9 66 48.8 608 59 i 827 71.4 61.2 669 74.8 69.8 81.1 62.6 75 60.3 425 28.5	72.6 I51 61.6 63 2 48.7 39-9 31-9 61.7 60 56-7 65-2 61.3 63.1 58.9 643 54-7 62.7 61 71.4 55-' 53-3 70.4 52-6 57-3 54-8 55-5 53 49-5 Si-7 49-9 61.9 746 61.4 63-4 60. i 42.2 55-7 56.3 76.1 60. i 51-8 53-7 63 64.1 74-9 55-4 67.4 5"65 36.6 21.4
Murdock
Haber's yellow
Queen of the north ...
Early Butler
Fisk
Legal tender
Learning
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Clark's early mastodon
2d Prem. yellow
Steward's improved yellow
Munn's
Profit
Pride of Kansas
Clarage
Riley's favorite
California yellow
Clark's Iroquois
Giant beauty
Golden beauty
Chester Co. mammoth
Burr's white
Wisconsin early
Dawn
Burr's white
Boone Co. white	46.8	33-6
Clarke Co. champion
Beard's Pearl	48.9 52-4 34 9 34 9 51-6 51.8 54-7 47-7 50.7 51-3 55 68.2 34 59 9 46.7 27.8 16.4	17.9 136 13-9 25-9 7-5 309 16.7 13-5 16.2 23-5 14.8 12.9 28.6 I51 13-6 H-7 12. 1
Clark's I lo-day
Helms improved ... . .
Clarke Co. champion
Clark's 1 10 day
Helms improved ...
Hickory king ....
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Champion white pearl
Cranberry
Fisk's white
Hominy
Brazilian flour corn ....
Burr's white
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FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

403

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404

BULLETIN NO. 13.

[February,

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FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

4°5

Experiment No. 3. Corn, Time of Planting.

The effect of the time of planting on the yield of corn has been -studied during the past three seasons. The tract used in 1890 was similar and adjacent to the tract used in 1888 and 1889.

In 1888 and 1890 there were 7, and in 1889 there were 8 weekly plantings.

Each year the corn was planted on fall-plowed land and each plat •was prepared in a similar manner just before it was planted.

As nearly equal cultivation with the hoe and shallow cultivator was given as the different dates of planting would permit. The cultivation in 1888 was given in detail in bulletin No. 4, p. 93, and that of 1889 in bulle- tin No. 8, p. 247.

The cultivation for 1890 is given below.

TABLE SHOWING DATE OF PLANTING; DATE OF CULTIVATION; IMPLEMENTS USED.

ts sT	Date of planting.	Dates of Cultivation.
With hoe.	With Cultivator.
First time.	Second time.	Third time.
i 2 3 4 6 7	April 28 ...	May 26—7	June 2	fune 17. .	Tune 21
Mav 1	May 26 7	2	17.	" 2?
" IS	June 2	17. .	2"?. .
" IQ	<i |-j	17 .	2C . .
" 26	" 16	2?	2C.
June 2	" 16	2S . .	2S. .	July 21 " 21 . . . .
" o	" 2/1	2C .	2C .

The first two and the last two plantings were hoed once and cultivated three times, while the other three, from May i5th to 26th, were hoed once and cultivated twice. During the three seasons the earliest plantings have uniformly required more cultivation than those planted somewhat later; while the latest plantings have sometimes, although not always, required as much as the earliest plantings to keep the land equally free of weeds. Experiment No. S, Frequency of Cultivation, indicates that the quantity of cultivation is not material so long as the land is kept equally free of weeds. If the planting may be timed so as to require cultivation but three instead of four times and yet give equally as good a crop, a gain has been made.

June 27th, the height of the upstretched leaves of the corn as it stood in the field was about as follows: Plat i, five ft.; plats 2, 3, and 4, four ft.; plat 5, three feet; and plats 6 and 7, one foot.

July 7th, the corn on plat i had an occasional tassel, while on plats 2 to 7 there were practically none. The corn on plats 2 and 3 was about alike and much smaller than on plat i; on plat 4 it was much smaller than on plats 2 and 3; on plat 5 it was some smaller than on plat 4, while on plats 6 and 7 it was very much smaller than on plat 5. August 4th, corn

406

BULLETIN NO. 13.

\_Fcbruaryr

on plats i to 5 was fully in tassel, and on plats 6 and 7 about one-fourth in tassel. September 26th, corn on plats i to 4 was practically ripe; on plat 5 nearly so; while on plats 6 and 7 the corn was decidedly green. October 2d, corn on plats i to 5 was ripe, while on plats 6 and 7 it was still green.

October 23d to 25th, the corn was husked and weighed. Fifty-pound samples were taken from each plat and October 28th they were shelled, the weight of shelled corn ascertained, and a sample of shelled corn taken to- determine the per cent, of water.

TABLE SHOWING YIELD OF CORN AND PER CENT. OF WATER IN CORN FROM PLATS

PLANTED AT DATES NAMED, 1890.

		M p	O" o o	o <-a S.2 o	p f6		a
		T3	F 1 §	•? 3 3	B	w F	P "
2 P"	Date of planting.	" 2	e ~& 3-°	B-o a, •3 g «•	S--0 Sen 3 in 3	S Q	ll
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			p^ re p		s o	<•	•
		^		• it	MJ «,
I	April 28	-gg	667	71. c	l6.q	72.1	67.3
2	Mav <C	668	67 Q	74 Q	IQ.4	78.7
•3		722	68.7	/* y 76 Q	21	84.6	L. i
	" 19	682	68.7	77		7Q-4	71. 1
c	" 26		60.6	82.2	24.7	87.Q	74-4
i	June 2	77.8	74.2	96.2	71.2	7Q 6	6l.4
7	" Q .	670	71.8		28.6	74-7	Co. o

The yield of air-dry corn per acre was the least in the earliest and latest plantings and the best in the intermediate plantings; but good crops were obtained from all the plantings. The average yield of the four plant- ings during May was 73 bu. per acre, while the average yield of the three remaining plantings, one in April and two in June, was 63 bu. per acre. The percentage of water in the shelled corn increased in general from the earliest to the latest plantings, being nearly twice as great when corn was planted June 2d, as when planted April 28th. To produce a bushel of air-dry shelled corn required nearly 25 pounds more ear corn when taken from the latest than when taken from the earliest plantings.

TABLE SHOWING YIELD OF AIR-DRY CORN FROM PLANTINGS AT DIFFERENT DATES,

1888, 1889, 1890.

Plantings.	Bushels air-dry corn per acre.
1888.	1889.	1890.	Average.
April 22		52 44 5i 56 50 55 5o ;o
April 27 29	80 87 86 8? 83 si SO	67 7i 75 7i 74 61 60	64 70 72 69 71 64 «1
May 4—6 .
May 1115 . ...
May 19—20
May 26 27
June 15 .
Tune 8-17. .

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

407

These data indicate that it is a safe practice in this locality to plant a medium maturing variety of corn any time in May. There is a period of three weeks at least (four plantings) within which the time of planting has made no material difference in the yield. When the planting was earlier, the yield has not been so good, as it has required more cultivation to keep the land clear. When the planting was after the first of June, the yield has been somewhat less and the corn has not always ripened.

Experiment No. 4. Corn, Depth of Planting.

May 4, 1888, six rows, each 8 rods in length, were planted with corn at depths varying from i to 6 in. May 6, 1889, six rows were planted in the same manner, and an extra row was planted on each side so that all the rows under test might be equally surrounded by corn. May 8, 1890, six rows, six rods long, were planted in the same manner as in 1889.

In 1888 and 1889, the land was similar in every respect to that used in Experiment No. 3, and in 1890 it was similar to that used in Experiment No. 5. The prior culture of the land had been the same and the cultiva- tion of the corn was essentially the same. The cultivation of all the rows was similar. Four kernels of Burr's white corn were planted in each hill.

In 1888 and 1890, the shallower planted corn came up the first; in 1889, the deep planted rows started to grow quicker, but in four weeks were overtaken by the shallower planted rows.

TABLE SHOWING YIELD OF CORN FROM PLANTINGS AT DIFFERENT DEPTHS, 1888, 1889,

1890.

j? -= ? 5 I 2 3 4 \	Ears per acre.	Bushels per acre.	Ears in a bushel.
1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver- age.	1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver- age.	1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver- age.
11,070 9»630 10,440 9.630 8,280 5.940	10, 530 10,080 8,190 9.540 8,820 10,440	9,608 9.385 9.831 7,485 8,491 8,389	10,403 8^885 8,530 8.254	109.7 88.4 100.8 88 73-' 60 3	83 83 51 87 81 92	77-8 72.8 70-3 58.4 62.3 60.3	00. 2 81.4 74 77.8 72.1 70.9	101 109 104 109 ni 98	127 121 11. 1 110 109 "3	124 129 140 128 136 139	117 120 135 116 119 117

While during no season was there any direct relationship between the depth of planting and the yield, an average of the three seasons shows that the shallow planted rows gave the largest yield. This was principally due to the fact that more ears were produced per acre. There is no appar- ent reason why planting 3 in. deep gave poorer results than planting 2 or 4 in. deep.

Experiment No. 5. Corn, Thickness of Planting.

This experiment was conducted to determine not only the best thick- ness at which to plant corn, but also the best manner of distributing the seed at a given thickness — whether, for instance, to plant three kernels every 42 inches or one kernel every 14 inches.

408 BULLETIN NO. 13. ' \_February,

This experiment has been conducted three years on the same tract of land. Each plat contained three rows about six rods long, and five rods of each were harvested. No space was left between plats, and extra rows were planted at the ends of the tract. The rows were 3 ft. 8 in. apart.

In 1888, the tract was spring-plowed just before planting, which was after stable manure, at the rate of 30 tons per acre, had been applied. In 1889, it had been fall-plowed, and in 1890, it was plowed April 24th. May 8 and 9, 1888, May 2, 1889, and May 7, 1890, Burr's white corn was planted on the 24 plats in quantity and manner given in the table, page 412, with the exception that in 1888, instead of plats of like thickness of planting being adjacent, plats containing the same number of kernels per hill were planted adjacent. The cultivation of all the plats was the same. In 1888, they were hoed twice, May 24th and June 2ist, and cultivated once with a shallow cultivator; in 1889, they were hoed once, May 22d to 25th, and cultivated twice, June i4th and 26th; in 1890, they were cul- tivated three times, May 29th, June 5th, and 2ist, and hoed twice, June 4th and 25th.

October 8 to 13, 1888, October 4, 5, 1889, and September 16, 17, 1890, the plats were cut and shocked. October 13 to 27, 1888, the corn-fodder on each plat was weighed, the corn husked, weighed, and shelled. In 1889, the corn was husked from the shock November i4th to 1 6th, and the corn weighed and shelled November i8th and i9th. The stover was not weighed until December 6th, with the exception of plat i, the corn on which was husked and the stover weighed October 29th. In 1890, October 27thto3ist, husked corn and weighed stover, and November ist weighed and shelled corn. A sample of shelled corn was taken each year when the corn was weighed, and the percentage of water in it was determined as follows: 1888, 22.7 per cent.; 1889, 24.4 per cent.; 1890, 19.6 per qent. The corn on the different plats ripened equally, so far as could be ob- served, and the corn on the different plats was assumed to contain an equal per cent of water.

The plats were planted at six different degrees of thickness as follows: 47,520, 23,760, 15,840, 1 1, 880, 9,504, and 5,940 kernels per acre; and for the sake of brevity and clearness, the terms first, second, third, etc., plantings will be used in the discussion which follows: For example, in the first planting there are five plats each the same degree of thickness, but the seed in the several plats was differently distributed; in one plat there was one kernel every 3 in. in the row; in another, two every 6 in.; in another three every 9 in., and so on. There are five plats in the first, second, and third plantings, four plats in the fourth planting, three in the fifth, and two in the sixth planting. In the summaries which are given under the following headings, are averages of these plats. The results for 1890 are given in detail in the table on page 41 2, from which an idea of the scope of the experiment may be obtained. The results of 1888 and 1889 are given in detail in bulletin No, 8, pp. 255, 256.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890,

409

Number of stalks harvested. The number of stalks harvested, because of its relation to the yield, is more important than the number of kernels planted. The number of stalks harvested for each 100 kernels planted, however, is important in arriving at a full understanding of the effect of different thicknesses of planting.

TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF STALKS HARVESTED PER ACRE, AND NUMBER FOR EACH loo KERNELS PLANTED, 1888, 1889, 1890.

Plantings.	Number of stalks harvested.	No. of stalks harvested for each 100 kernels planted.
1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.	1888.	1889.	1890. 79 84 88 97 108 "3	Aver'ge.
First	29,460 17,100 13.940 12,350 ",540 8,200	36,700 19,820 13,270 11,100 9,170 6,260	37.430 19.835 13.940 11,270 10,285 7.320	34.530 18,920 13,715 ".575 10,330 7,260	62 72 88 104 121 138	77 84 84 93 96 105	73 88 87 98 108 122
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth

In general, the stalks have stooled where the planting was at a less rate of thickness than one kernel every foot. This is an indication that not so many stalks were growing as could reach full development, and additional stalks were thrown out to supply the deficiency. Stooling is not in itself desirable, as extra stalks do not seem to bear so much corn as stalks grown directly from seed. This possibly accounts for the fact that there were more pounds of stover for each pound of shelled corn where the planting was at a less rate of thickness than one kernel every foot than at that thickness, as is shown in the table giving summaries of the yields of corn. From the fourth planting, or where the planting was at the rate of one kernel every foot, about as many stalks were harvested as kernels planted, while where the planting was thicker, fewer stalks were harvested for kernels planted.

Number of ears. When the corn is husked, the number of ears per acre materially affects the cost of harvesting, and unless the yield is larger, the larger number is manifestly objectionable.

TABLE SHOWING NUMBER OF EARS HARVESTED AND NUMBER OF EARS FOR EACH 100

STALKS, 1888, 1889, 1890.

Plantings.	Number of ears harvested per acre.	Number of ears harvested for each loo stalks.
1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.	1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.
First	18,400 12,750 10,000 9,400 7,600 6,050	17,175 14,500 11,600 10,100 8,400 5,760	",145 12,420 9,760 8,870 7,385 5,470	15,573 13,223 io,453 9,456 7,795 5,760	62 74 72 76 66 75	47 73 87 9i 9' 92	30 63 70 79 74 76	46 70 76 82 77 81
Second Third.
Fourth . .
Fifth
Sixth

During the three years, an average of nearly three times as many ears as harvested from the thickest as from the thinnest plantings. It is

410

BULLETIN NO. 13.

[February,

worth considering whether the smaller ears from the thicker plantings would have a tendency to reproduce small ears, and in a series of years still further reduce the size of ears where thickly planted. Such a result would be in accord with the general law of reproduction. Two of the three years and the average of the three years show fewer barren stalks when the planting was at the rate of one kernel every foot than at rates of planting either thicker or thinner. An average of about one-fifth of the stalks as barren where the conditions were most favorable, and at the thickest plantings over one-half were barren. There were fewer bar- ren stalks in 1889 than in 1888 or 1890, and more barren in 1890 at the thickest planting than in 1888.

In 1888, there were more ears produced where there was but one ker- nel to the hill, and with two, three, and four kernels to the hill there was but little difference in the number produced. In 1889, the more kernels to the hill, the thickness remaining the same, the more the number of ears produced. In 1890, there were more ears produced where three kernels were planted per hill, and the least number was produced where but one kernel was planted per hill, the amount of seed planted being the same in each case.

2 he weight of stalks and ears. The size of stalk and ear for the dif- ferent plantings, as indicated by their weight, is given for 1888, 1889, and 1890, in the following table:

TABLE SHOWING WEIGHT OF 100 EARS AND OF IOD STALKS OF STOVER.

Plantings.	Weight of loo ears, Ib.	Weight of 100 stalks of stover, Ib.
1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.	1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.
First	33 e 64 63 70	24 40 54 63 67 67	16 26 38 50 56 62	24 39 5i 59 62 66	40 I4 63 70 74 97	23 30 36 44 52 54	23 35 36 40 40 47	29 40 45 5i 55 66
Second Third
Fourth
Fifth .......
Sixth

With a single exception, there was a constant increase from the thick- est to the thinnest plantings, each of the three seasons, in the weight of 100 stalks of stover and of 100 ears. The average weight of 100 stalks of stover, and of 100 ears in each planting is nearly the same, except that the ears in the intermediate plantings were much heavier than in the thick- est plantings, which rapid increase of weight was not continued through the thinnest plantings; while the increase in the weight of stalks was fairly uniform from the thickest to the thinnest plantings. It has made no dif- ference practically to the size of the stalks or the size of the ear whether one, two, three, or four kernels were planted in a place as long as the same quan- tity of seed was planted per acre. The differences have always been very slight and not always alike during the three years. On the whole, the size of the ears has been slightly in favor of one stalk to the place.

1891.]

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

411

Yield. The following table gives the average yield for the different degrees of thickness in planting for 1888, 1889, and 1890. Each result each season is the average of from two to five plats.

The average yield of corn-fodder (corn and stalks) and corn-stover (corn-fodder after corn is husked) decreased constantly, from the thick- est to the thinnest plantings. Leaving out the thinnest planting, the aver- age yield of field-cured corn-fodder for the three years from the five thick- nesses of planting, which includes the average of 22 plats each season, was nearly 6 tons.

The fourth planting, i kernel every 12 in., 2 kernels every 24 in., etc., gave the largest average yield of shelled corn per acre for the three years, .and the largest yield in 1889 and 1890, while the second planting i kernel every 6 in. 2 kernels every 12 in., etc., gave the largest yield in 1888. The average yield from the third and second plantings was but 4 and 5 bu. less than from the fourth planting. Each season the fourth planting gave the largest yield of shelled corn from good ears. The average yield of shelled corn from good ears from the third and second plantings was one- fourth and one-half less, respectively, than from the fourth planting.

To harvest an acre of the second planting would require the husking of 13,200 ears; of the third planting, 10,450; and of the fourth planting, 9,450 ears.

TABLE SHOWING YIELDS PER ACRE OF CORN FODDER, CORN STOVER, AND SHELLED CORN; ALSO POUNDS OF STOVER FOR EACH POUND OF CORN, 1888, 1889, 1890.

Plantings.	Tons corn-fodder per acre.	Tons corn stover per acre.
1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.	1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.
First	9 8 7-5 7-5 6.8 5-8	6-3 5-9 55 5-5 5-2 3-6	Is 4 4 i 38 3-i	6.8 6.2 5-7 5-7 53 4.2	6 4.8 4-4 4-3 4-2 4	4.2 2-9 2.4 2.4 2.4 i-7	4-3 34 2-5 2.2 2 i-7	4.8 3-7 3-i 3 2.9 2-5
Second Third
Fourth Fifth
Sixth
	Bushels of shelled corn per acre from good ears.	Bushels shelled corn per acre from nubbins.
First	32 64 71 74 61 55	6 36 6?. 76 7i 48	o ii 32 69 52 45	13 37 55 73 63 49	57 ?6 13 II 5	55 50 29 17 n 8	26 36 22 17 10 5	46 39 22 16 II 6
Second .... Third
Fourth. . .. Fifth Sixth
	Total bushels shelled corn per acre.	Pounds of stover for each pound of shelled corn.
First	89 95 87 83 72 60	61 86 9' 93 56	26 47 54 66 62 So	5t 76 77 81 72 55	2-4 1.8 1.8 1.8 2.1 23	2-4 1.2 0.9 0.9 ;.,	5-9 2.6 *-7 1.2 1.2 1.2	3-6 1.9 I-S i-3 1.4 i-5
Second Third
Fourth Fifth
Sixth

412

BULLETIN NO. 13.

[February,.

	£ 3 & •*- M 0 c5	Tj- N w N 00 O to ovO vO 00 N CO l^ t^ r^ Tj- « r^vO O O N «
*t" CO CO «" ^ O i ro CO to O O »*» «*»«•! d ••« *^> Q l"~- ^fo6 N 06 N N N N N coTi'*S'M'''l"'i-iOTl-^p lOvO VO iovO to to 10 TJ- TJ-
18 I" *• fc* M $•&	** N 10 CO w OO rj- TJ- N r~« OOO ••*• TJ- 10 OvO N vO 00 cooo
^^SJSSvo SR'£.£:'£.oo'£.£.££c» t^oovo'vo'fJ.^)?
&T0 oo 3 00 « <»	^•l^ui »r>rONfOiOT}- vO t^OO t^io Tf Ov »-. O\ •* m
f<)i^.i-ivd'Oo6 »~.vr>i-i 10 ^o 10 « \d » cri^o 6 >i fi t-~-vd o *^00 00 *>. t-»00 OO t^OO OO OO t^ t^OO VO OO »•• t>. t-» t^vO vn 10 10
Shelled corn per acre. PHI. as husked.	Total.	t^ u-> Tj- Tj- 1-1 OsvO N Tj-i-iioi-ivO »*• i-i O\M « f>t-.N*^N
t^ \o 10 ro t~- •* vnoo OO O vovod O d^t^-t^-fOtj-ii Q \ovd to N N M N N ^-^^-^-vo>oioioio too vo\OvO\Ovo^O *r VI
Nubbins.	t^ vr> M -^ n •* t- O^O lONTj-Tj-ii OOOOiiOOON t^ 10 to fi l^. t^vO roOO lOCT^^^OMiOOOO ^OO ^OO l~» »O CO
Good ears.	f) « CTivO « ^J-vO lOnnvOiOiiioOMi Osro
O O O _; O t^oM^o'ioiod 101-0606 O\ON ON\O «-c 00 O & M M H flcON fOrO'«l-I*T'<*''<J'lOiO'^-'t
Ears harvested to 100 stalks.	Tfr^n o « \O cy>O nOO OO OOO voroioO f-ioi-iO N C d ro ro ro fO to tooo vO to^O t^^O ^O t^ t^ t^oo OO O t^oO ^O O*»
u . 5?3 £ to £•« <*	100 ears.	H Tfio^vO iot^ — 00 w t^O tOOO N ON ONO-<J-l-~'O rf O N H H H M N N N M fOrorOfOrO'*'l-to-^--^-voio to\O vO
100 stalks.	N ro CO <~O to covO "*• ^^O >O to «* t-» I^*O OO CO t^ « "CO O CO N N N N N rocococororOcococOCOcOCO'J''TCO'r'T^'lo
Number per acre.	Total.	vO '*-O vovo N TJ-NvOOOOOVO O O N Tj-OOO O^OOO N ^C COOO i-HCOtOlON O— N N n -*00 >ON tJ-00 N CO •* »*• 2" O l^ CO'O i OO O tj- t^vo CO « ^OO OOioO'O^O'itONOO OO
Nubbins.	vO THO vO \O O -*>O vOOONOOOOOOTf -<J-vO O \O N •* Q O COOO — OtO^-OO r^ M O M N N Tj-OO N N»OT)-t^iON 2° t^ covo oooo O ot-^^J-'4-i^lor^o O N N **oo o cooo 'J- N
00 fT "" cfn w OcoO'o ir*O\O lOiOTF^cocOcTp) « n 1
Good ears.	O NOOOOVOOOOO'*OONOO\OOO'<1-O 1 TJ- wTj-«ON>-iOON rj-vo O « COOO vO O ^J- O O OOONOO^ONO TfOO n OO ^00 ^- N N lOOO O ^OOO
H N M 11 ^COCOCO^f^J"'?lO>O'j-^FvO CO^"
Pounds per acre of stover.	•«4-00 OOOOO'4-NOOOOOOOvOO ^t^O N O N ^J-00 >O 00 N <OT«-T(-Tj-OO>iNNOOOOOOOOiiiiNiiNN CO^O »O O •*• •* ^-^O 11 Ot^lOO N NOOOO t-»Tj->OCOiON >-• On >O
00 00 CO 00 O t^^O vO *O t^ to to ^^•^•^•^•Tl'^TF^' CO CO CO
Pounds per acre, stalks and corn.	VO 00 \O vO vO vO Q Tl-00 OO rJ-OO ^J-NOO NvO OOOvO •*'i- 'J-OO t-^OO t^ VO CO t^OO TJ-N NVOOO O CON t^ — VOvO 1ONOOOO N VOOO 00 t^i lO^-'^-NOO COCO f^VO O 11 COOO N VO 10 10 t^ »O
OOOO" OOOO OOO OO f- t^OO 00 00 t^OO t^ 1-- t-» lOVO
Ratio of kernels planted to stalks harvested.	OOOOOOOnONCOiiNCOlO>-iNONt^NOOii »^.VO 'i- N t-» t>. t-» t^oo ooo oo oo oo o o ooo oo o OOON o oco —
_, _, M M M
Number of stalks harvested.	Ot>.coNOOvO Tj-ii O tovp N O ** Tf CO « f-OO O N i vO O vO r^r^oo OTfOiOOO" or^vo 10 rf N « TJ- <-< OO coj
No. kernels planted per plat.	O O O O OioioioioioO O O O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO •*•* OOOOOOOOOOrocorOrocOTj-Tj-^-Tj-OOON N
Inches between hills.	COVO O N lOVO N OO •* O OOO r^vO vo N ^vO X 10 O to r)-oo MM «i-ifjco «NcO^*->iNcO^-«cO'*N^-
No. kernels in a hill.	« N cotton N CO'tlOn N COTfty-)« M rOTf-« N CO« N

1891.] FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, l8gO. 413

With the same rate of planting, the average shows no material differ- ence in the yield when one or more kernels were planted to the hill. Two seasons the yield was slightly in favor of two kernels per hill, and in 1889 slightly in favor of four kernels per hill.

The yield of corn-fodder has been very slightly greater where one and two kernels were planted per hill than where three and four kernels were planted per hill.

TOTAL DIGESTIBLE SUBSTANCE PER ACRE.

While there were 3,600 Ib. more of corn-stover raised from the first planting than from the fourth planting, there were 22 bu., or 1,232 Ib. more of grain from the latter than from the former. During twelve years (1876 -1887) the average farm price* of corn in Illinois has been 35.7 cents per bushel. At that price for corn the corn-stover must be worth $4.49 per ton for the one crop to equal the other in value.

Comparing the second and fourth plantings, there were 1,400 Ib. of corn-stover in favor of the second planting and 5 bu. of grain in favor of the fourth. At 35.7 cents per bushel for the corn, the corn-stover must be worth $2.55 per ton for the two crops to be equal in value.

The best means at hand of determining the total food value at each planting is by ascertaining the total quantity of digestible substance per acre. To do this, it is first necessary to ascertain the total yield of water- free substance. The per cent, of water in the shelled corn has been de- termined each season as already given, and from that the water-free sub- stance in the shelled corn as given in the table has been calculated. The per cent, of water in the corn-stover as it was brought from the field in these experiments was not ascertained. Neither has there been any sys- tematic attempt to determine the per cent, of moisture in corn-stover un- der these conditions. Mr. Farringtonf determined the per cent, of water in seven samples of corn-fodder taken weekly between February i4th and March i2th and found they contained an average of 32.19 per cent, of water. The grain would pretty certainly have contained a considerably less per cent, of water, and hence the corn-stover a larger per cent, of water. On the other hand, if the sample of corn-fodder had been taken at the time when the weights of corn-stover were taken in these experi- ments, it would undoubtedly have contained a less per cent, of moisture. Provisionally, therefore, 33^ per cent, will be taken as representing the average per cent, of moisture in the corn-stover when weighed direct from the field.

The following table gives the yield of water-free substance in the corn stover on this basis.

Wolf** gives the digestibility of the kernel of Indian corn as 88.5 per cent, and Armsbyff the digestibility of corn-stover as 62 per cent. Apply-

*See Report U. S. Dep't. of Agriculture, 1887, p. 536.

till, Exp't Sta. Bull., No. 9, pp. 315-7.

**Mentzel and Lengerke, Kal. 1888, p. 86

ttPenn. State College Experiment Station Re ort 188

414

BULLETIN NO. 13.

\_Pebruary,

ing these coefficients of digestibility, the yield of digestible matter per acre is estimated as given in the table.

TABLE SHOWING YIELD OF DRY MATTER AND DIGESTIBLE SUBSTANCE PER ACRE.

Plantings.	Yield of water-free sub- stance per acre, Ib.	Yieldof digestible substance per acre, Ib.
Stover.	Kernel.	Total.	Stover.	Kernel.	Total.
First	6,400 4,933 4-133 4,000 3,867 3,333	2,542 3,302 3,364 3,5i8 3-H3 2,419	8,942 8,235 7,497 7,5i8 7,010 5.752	3,968 3,058 2,562 2,480 2-398 2,066	2,250 2,922 2,977 3,"3 2,782 2,141	6,218 5,98o 5,539 5,593 5,180 4,207
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
Sixth

According to these estimates there is, with the exception of the fourth planting, a constant decrease in the total yield of digestible substance per acre from the thickest to the thinnest plantings. In the yield of digestible substance from the stover the decrease is constant throughout; but in the yield from the kernel, the largest yield is from the fourth planting, and there is a constant decrease from this thickness to both the thickest and thinnest plantings. While the total yield of digestible substance was 238 Ib. more where the planting was at the rate of one kernel every 3 in. than where it was at the rate of one kernel every 6 in. The yield of digestible substance from the stover was 910 Ib. more at the former, and that from the kernel 672 Ib. more at the latter, thickness. On account of the supe- rior composition of the kernel, it is probable that the nutritive value of the digestible substance would be greater at the latter thickness. For fod- der purposes, therefore, these experiments gave the best results where the planting was at the rate of one kernel every 6 in., or about 24,000 kernels per acre.

GENERAL STATEMENT AS TO THICKNESS OF PLANTING.

Corn may be planted both too thick and too thin for its best develop- ment. The proper distance for any given locality depends largely upon the latitude, the variety, and the soil. In the experiments here reported a medium maturing variety was grown on a fertile black prairie loam, whose physical properties with reference to soil water were of the highest order, a very important consideration.

In general, planting at the rate of one kernel every 12 in., or about 12,000 kernels per acre, gave the largest yield of corn (grain), and, with- out exception, the largest yield from good, well developed ears. While the total yield of corn from this thickness was not much more than where the thickness was at the rate of one kernel every 9 or 6 in., the yield of corn from good ears was considerably more. Planting at the rate of one kernel every 12 in. gave the largest yield of corn in proportion to stover or stalks, and the largest number of ears in proportion to stalks;

1891.] FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890. 415

that is, the least number of barren stalks. The weight of single ears and stalks increased from the thickest to the thinnest plantings.

While planting at the rate of one kernel every 3 in. or 47,520 ker- nels per acre, gave a little larger yield of dry matter and of digestible sub- stance than planting at half that thickness, the yield of grain from the thinner plantings was so much greater that it is believed the nutritive value of the crop for fodder purposes was greater where planted at the rate of one kernel every 6 in. or about 24,000 kernels per acre.

Neither for fodder purposes nor for the production of grain merely was there any material difference in the yield whether one, two, three, four, or five kernels were planted per hill, the number of kernels planted per acre remaining the same, provided the land was left equally clean by the •cultivation.

The result of this season's experiment upon the effect of the method of distribution where the cultivation was similar in amount, but not equally effective in keeping the land free from weeds, is given below, and is in favor of planting in hills. In a similar experiment in 1888 there was practically no difference whether the corn was planted in hills or drills.

Experiment No. 6. Corn, Planting in Hills or Drills,

Three plats containing 0.433 acre each were planted with the same quantity of Burr's white corn. The tract was fall-plowed after being manured. May 3, 1890, tract was disked twice. May 5th, tract was har- rowed twice and planted. Plat i was planted in drills 3 ft. 8 in. apart and one kernel placed every 1 1 in. in the drill row. Plats 2 and 3 were planted in hills, 4 kernels every 3 ft. 8 in. each way. Each plat was cul- tivated with a shallow cultivator four times, May 23d, June 3d, xyth, and 24th. Plats i and 2 were cultivated but one way. Plat 3 was cultivated twice each way. October i5th to i8th, corn was husked and weighed.

TABLE SHOWING YIELDS FROM PLATS PLANTED IN HILLS AND IN DRILLS; ALSO FROM CULTIVATION " ONE WAY " AND " BOTH WAYS."

		Yield of car	Bu. shelled
	Planting and cultivation.	corn per	corn per	Relative
		plat, Ib.	acre.	Yield.
I	Drills, cultivation one way	1,720	60.8	78
2	Hills, cultivation one way	2,0^0	71.7	02
3	Hills, cultivation both ways	2,198	77-7	100

The fact that where the plats were planted in hills and cultivated one way, the yield was greater than when they were planted in drills, does not indicate that planting in hills is of itself any better, as was shown in Ex- periment No. 5, for it was undoubtedly due to the fact that the land was kept cleaner with the same cultivation when planted in hills than when planted in drills. The larger yield where the planting was in hills and the cultivation both ways instead of but one way, was also probab y due to the fact that the land was thereby kept very much freer of weeds.

416 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

Experiment No. 8. Corn, Frequency of Cultivation.

Experiments Nos. 8, 9, and 10 are but different phases of the general subject of the cultivation of corn. All these were conducted on the same tract of land, hence its preparation, the planting of the seed, and the cul- tivation of the crop are identical, and will be given under this experiment.

The land is the black prairie loam common to central Illinois, of about 20 inches in depth, and underlaid with yellow clay. The tract is high enough to drain naturally and is not tile drained, although there are tile laid in the same field not far distant.

In the season of 1887, the land was in mammoth clover. In 1888 and 1889 these experiments were conducted on this same tract, used in 1890 for the third time.

The method of conducting the trial has been substantially the same each season. The details for 1888 are given in bulletin No. 4, and those for 1889 are given in bulletin No. 8.

In 1890, the tract was plowed April 24th, 25th without removing the stalks. May 2d, 3d, the tract was rolled, disked, harrowed, and marked. May 3d, 8 plats, each 2x8 rods, or TV acre were planted, four kernels to the hill, with Burr's white corn.

This experiment was made to determine the effect of different quan- tities of cultivation on the yield of corn whether the cultivation was deep or shallow. For this purpose it was arranged to cultivate very frequently plat 8 with a deep cultivator, the "John Deere" or a similar implement being used, and plat 7 equally frequently with a shallow cultivator, the "Tower" being used; to cultivate plat 6 with the deep and plat 5 with the shallow cultivator, the ordinary amount of cultivation being given; and to cultivate plats 3 and 4 as plats 5 and 6, except that the cultivation was to be continued past the ordinary time of laying corn by. For the pur- poses of comparison, in Experiment No. 9, Depth of Cultivation, the weeds were removed from plat 2 without any cultivation and with the least pos- sible disturbance of the soil; and plat i was hoed in the ordinary way, but not otherwise cultivated.

The following table gives the quantity and kind of cultivation of the different plats. The cultivation of the plats was all one way, as cross- cultivation was not practicable since the plats receiving different kinds and quantities of cultivation were adjacent. This made it necessary to remove the weeds in the row with a hoe, as shown in the table, but this was done with as little disturbance of the soil as possible.

From this table it will be seen that plat 5 was cultivated shallow and plat 6 deep four times, which is the customary number of times with far- mers in this state. Plats 3 and 4 were cultivated in the same way, except that in addition they were cultivated once, August 5th, after the corn was fully tasseled. Plats 7 and 8 were cultivated 13 times.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

417

TABLE SHOWING THE CULTIVATION OF PLATS IN EXPERIMENTS Nos. 8, 9, 10, 1890.

Date, 1890.	Plat i.	Plat 2.	Plat 3.	Plat 4.	Plat 5.	Plat 6.	Plat 7.	Plat 8.
May 24							Shallow	Deep
Mav 27 . .	Hoed.	Scraped.	Shallow.	Deep.	Shallow.	Deep.	Shallow.	Deep.
Mav 20 .							Shallow	Deep
May 31							Shallow	Deep
							Shallow	Deep
June 4 Tune 6 ....	Hoed.	Scraped.	Shallow.	Deep.	Shallow.	Deep.	Shallow. Shallow	Deep. Deep
June 10							Shallow.	Deep
June 16-17. ] Tune IQ .	Hoed.	Scraped.	Hoed in row. Shallow.	Hoed in row. Deep.	Hoed in row. Shallow.	Hoed in row. Deep.	Hoed in row. Shallow.	Hoed in row. Deep
June 21							Shallow	Deep
June 23							Shallow	Deep
June 25-26. .		Scraped.					Shallow.	Deep.
June 28	Hoed.		Shallow.	Deep.	Shallow.	Deep.	Shallow	Deep
August S. . .			Shallow.	Deep.

Yield. October 25th, each of the 36 rows of 9 hills or two rods long of each plat was husked and weighed so that the yield of the pruned and unpruned rows might be determined, as explained under Experiment No. 10, Effect of Root-Pruning. The table on page 422 gives the weight in detail. The table on page 418 gives a summary of the results for the three seasons, 1888, 1889, and 1890, and the diagram represents the aver- age yield per acre for the three seasons on each plat.

In 1888, there was, practically, no difference in yield between the two plats which were given the ordinary amount of cultivation, and those which were given three times the ordinary amount of cultivation; neither was there any better yield from those plats which were cultivated twice after the usual time of laying corn by. In 1889, those plats which were given the ordinary amount of cultivation yielded 4^ bu. more than those that received 3]^ times as much cultivation; while those that were cultivated once after the ordinary time of laying corn by, yielded a little over 2 bu. more than the ordinary cultivated plats. It was evident throughout the season that plats 7 and 8 were less thrifty, apparently on account of the too frequent cultivation. There were no less weeds on plats 3 and 4 this season on account of their later cultivation last year.

In 1890, those plats which were cultivated 13 times yielded 6^ bu. more than those cultivated the ordinary number of times and nearly 7^ bu. more than those cultivated once after tasseling, in addition to the ordi- nary quantity.

If the yields of each pair receiving the different quantities of culti- vation be averaged for the three years the result will stand thus:

Plats receiving ordinary cultivation 77.5 bu. per acre

Plats cultivated after tasseling in addition to ordinary

cultivation 78.1 bu. per acre

Plats cultivated frequently 78.3 bu. per acre

4*8 BULLETIN NO. 13. {February,

TABLE SHOWING FOR 1888, 1889, 1890— CULTIVATION; YIELD.

33		18	38.	18	89.	i&	JO.
S-	Kind of cultivation.	Bu. per acre.	Aver'ge.	Bu. per acre.	Aver'ge.	Bu. per acre.	Aver'ge.
i	Hoed, ordinary.	96		77.8
2	None.w'dsscrap'd fr'm surf.	9°		77.1		69. i
3 4 5	Shallow, once after tasseling Deep, once after tasseling . . Shallow, ordinary	*94.i ) *852f 9?. 8 |	*89.7	83.8) 79-31 84. 6 I	Si. 6	66.4) 59.31 66 8 /	62.9
6	Deep, ordinary	84.0 f	89.4	Id. 2 I	79-4	60 8 \	63.8
	Shallow, frequent	94.6 i		80 o )		71 , ,
I	Deep, frequent	84.5 \	89.6	68.8 f	74-9	71.1 i 69-4i	70.3

*Twice after tasseling.

DIAGRAM SHOWING CULTIVATION AND AVERAGE YIELD PER ACRE FOR THE THREE.

YEARS, 1888-90. Bushels 70 75 80 8&

1. Hoed, ordinary.

2. No cultivation.

3. Shallow, after tasselint

4. Deep, after tasseling.

5. Shallow, ordinary.

6. Deep ordinary.

7. Shallow, frequent.

8. Deep, frequent.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

419

No appreciable benefit was derived from frequent cultivation, nor from cultivating after the ordinary time during the three years in which the trials have been made.

Experiment No. 9. Corn, Depth of Cultivation.

The care of the crop in this experiment has been discussed under Experiment No. 8.

This experiment has been conducted three years on eight separate but adjacent plats. Three were cultivated with a shallow cultivator, with varying frequency, as explained under Experiment No. 8, and three others were cultivated with a deep cultivator with the same varying frequency. On one plat corn has been grown during three years without any stirring of the soil after planting. The surface was merely scraped with a sharp hoe to remove the weeds. Another plat was hoed in the ordinary way but not otherwise cultivated.

The following table gives the results:

TABLE SHOWING THE YIELD PER ACRE FROM SHALLOW AND DEEP CULTIVATED PLATS IN 1888, 1889, AND 1890.

2 5*	Kind of cultivation.		Bushels	per acre.
		1888.	1889.	1890.	Aver'ge.
I	Hoed, ordinary	nf>	-" X		Si i
2	None, weeds scraped from surface	9°	77.8	69.4	»e i
		9°	77.1		78.7
•\	Shallow, once after tasseling		8.1 R	fj^ A	fir .
A	Deep, once after tasseling	94.1 Or t
e	Shallow, ordinary .. .	85.2 nt 8	79-3 &A f.	59-3 AA 8	74^9
i	Deep, ordinary	93- o X/l r\		fin 8	81.7
7	Shallow, frequent	54 9	74-2 8n n		73-3
8	Deep, frequent	94.6 KA P	f.0 0	7I.I f,n A
		°4-5		09.4	74.2
	Shallow, average 3 plats		0, ,	f.0 .	Cr 8
	Deep, average 3 plats ... .	94.2 KA r\	83.1
	Increase with shallow, bu. per acre	84-9	74-1		74.1
	Per cent, increase with shallow	9-3	9	4-9	7-7
				7.8	10.3

Inspection of this table will show that for the three years the yield of corn has been increased one-tenth by the shallow cultivation over the deep cultivation, the least increase any one season was a little less than one-twelfth, in 1890, and the greatest increase one-eighth in 1889. In only one case in any one of the three years did a deep cultivated plat yield more than any one of the shallow cultivated plats. The plat which had no cultivation, but had the weeds removed by scraping with a sharp hoe, yielded more each season than the average of the three deep culti- vated plats — from 3 to 6 bu. more — and in only two instances, once in 1889, and once in 1890, did any one of the deep cultivated plats yield more than the plat not cultivated.

The meaning of these experiments seems to be that that cultivation of the soil which will effectually remove the weeds, and at the same time

420 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

disturb the roots as little as possible, is the best. The experiments indi- cate that on this soil the stirring of the soil apart from that necessary to kill the weeds is of little benefit. In practice, it is necessary to stir the soil more or less to kill the weeds. Undoubtedly, it is better to disturb some roots than to allow weeds to grow. Given good soil, a good seed- bed, a good variety of corn of good vitality, and favorable climatic con- ditions, the first essential to secure a good crop of corn is to keep the land clean, and the second is to do this with as little injury to the roots as possible. It is not a question of any particular style of implement, but a question of securing the desired result in any way practicable.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DEPTHS OF SEED-BED WITHOUT CULTIVATION OF THE CORN.

In order to study the effect of no stirring of the soil after the corn was planted, the seed-bed of five plats each 2x4 rods, or ^V of an acre, was prepared at different depths. After the corn was planted the weeds were removed by scraping the surface with a sharp hoe.

The land was similar and adjacent to the tract used in Experiment No. 8. The land being in clover was plowed about 4 in. deep in the spring of 1888 and planted in corn. In the fall of 1888, the tract was drilled to wheat without plowing. Hence, when used in this experiment, the seed-bed had not been plowed for two years.

May 14, 1890, on plat i, the stubble was raked up and burned, and the plat disked once, stirring the ground i in. deep, possibly. Plat 2 was plowed 2 in. deep; plat 3, 4 in.; plat 4, 6 in; and plat 5, 8 in. All the plats were harrowed twice and planted with Burr's white corn, four ker- nels to the hill, which were covered with a hoe about i in. deep. May 23d the tract was rolled, at which time the corn was coming up. The tract was scraped with sharp hoes to remove weeds with the least possible disturbance of the soil, three times between May 28th and June 27th.

The yield of corn in bushels per acre was as follows:

TABLE SHOWING THE EFFECT OF PREPARATION OF SEED-BED UPON YIELD, 1890.

Plat	Preparation of seed-bed.	Yield bu. per acre.
i	Not plowed	(6.4
2	Plowed 2 inches deep	co.o
•J	Plowed 4 inches deep	3y y 60.4
4	Plowed 6 inches deep ,	wy.^ 60.'?
5	Plowed 8 inches deep	71.7

It is evident that on this soil good crops of corn may be raised with differently prepared seed-beds, without any stirring of the soil after the corn is planted, if the weeds are thoroughly removed. The indications are that for this soil deep plowing in preparing the seed-bed for corn is the best; but one trial with one series of plats is not sufficient to establish a general conclusion.

Experiment No. 10. Corn, Effect of Root-pruning.

Every other row of the thirty-six rows two rods long of each of the eight plats described in Experiment No. 8, was root-pruned 4 inches deep.

iSpt-] FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890. 421

The object was to cut the corn roots at the distance from the hill and to the depth which an ordinary so-called deep cultivator would break them, but without disturbing the soil, so that it might be determined whether such mutilation of the roots by the cultivator, without reference to the stirring of the soil, was harmful.

After some observation and measurements, it was decided that 6 in. from the hill would be a fair distance at which to sever the roots. A frame one foot square, therefore, was placed over the hill, and a knife, to which was attached a gauge, was drawn along the edge of the frame. In 1888, the root-pruning was only 3 in. deep, and it was found that although the unpruned portion gave the largest yield in every instance, the average dif- ference was not very large, being 4 bu. per acre in favor of the unpruned portion. A careful examination of the roots of several growing corn plants showed that three-fourths of the roots would not have been broken by root-pruning or cultivating 3 in. deep- It is believed also that the deep cultivator usually goes 4 in. deep. In 1889 and 1890 the corn was root-pruned 4 in. deep. The root-pruning was done in 1890 at the second, third, and fourth, or last ordinary culti- vations. At the first pruning June 3d, 4th, the corn was about 12 in. high when the leaves were upstretched. At the second pruning, June iyth, the apparent height of the corn was about 20 in., while the height to tip of upstretched leaf was 30 in. At the last pruning, June 26th, 27th, the ap- parent height varied from 3 to 4 ft. The effect of the root-pruning was marked, the pruned rows being almost a foot less in height than the un- pruned rows. The pruned rows were distinctly smaller than the unpruned July 2d. July yth, although smaller, the difference was not so apparent as, hitherto. After the corn tassels the difference is not so apparent.

The yields of the 18 pruned and unpruned rows are compared in de- tail on p. 422. There are given 288 weights, involving 144 comparisons. In. 134 of these comparisons the unpruned rows yielded more than the pruned; . in 4 the pruned and unpruned rows- yielded alike; and in 6 instances only did the pruned yield more than the unpruned. With so many compari- sons it is perfectly conclusive that the difference in yield was directly the; result of root-pruning.

Each season the pruned portion of each of the 8 plats yielded less than the unpruned portion. In 1889, pruning 4 in. deep decreased the average yield 13.6 bu., or 16 per cent., and in 1890 pruning the same depth decreased the yield 17. 3 bu., or 23 per cent. In 1888, as already explained, pruning was but 3 in. deep, which severed a small portion only of the roots, as shown by Experiment No. 54., and decreased the yield but 4^ per cent.

The least decrease in yield from pruning 4 in. deep in any plat either season was a little less than 12 per cent, while the greatest decrease was 30 per cent. There can be no doubt that this decrease in yield was di- rectly due to cutting the roots. It will be noticed that while the root- pruning decreased the yield 16 per cent, in 1889 and 23 per cent, in 1890,

422

BULLETIN NO. 13.

{February,

the decrease in yield 'in the deep cultivated plats was 10.8 and 7.2 per cent., respectively, less than on the shallow cultivated plats. The cultivation was all one way, while the root-pruning was on all four sides at each prun- ing. This is quite sufficient to account for the greater decrease in yield from root-pruning over that from deep cultivation. While it is probable that the decrease in yield from deep over that from shallow cultivation would have been greater had the cultivation been in both directions, it is not probable that the decrease would have been as great^as that caused by the root-pruning of these experiments; for the roots were pruned on all four sides of the hill at once, while the cultivation would break the roots on but two sides at a time, the roots on the other sides being left undisturbed until the next cultivation. Moreover, j udging from the growth of the corn, the greatest injury to the corn is done at the last cultivation. At this time the roots on but two sides are disturbed, while in the experiments in root-pruning, they were severed on four sides to the depth of 4 in. In

TABLE SHOWING EFFECT OF ROOT-PRUNING; YIELD, POUNDS OF EAR CORN, 1890.

	Row.	Plat I.	Plat 2.	Plat 3.	Plat 4.	Plat 5.	Plat 6.	Plat 7.	Plat 8.
I	Pruned ...	10	8.5	8.5		7	8	12	12 C
'	Unpruned	14.1;	13	n«s	n	11	12. C.	IC.C	1C
	Pruned	8.c		Q.">	Q.">	Q.C	Q.e	12	IO
H	Unpruned	14	12.5	13	II	IV 5	1 1-5	IO.C	1C."?
	Pruned	n	12	8.5	IO	II	8.c	II. e	'II
31	Unpruned	ii	14.1;	IV 5	II. S	IS.C	12. C	14.. c	1C.
	Pruned	10	q.C	•12. C	7	Q-C		II	II. C
4I	Unpruned	16	IVS	12. C	14	12. C.	12	IO	IT..C
	Pruned	il	II	9	8.5	II	8	II	IO
s	Unpruned	13-5	I4o	iv>	12. C	16	ii	14	17
	Pruned	12.5	12-5	12	IO	IO	8	II. C	II
6	Unpruned	17. C	1C	14. c	I4.C	14	12	12	IV?
	Pruned	13.5	IO.C	9.5	II	IO	7-5	12	II. S
7	Unpruned	II	16	12	I5.C	14.5	15	IC.C	n
0 \	Pruned	II	12.5	13	6	Q		IO.C	12
*\	Unpruned	13	14	15	14	17	15.5	•V.J i6.c	n
	Pruned	12	12	II	ii. 5	9.5		12	it
9\	Unpruned	1C	16	IVC	12.5	13	1C	12	I1.C.
	Pruned	II	14.5	10-5	85	0	II	IO	ii
10 j	Unpruned	14	16	14	12	15	13	16.5	14
	Pruned	10-5	13	9.5	9	12	12	10.5	ii
ll\	Unpruned	15	13	13.5	12	15	12.5	15. c	ii
	Pruned	10-5	12.5	II	8.5	IO	85	II	12
12 •!	Unpruned	16	12	13.5	13.5	15.5	13	I4.C	14
	Pruned	IO.C	9-5	10-5	8-5	10.5	n-5	12	9
13 I	Unpruned	15.5	14.5	15	12	14	12.5	IVS	13.5
I	Pruned	12	12.5	12.5	9	IO.5	10.5	13	10
14	Unpruned	13.5	10	12	10.5	12.5	13.5	13.5	11
r	Pruned	12	ii	"•5	10	ii-5	IO	12	12
15 1	Unpruned ...	IC.C	14. c	14.;	10.5	13	1C	13	13
^ I	Pruned	13.5	10.5	12	8,5	11.5	9.5	14	II
16	Unpruned	14.5	13.5	15-5	IO	13.5	10.5	16.5	!5-5
	Pruned	10-5	II		9-5	9-5	8.5	12-5	n-5
17 1	Unpruned	10	14.5	13	13.5	iS	12.5	16*	13
L (	Pruned	13	10.5	9.5	8.5	9	9-5	13	ii
IS	Unpruned	14	14	14.5	14	13	12.5	14.5	15.5
	_ , ( Pruned	205	201.5	188.5	162	180	166	211.5	2OI
	Total } Unpruned	249.5	251	246.5	226.5	257.5	232	254	253.5

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

423

TABLE SHOWING EFFECT OF ROOT-PRUNING; YIELD IN BUSHELS PER ACRE FROM

PRUNED AND UNPRUNED PARTS OF PLATS WITH DIFFERENCE, l888, 1889, 1890.

2 p	Kind of cultivation.	1888.	1889.	1890.
7 5 n (L	cj *t3 •-i 3 n a.	O i 3 o n	V a n P*	C 3 13 3 n P*	O I? i o n>	h3 s o (I ft.	cj •o >-( § n ft.	d 55 a >-t n n p
i 2 3 4 6 I	Hoed ordinary .	92.3 85-5 93-4 85-2 01 83.2 92.8 83.2	98.2 94 95-3 86.6 tf 87 95 5 86.9	5-9 8-5 1.9 1-4 6 3-8 2.7 3-7	69.4 68.4 76.9 73-3 78-3 67.6 75-8 62.4	86.2 85.8 90.8 85-4 90.9 80.9 85-9 75-2	16.8 17-4 13-9 12. I 12.6 13-3 10. 1 12.8	62.6 61 1 57-6 49-5 55 50.7 64.6 61.4	76.2 76.7 75-3 69.2 78.7 70.8 77-6 77-4	13-6 15-2 17.7 I9.7 23.7 20.1 \i.
None, weeds scraped off •
Shallow, once after tasseling
Deep once after tasseling. ....
Deep, ordinary
Shallow, frequent
Deep, frequent
Average	88.3	92-5	4.2	71-5	85-1	136	57-9	75-2	i7-3

the cultivation, doubtless, more than one-half the roots to the depth of 4 in. are disturbed, but at a greater distance from the hill than as root-pruned in these experiments.

On the other hand, the experiments indicate clearly that the injury from deep cultivation is due to the breaking of the roots, and that the stirring of the soil to the depth employed has in itself no compensating advantage.

Experiment No. 54.. Corn, Root-growth.

As stated in former bulletins, the particular object of inquiry in this experiment was to ascertain the number of the roots of corn, and their depth at the points where they were likely to be disturbed by cultivation, and what proportion of all the roots was likely to be so injured.

A detailed account of the roots of nine plants examined in 1888 was given in bulletin No. 4, of which the following is a summary:

Nine plats, which averaged 12 in. high to tip of highest leaf, had altogether 94 roots, or an average of over 10 apiece. The longest root traced was 35 in., the plant being 22 in. high. A plant 4^ in. high had a root 13 in. long. Twenty-four roots were examined at 6 in. from their base. One was 4^ in. deep; five, 4 in.; twelve, 3^ in.; one, 2^ in.; four, 2 in.; and one, % in., at this distance from the base of the root. Three-fourths of the roots, therefore, would not have been broken by root-pruning or cultivating 3 in. deep; but all except one would have been, at 4 in.

In 1889, the roots of seven plants were examined, and the following is a summary of the data given in bulletin No. 8:

Of seven corn plants planted April 2gth, 4, averaging from 5 to 6 in. high, were ex- amined May 2ist and 22d, and 3, averaging 15 in. high were examined June I5th. These 7 plants had 97 roots of which 78 were traced, with a few exceptions, throughout their entire length. Forty-eight roots were examined at 6 in. from their base. At this point their depths were: three, 2 in. deep; one, 2j£ in.; seven, 3 in.; three, 3^ in.; seventeen, 4 in.; two 4^ in.; five, 5 in.; two, 5^ in.; five, 6 in.; three went straight down.

Rather more than three-fourths of the roots would not have been broken by root- pruning or cultivating 3 in. deep; nearly two-thirds would have been broken at four inches deep.

424 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February y

May 15, 1890, 60 kernels of Burr's white corn were planted in a row singly, 3 ft. 8 in. apart, at depths — one-third, i in.; one-third, 3 in.; and one-third, 5 in. The land was a black prairie loam similar to that used in Experiment No. 8. May 24th there were 16 plants up at i in. deep; ii at 3 in., and i at 5 in.

Fifteen plants containing 254 roots were examined as given in the table on pp. 425-427. In numbering the roots of each plant the primary- root is marked o. This season this tedious work of tracing the roots was done by Mr. C. A. Shamel, a senior student in agriculture, who has been a valuable assistant during the past year.

The following are additional data:

Plant i. Examined May 24th. Planted I in. deep. Height to tip of tallest leaf, 2l/z in. One leaf expanded, second expanding. Plant had four roots; the primary and 3 roots on the seminal whorl.

Plant 2. Examined May .24th. Planted 3 in. deep. Height, l/z in. No leaf expanded. Plant had 3 roots; the primary root and 2 on the seminal whorl.

Plant 3- Examined May 3ist. Planted i in. deep. Height, 7 in. Had 7 roots on upper whorl and 4 on lower whorl. Whorls, ^ in. apart.

Plant 4. Examined May 3ist. Planted 3 in. deep. Height to tip of tallest leaf, 6- in. Had 10 roots; 5 on lower and 5 on upper whorl. Whorls, 1.5 in. apart.

Plants. Examined May 3 1st. Planted 5 in. deep. Height to tip of highest leaf, 9^ in. Had II roots; 7 on the upper and 4 on the lower whorl. Whorls, 2 in. apart.

Plant 6. Examined June 7th. Planted I in. deep. Height, 18.5. Had 14 roots; 6- on the lower and 8 on the upper whorl. Whorls, ij£ in. apart.

Plant 7. Examined June 7th. Planted 3 in. deep. Height, 16 in. Had 14 roots; 2 on the lower and 12 on the upper whorl. Whorls, 1.5 in. apart.

Plant 8. Examined June 8th. Planted 5 in. deep. Height, 16 in. Had 15 roots; 3. on the lower and 12 on the upper whorl. Whorls, 2 in. apart. Upper whorl, spread over I in.

Plant 9. Examined June I4th. • Planted i in. deep. Height, 28.5 in. Had 21 roots; 4 on the lower and 17 on the upper whorl. Whorls, % in. apart. Diameter of stalk between whorls, y% 'n- or less. Above the upper whorl it is % in. x ^ in.

Plant 10. Examined June I4th. Planted 3 in. deep. Height, 25.5 in. Had 21 roots. The lower whorl, either dead or broken off. The upper whorl, 1.5 to 2 in. from, the surface of the ground.

Plant ii. Examined June I4th. Planted 5 in. deep. Height, 21 in. Had 19 roots, The seminal whorl had one root, the primary. Upper whorl, 18 roots. The upper whorl was 3 in. above lower or seminal whorl; the stem between the two was 1-16 in diameter. Above the upper whorl the stem is fy x ^ in.

Plant 12. Examined June 2ist. Planted I in. deep. Height, 43.5 in. Had 23 roots. Upper whorl, I in. from surface of the ground.

Plant 13. Examined June 2ist. Planted 3 in. deep. Height, 38 in. Had 22 roots. Upper whorl, 1.5 in. from surface of the ground.

Plant 14. Examined June 28th. Planted I in. deep. Height, 65 in. Had 35 roots. Upper whorl. I in. from surface of the ground.

Plant 15. Examined June 28th. Planted 3 in. deep. Height, 62 in. Had 35 roots, of which n (Nos. 25 to 35 of the table) were what are known as brace roots.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

425

TABLE SHOWING THE LENGTH, DEPTH AT THE END, AND 6 INCHES FROM THE PLANT

OF 254 ROOTS BELONGING TO 15 CORN PLANTS EXAMINED IN 1890.

$ 8, T3 r	Number of root traced.	£ -.03 R jf 8, r * 8	O 3 <* Ii •FR " a Jf 3 S CL ' o *i	g™ B-o 3'g'sr « | £ 1*2, ^ ' !T 5' I? •• tn	2 i cr re >i 0 12. P* a	Number of root traced.	f 5>Cfq S ? ^0 rt — t en O o^	g| II ffS S-g s^ o •-h	Depth at 6 inches from base of root, inches.
i	0 I	9 t	6 2 C	4	7	o i	28 *I e	15	3
	2 3	6 6	3-5 5	3-5 5		2 3	8'5 22	4 8 5r	3-5 2
2	o i	8 4..";	4-5 c	4		6	IZ-5 7 2	•5 2-5 2	2-5
	2	v»	5			7	17 c	4	2
						8	7.
3	0 I	12 e	6	5	»	9 IO	•5 12 *2 e	2	2
	2 7	ii •2	5-5 I c	3-5		ii 12	O- 12 17	5-5 e r	2 2
	4	e	2			17	2 e
	e		r e				O
	6	I			8	o	*8	6 C
									.... .
4	o	*q	4	4		2	*I C	4	3-5
	i	c	1*5			7	13	7	2
	2 7.	7 2.S	5 3.S	5		4 5	*8 *7	2	2
	4	J. S	c c			6	7 C		7. C
	•	c	* ^				6S
	6	4.	3			g		2 C	2 <;
		2."?	2			9.	g	2
	8	2	I c			10	e
	q	I				ii	IIC	e	7
5	o	IO	7			n	2
	I	4.5	4.<			14	I
	2	Se	c c
	3	O IO	->O 7		q	o	*q	e
	4	4. 1	5			i	*77 C	7
	5		4 ?			2	i' • J *7
	6	V»	^.S			•J	17	c e	•j e
	7		7			4.	II	e e	3c
	8	e e	^ ?			5	*27 e		2
	q	I .C	4. "5			6	JO 9c
	IO	ImK	^ i;			. 7	2q	e	7.
6	o I 2	4 8 *4.";	6 3-5	3-5 3-5		9 10 ii	1J-S t6 *2O *iq	5 4 7 12	3 4 3 7
	3	3	5	3		12	*s		C
	4	7				17	IQ	7	•5
	6 7	*6 3i 20	3 »9 7	3 3 4		14 15 16	II *36-S *I2	4 14.5	2.5 3 3
	8	II	7	5		17	I
	9 10	II 2.5	2-5 7	2-5		1 8 IO	'I	S 2 <;	2 2 <J
	ii	5.5	2			20	22 C		2
	12	I
	13	2			10	i	*2T.	ii	2.C

426

BULLETIN NO. 13.

[February,

TABLE— Continued.

Number of plant.	Number of root traced.	r a a J-.OQ g S1 18, OJ ••" 1	O -t a O "T3 «? 5'S- Is f» 2 en PJ O	Depth at 6 inches from base of root, inches.	3 c S cr a •t o^ •Q ^	Number of root traced.	z a sfe o 3- ^^ 1 r	3^ o*S •^ sr — P B "• s-s 8 p. O	Depth at 6 inches from base of root, inches.
10	2 3 4 I 7	7.5 24 *28 t7 17.5 13	3-5 7 7 3 6	3-5 2-5 2-5 3 3	12	14 11 17 18 IO	16 *32 *36 39 17 1C	17 19 23 10 7 14	8 4 5 4 2-5
	8	8				20	g	7	7
	9	8				21	26.1;	12	4
	10 ii 12	*23'5 *32 1C	7 10 e c	2-5 3 t C		22 23	16 33	17 12	7 i
	13 14 15	»6 *i8 4-5	18 9 3	*o 4 3-5	»3	I 2 7	*20 *9 26	4 i	2 4 4
	16 17 18 10	*i8.5 12 II .C	9 5-5 5	3 3 2		4 6 7	32 *i8.5 *9 12	I-5 10 13	4 2 7 7."»
	20	e				8	27	8 c	S.c.
	21	c					^?6	6'5	e
						IO	S
II	0 I 2	*27 *I9.S *C	14-5 8	5 4		ii 12 n •	*34 25 *n	14 9	3 4 6
	3 A	9 i	8	6		14 1C	22.5 *7O e	7 7	4 7
	5	9				16	•5 O 9	2	I
	6 9 10	*I4 *9-5 *22 34 i c.	»4 8 7 IO 7	6 5 4 4		17 18 19 20 21	25 '3-5 7-5 30 15 e	9 h 12	5 5 7 3 3
	ii	4*3 l6-5 18 e	II IO C	5 5r		22	33	7	4
	17	10-5 10 c	7	•5		I	c	e
	14 15 16 17 18	„ -5 *2I *23 IO *19'5 *ig	IO 8 6-5 8-5 9-5-	4 3 5 3-5 3-5	J4	2 3 4 6 7	6 6 6 ' *48 *28 *C2	•5 3 4 24 9 27	•5 3 4 3 3 2 C.
12	i 2 3 4 e	28 10 18 *25-5 *7O	20 5 7 24 88	2-5 4 2-5 4 c		8 9 10 ii 12	49 *9 *34 40 e	19 4 20 32 I	3 3 S'5
	6	*22	1C	c e		17	c	I
		16 32 4	16 21 <«<	6-5 i		14 ;i	6 *45 6	5 25 7	5 3 3
	10	I	2			17	I7?	7	4
	ii	12	17	7		18	4
	12 »3	36 *53	IO 36	6 5-5		19 20	*3Q 28	13 28	4-5 7

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

427

TABLE— Continued.

Number of	Number of traced,	f1 fj 3 f*	O (p	?° §| s-o-s- 5 p P s-s £ 2 8,-.	Number of	Number of traced	rT 9 0 ? S's. 01	•f* 5. g-p. 5-«	o n 3 P ts O en p;
T3	3	' 0	n	' ?i	*2-	•-!	' 3	of3	• *•*! g*
&"	O 0	O	* o	li1	&"	O 0	0	U P'	Ifr
r*				rt- H) • W				O	ii f»
14	21	31	3i	7	15	II	14	I5	7
	22	18	29	7		12	»5	16	7
	23	19	20	7		13	*35-5	30	4-5
	24	23	24	7		14	*26	24	7
	25	8	3	2		15	23	22	7
	26	9	3-5	2		16	15	2	i
	Z	*i6 8	3-5	4-5 3		17 18	*44 16	28 15	4 6
	29	*20	21	7		»9	*2I	II	5
	30	*S°	33	2-5		20	51.5	30	2
	<2 I	^2C	20			21	^t j-2	17	2
	32	*42	33	4		22	40	* / 10	2
	')'!	44	20			21	e-i	27	2-5
	34	^^ 37	s 32	S		24	DO 25	^O 7
	35	*^2 ^	32	7		25	I ."»	.c
						26	j 2 C	J |
1C	i	26	12	2		27	••5 4	I.C
j	2	42	IO	2		28	1.5	J .C
	7	23	18	6		20	" J 2	J .C
	*J 4	48	1C	2		!7	2.C	J . C
	T^ c	•fV	*J 15	4		,j	J 2	• J I
	6	*i*	•J 14	6		32	5	1.5
	7	21	22	7		33	4	I
	8	22	23	7			4	I
	g	48.5	v/ 10	3		35	3	.5
	7 10	» J 20	21	7				J

*Broken off at the length given. tRotted off at the length given.

Summary. In 1890, fifteen corn plants were examined during five weeks of corn cultivation from May 24 to June 28, and were found to contain 254 roots. At the first week of examination, when the plants were from i to 2% in. high, there were 3 and 4 roots per plant. At the last ex- amination, when the plants were 62 to 65 in. high, they had 35 roots apiece. The longest root traced was 53 in., while another was found which was 51.5 in. long. Three were broken off at 50 in. or more, probably near their end. Twelve were traced between 40 and 50 in. some of which were broken at the lengths given.

The depth of the root at six inches from its base, where it is likely to be disturbed by cultivation, was ascertained in 179 instances.

Two-thirds of the roots would have been broken by root-pruning 4 in. deep; more than two-fifths would have been broken at 3 in. deep; and one-seventh at 2 in deep. [See table, p. 228.]

In 1890, as in 1889, it was found that the depth of planting had little or nothing to do with the depth at which the roots grew. The first whorl of roots, other than those distinctly at the seed, which generally, if not always, die, began to grow at from i to 2 in. from the surface of the soil, without reference to the depth at which the seed was planted. The stem

428

BULLETIN NO. 13.

[February,

TABLE SHOWING DEPTH IN INCHES OF 179 ROOTS OF CORN PLANTS AT 6 INCHES

FROM THEIR BASES.

Number of roots.	Depth 6 in. from base.	Number of roots.	Depth 6 in. from base.
I 4	o-5 i	4 18	4-5 5
i 22 16	i-5 2 2-5	• 4 9 i	5-5 6 6-5
35	3	21	7
13 28	3-5 4	I I	I'5

between the seed and the first nodal whorl of roots is simply elongated and more slender if the seed is planted deeper. Nothing is gained, there- fore, by planting deeper than two or three inches in this soil, unless the dryness of the soil makes it essential. On the other hand, if it is neces- sary to plant deeper on account of the dryness of the soil, or to plant some of the corn deeper where planting with a corn planter on uneven ground so that all the corn may be covered, both the study of the roots and the results of Experiment No. 4, Depth of Planting, indicate that lit- tle, if any, harm will result.

Experiment No. 24. Corn, Effect of fertilizers.

Nine trials of the effect of fertilizers when applied to corn on the prairie soil of Illinois were reported in bulletin No. 8, pp. 266-272. In these trials no practical benefit was obtained from the use of commercial fertilizers, and moreover, but little effect, if any, of any kind. The condi- tions of soil, climate, and culture under which those trials were made were not, it was pointed out, very different from those under which the bulk of this great crop is raised. The increased yields from the use of stable manure probably repaid the cost of the application and left some profit; but clearly the value of the stable manure was not equal to the estimates often made, based upon the cost of commercial fertilizers containing like quantities of plant food.

Under this heading will be reported two more trials, and under the next heading one more, from which essentially the same results have been obtained as heretofore.

Two tracts have been used in this experiment. Tract [a] was used in 1888, 1889, and 1890. The tract consists of twelve plats each 2x8 rods, or one-tenth ot an acre. The preparation of the seed-bed and the planting of corn was each year the same as described in Experiment No. 8.

In 1890, the stable manure was spread on April lyth. In 1889, the commercial fertilizers were sown broadcast just after the corn was planted; and in 1888, they were spread about the hills. As neither of these methods gave any results, in 1890, the plan of applying in handfuls directly to the hills was adopted to ascertain whether a comparatively concentrated ap- plication would have any effect, good or bad. The fertilizers were put on.

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

429

immediately after the corn was planted. The corn was cultivated with a shallow cultivator five times in 1888 and 4 times in 1889 and 1890. Any weeds remaining in the hills were removed with a hoe or by hand.

Of the fertilizers used in 1890, the dissolved bone-black was from a lot purchased in the spring of 1888. A sample of this was analyzed at that time with results as shown in the following table. Samples of the other fer- tilizers were analyzed in January, 1891, with results as shown in the table. These last samples were all very dry when analyzed.

'TABLE SHOWING PARTIAL ANALYSIS OF FERTILIZERS USED IN 1890, PERCENTAGES.

			M
E			A g	M	Phosphoric acid.	Equivalent to
cr		>>	5	O		-*:*•"**
o		HH		P						i
£		O	§ §	W		m	»	i— i a	i	13 ^	Tl E.
s		n	p	W	£7	£•		o	S 3	° a	Z *%.
		a	8	10	»	0*		c	0. P	M S	P p
i^				0	r*	n	f?	cr	P n	s>* **	B- n
•			B				P-	ft	2-	o	o
24	Dissolved bone-black	3.36	4.08		20.75	20.24
214		16	IQ A.T,						Q7 17
215	Dissolved bone	1.26			11.72	o-73	9-57	1.42
5H	Sulphate of ammonia	21.20	25-75
	Muriate of potash			56.08						88.20
518	Sulphate of potash										43.28
	Hog tankage	6. 20	7-53	0.27	12.70
517	Cattle tankage .	3-84	4.66	O.2I	2393

A mechanical analysis of the cattle tankage and hog tankage gave the

following results: Passed holes,

Coarser than

-50 inch

•25 «

-12 "

6 " -6 «

Hog tankage, per cent.

13-4 7-5 7-3

Cattle tankage,

per cent.

6l.7

20.5

10.6

3-9

3-3

IOO.O

No difference was observable in the date of tasseling or maturity, or at any time in vigor of growth, that could be attributed with any certainty to any of the fertilizers used, with the exception of plat i, on which in 1889 and 1890 the corn made a somewhat stronger growth than on the other plats.

October 23, 24, 1890, the corn was husked and weighed. October 28th, a 5o-pound sample yielded 40.25 Ib. of shelled corn containing 17.6 per cent, of water. It would take 75 Ib. of ear-corn, therefore, to produce a bushel of air-dry shelled corn.

There was an increased yield of 9 bu. per acre on the plat fertilized with stable manure each season over those plats receiving no manure. The average yield of corn on the 8 plats treated with commercial fertilizers was about i bu. less than on the 2 plats receiving no manure. On no plat so treated was the yield over 2 bu. more than on those receiving no fer- tilizers.

43°

BULLETIN NO. 13.

\_February,

TABLE SHOWING RESULTS FROM APPLICATION OF FERTILIZERS NAMED UPON CORN

PLATS, 1888, 1889, 1890.

	Fertilizers applied in 1 888 and 1889.	Pounds per acre.	?p #*" ?T3 g S.3	Bushels of shelled corn per acre.
1888	1889	1890	Average
I 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 ii 12	1 Stable manure	40,250 350 100 -350) 100 j	53o	97 99 99 99 99 96 95 95 95 94 90 94	82 69 75 74 70 67 74 73 75 74 69 70	7i	83
Hog tankage ....
Muriate of potash	392 412 408 392 408 414 446 412 3£ 366	52 55 54 52 54 55 59 55 42 49	75 76 74 72 74 74 76 74 67 7i
j Hog tankage
| Muriate of potash. . .
None
Cattle tankage	200 400) 100 > 125) 400 100 j 125)
( Superphosphate '
* -J Muriate of potash
( Sulphate of ammonia.. . . Superphosphate
j Muriate of potash.
| Sulphate of ammonia.. . . None
Sulphate of ammonia	125 160
Nitrate of soda

Unit

300 Ib.

9, 51,650 Ib.; in 1890, 20 loads. «In 1888, Bone meal, 200 Ib. Sin 1888, Dissolved bone-black,

In bulletin No. 8, pp. 270-2, was reported a trial in 1889, on tract [b] of the application of very large quantities of commercial fertilizers — much larger than would be profitable — to determine whether on the soil in this locality any result whatever could be obtained.

The tract of land selected, which was considered relatively poor, was divided into 7 plats, each 2x4 rods. In 1890 no fertilizers were applied, but the tract was again planted to corn to determine whether any effect might be obtained the second season. The tract has since been sown to wheat to ascertain whether any benefit will result to the wheat.

May 6, 1890, the tract was plowed, harrowed twice, and planted to Burr's white corn, four kernels to a hill. The corn was cultivated four times with a shallow cultivator and the weeds remaining in the hills were removed with a hoe.

The corn was cut and shocked September i6th; husked corn and weighed stover October i8th to 2oth, and weighed corn November ist.

Each season the average yield from the three unfertilized plats was a little more than the average yield from fertilized plats.

In the principal markets for fertilizers the cost per acre for the fertil- izers used, which were purposely made excessive in amount, was for plat i, $56; for plat 3, $26; for plat 5, $g; and for plat 7, $21. In 1889, the average yield pfr acre of the plats so treated was 86.3 bu.; and for the three receiving no manure, it was 87.5 bu. In 1890, for the plats treated the yield was 55.8 bu., and for the plats receiving no manure it was 57-7 bu.

1891.]

FIELD EXPERIMENTS WITH CORN, 1890.

431

TABLE SHOWING YIELDS IN 1889 AND 1890 FROM PLATS UPON WHICH HAD BEEN PUT COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS IN LARGE AMOUNTS IN 1889.

Fertilizers applied in 1889 only.	Pounds pr. acre.	No. of ears per acre.	Pounds stover per acre.	Bu. air dry corn pr. acre
1889.	1890.	1889.	1890.	1889.	1890.
( Dissolved bone-black	2,000) 6ool 600)	9,940 10,620 10,260 11,140 10,280 10,420 10,140	7,480 8,480 7,52° 8, 1 80 8,620 8,580 8,200	5,900 5,160 4,700 4,620 4,880 4,5°° 4,920	3,200 3,800 3.48o 3,800 4,040 4,000 3.840	85 89 86 89 85 85 90	50 58 53 & 60 60
•j Sulphate of potash ... ( Sulphate of ammonia
None ..
Dissolved bone-black	2,000 «
None
Sulphate of potash	600
Sulphate of ammonia	600

Experiment No. 23. Rotations with Corn, Oats, and Meadow, and with Corn and Oats compared with continuous Culture of Corn.

This experiment is introduced here on account of its bearing upon the question of the application of fertilizers for the production of corn.

Briefly, ten half-acre plats, 5 by 16 rods, have been cropped during the past 14 years as follows: Plats i, 2, and 3 have been in corn con- tinuously; plat 4 in corn and oats alternately; and plats 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 have had this rotation: Corn, 2 years; oats, i year; meadow, clover, timothy, or both, three years.

From plats i, 2, and 3 both corn and stalks have been removed. Plat i has had a liberal application of stable manure each year. There was applied per acre in 1888, about 20 tons of stable manure, and in 1889, a little over 28 tons, and in 1890, about 20 tons. Plat 3 has had no fertilizer of any kind applied. Up to 1881, plat 2 had an occasional application of commercial fertilizers, but none since. May 17 and 18, 1888, two weeks after corn was planted, and after it was well up, the following fertilizers were applied along the row, care being taken not to have them come in contact with the corn.

Dissolved bone-black 150 Ib.

Muriate of potash 50 "

Sulphate of ammonia 62.5 "

In 1889 and 1890, a similar application of fertilizers was made, with the exception that sulphate instead of muriate of potash was used, and the fertilizer was applied before the corn was up.

The half acre which had been manured 13 years successively with stable manure yielded in 1888 about one-fourth; in 1889, after another liberal application of stable manure, about three-fourths; and in 1890, after still another liberal application of stable manure, about one-third more corn than the unfertilized half acre upon which corn has been raised continuously for 15 years. Averaged for the three years, the plat which received stable manure yielded about 38 per cent, more than the plat not fertilized. The average increase in yield was 18.4 bu. per acre. At 35.7

432

BULLETIN NO. 13.

[February,

TABLE SHOWING FOR 1888, 1889, AND 1890 RESULTS WITH ROTATION EXPERIMENT.

		W	v< O		tc e	•-i		03 B	er en
									• <
t~	Crop grown,	o n>	M n 0 i—. -1	Crop grown,	o ?	n %	Crop grown,	o n	S — 5
	1888.	n *>		1889.	n> 5T		1890.	ft ">	s ?•-»
			h3 ^		1?	Q p*	•	*O	•o 3
			n <		^	rt v^		n	C6 -"
			»-t ••			. •		i	"« -
		68 7	4.640	Corn	77.4		Corn . . .	ee i	3 3Q2
•7	Corn	1:7 4	3,840	Corn	4C .0		Corn	41 . e	2,680
	Corn	C4. -J	2.S7S	Corn	43.2		Corn . >. . ,	48 7	2,380
			3.O7O	Oats	17.4	I.77C	Corn	C4 •}
C	Oats	48 6	2,145	Med'm clover.		8.080	Med'm clover.		3,OIO
6	Oats	18	1,665	Med'm 'clover.		6,665	Med'm clover.		2.QOO
7	Mam'th clover.		3,O3O	Mam'th clover.			Corn	6l Q	2,088
s	Med'm clover		3.O4?	Corn	$6.4.		Corn ...		2,664.
		6l 2	3. 1 2O	Corn	CQ 1		Oats
TO	Corn . .			Oats . .	;o	3,6i;o	Med'm clover.		4.680

cents per bushel, the average farm price* of corn in Illinois during 12 years [1876-1887] this increase would be worth yearly $6.56. The plat receiv- ing commercial fertilizers yielded during the three years, a little less, al- though practically the same, than the plats receiving no fertilizer of any kind.

G. E. MORROW, A. M., Agriculturist.

T. F. HUNT, B. S., Assistant Agriculturist.

GARDEN EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN, 1890.

Experiment No. 49. Sweet Corn, Testing Varieties.

In the following article the grouping of sweet corn, described in bul- letins ft os. 4 and 8, has been revised so as to bring together those so-called varieties that were nearly enough the same to appear to justify such a classification. Several of the varieties still left as distinct are so much alike that for all practical purposes they might be considered the same. There are but very few varieties so distinct that each does not approach one or more other varieties so nearly that the line of separation is very faint. The method of selection is evidently different among the various seed growers, and their facilities for keeping varieties separate must in many cases be very imperfect, since we get from the same dealer in dif- ferent years seed under the same name, but differing so much as not to be recognized as the same. For instance, Creedmoor was described in

•See Report U. S. Dep't of Agriculture, 1887, p. 536.

1891.] EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN, 1890. 433

1889 as a distinct variety, and certainly was not like Hickox; while in 1890, corn grown from Creedmoor seed from the same dealer could not be distinguished from the Hickox. In a majority, of cases when seed of the same name has been purchased from different sources the crop har- vested has been different, in many cases the differences being as great as would be seen on comparing the crop with some other recognized variety. Not only that, but in many cases the varieties as sent out by the same dealer at the same time were each so lacking in uniformity that they might easily have been separated into two or more groups, each group having the appearance of a distinct variety.

In giving time of reaching edible maturity from planting, the earliest ears of each plat were the ones taken for the plat. The differences in average time for the three years is attributed to the differences of seasons, since corn grows and matures faster in hot than in cold weather. But the differences in plats of the same variety, the same season, must come from other causes. Those most likely to produce this effect are [i] using the earliest ears, and saving the latest for seed, and [2] mixing with the ear- lier or later varieties. In the case of Stowell's evergreen the different plats showed a variation in time of reaching edible maturity of five days in 1888, of 10 days in 1889, while in 1890, three plats grown from seed of our own saving were all ready for use at the same time. The typical ear of Stowell's is large, tapering but little; the kernels very deep, much wrinkled, and very loose on the cob. The earlier plats varied more from this type than the later ones, plainly showing mixture with the smaller eared, shallow grained, earlier varieties. Until gold coin was introduced, two years ago, Stowell's was as late as any other variety of sweet corn so that mixing would not make it later, but it could be made later, and at the same time could be more easily kept pure by using the early ears and planting the late.

In arranging names and synonyms, the rules formulated by a com- mittee of the horticulturists of the Experiment Stations have served as a guide. In the case of such a name as extra early red Naragansett sugar, the single word Naragansett serves every purpose in distinguishing the variety. The term hybrid, sometimes used, can be properly applied only to a cross between different species, as between wheat and rye, and not to crosses between different varieties of the same species.

According to the tests so far made, there are still 49 varieties of sweet corn distinct enough to be left separate. Of these there are several in each group so much alike that it would not pay to grow more than one of them at a time.

Dreer's, a selection from Cory, is the earliest corn. It does not all ripen at the same time, and will afford a supply until something better can be had. ford's or Crosby would be selected for the next early variety. ford's is very similar to Minnesota, but larger, clearer in color, and of better quality. Crosby has 10 to 14 rows of kernels, is below medium size, white, and of very good quality.

434 BULLETIN NO. 13. {February,

In the medium early groups, Stabler 's early is as good as any. The ears are of medium size, white, with 12 to 14 rows of kernels. This variety differs in merit so little from Concord, Shakers,' pee andkay, Squantum, and asylum, that there is practically no choice. Stabler1 s is given the prefer- ence, because more dealers keep that seed than seed of the others.

Of late varieties Old Colony is of better quality than StowelFs ever- green, and it remains in condition for use nearly as long. The ears are above medium size, tapering, deep grained, white. It is not so large as StoweWs, and for canning factories would not be so valuable. Of the shallow grained late varieties there would be little choice between mam- moth, Hickox, and Henderson. All produce large ears, and are of very good quality.

For farmers who do not care to plant more than a single variety, Crosty, planted at different times, would be as good as anything.

The new varieties sent out every year at high prices, are almost cer- tain to be a disappointment to the grower, since they nearly always fail to fulfill the claims of the introducer.

In the classification of sweet corn the varieties are divided accord- ing to the time reaching edible maturity after planting into: Early, Medium, Late. Also on color: Yellow, White, Colored not yellow. A further divi- sion of varieties is made into 8-rowed and Having more than 8 rows.

Circumstances have made it impracticable to give any estimates of yields of corn grown the past season. For yields in 1889, see bulletin No. 8, pp. 283-286.

EARLY VARIETIES — Yellow — 8-rowed.

Early orange; Dreer, Cole & Bro. Synonym — Golden sugar; Henderson.

Stalk, 5 to 6^ ft. high, slender, pale green, easily blown down. Ear, small, slen- der, 5 to 6j£ in. long. A variety easily distinguished, as there is only one other variety of yellow sweet corn, gold coin, and that is large and late.

*

EARLY VARIETIES — White— 8-rowed.

Northern pedigree— Haskell, Salzer, Vaughan.

Stalk, very small and slender, 3 to 4 ft. high, without suckers; tassel, very simple and stiff. Ear, 4 to 5^ in. long, and quite slender. It is smaller than any other variety of sweet corn grown and has not proved any earlier than some of the larger kinds. Its small size makes it quite distinct. A very large proportion of the ears are too small for use.

BurbanPs. Synonyms — BurbanK's early; Vaughan. BurbanK's early Maine; Vaughan.

Stalk, 3j£ to 4^8 ft. high, rather stout, producing no suckers; tassel, short, stiff, simple. Ear, 4^ to 6^ in. long, irregular in shape, usually enlarged at the butt. Ker- nels, very large and irregular. It was first fit for use in/ days from planting in 1889 and in 69 days in 1890. It yielded at the rate of 9 bu. in 1889 and 20.2 bu. per acre in 1890. It produces a very large proportion of nubbins too small for use.

Minnesota. Synonyms — Early Minnesota; Vaughan. Extra early Minnesota sugar; Landreth. Dolly Dutton; Landreth. Tom Thumb; Bridgeman. Extra early Tom Thumb; Henderson. Early Boynton; Ferry. Pratt' s early; Gregory. Extra early dwarf; Bridgeman. Hawaii sugar; Wilson.

i89i]

EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN, 1890.

435

CLASSIFICATION OF SWEET CORN (Synonyms in parenthesis.)

f Yellow \ 8-rowed

W

5. \ White,

f 8-rowed

Having more than 8 rows.

Colored, not yellow. . .

White ,

f Yellow j

8 rowed .

White ,

Having more [ than 8 rows.

8-rowed .

Having more than 8 rows.

Having more than 8 rows.

t Colored, not yellow. . . •{ 8-rowed

' Having more than 8 rows.

Colored, not yellow . . j

Having more than 8 rows.

-{ Early orange (Golden sugar), f Northern pedigree. Burbank's.

Minnesota (Dolly Button, Tom Thumb, Boynton, Pratt' s, Extra early dwarf, Hawaii sugar). Ford's.

Darling (early sweet, or sugar). Original Crosby. Durkee. Boston Market Leet's.

Crosby (Des Moines). Early Southern. f Early Adams. I Adams.

j Landreth Market (Burlington (. hydrid). f Dreer's. Cory (No. 48, La Crosse, Rockford

Market). Marblehead. Narragansett.

Chicago market (Ballard's). (golden sugar, early orange).

Albany (Breck's premium).

Perry's (Perry's hybrid).

Concord.

Shakers'.

Pee and kay (western queen,

Maule's XX sugar). Squantum (early bonanza, early

Concord). Stabler's early. Asylum.

Russell's prolific. Red cob (large red cob Perry's,

Livingston's evergreen). Black Mexican (black sugar).

Gold coin.

Eight-rowed (large 8-rowed, Ro- chester 8-rowed, New England 8-rowed, Darling's sugar).

Triumph.

Early mammoth (Marblehead mam- moth, etc).

Mammoth ( late mammoth, Maule's mammoth).

Hickox (Creedmoor).

Henderson.

Honey.

Excelsior.

Ruby.

Roslyn (Roslyn hybrid, Simpsonia).

Old colony (Landreth sugar, Sonyea intermediate).

Stabler's nonpareil (Stabler's pedi- gree).

Egyptian (improved evergreen).

Stowell's evergreen (evergreen sweet).

Little gem (ne plus ultra/shoe peg).

Amber cream.

These three varieties, though not sweet, are included because commonly sold for table use.

436 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,.

Dolly Dutton as grown in 1888 was somewhat different from Minnesota but not as grown in 1889. Tom Thumb as grown in 1888 differed slightly from what was grown under that name in 1889 or 1890, while in both the latter years it could not be distin- guished from Minnesota. In 1888, that grown under the name of Dolly Dutton was three days earlier and that called Tom Thumb one day earlier than Minnesota. In 1889, the Dolly Dutton was one day earlier, Tom Thumb four days later, Boynton one day earlier, and Pratfs early two days earlier than Minnesota, and Hawaii sugar and Extra early dwarf ripened at the same date as Minnesota. In 1890, Tom Thumb, Prat? s early, and Boyntoris were two days earlier than Minnesota.

Stalk, 4^4 to 5 ft. high, somewhat slender; tassel, slender, drooping; suckers, few,, small. Ear, borne from 12 to 18 in. from the ground, dull white, rather slender, 5 to 7 in. long, cylindrical; kernels, scarcely even at the butt; tips, fairly well filled; rows of kernels, regular. The different plats reached edible maturity in 1888, in from 58 to 62 days from planting, in 1889, in from 79 to 84 days, in 1890, in from 71 to 74. A popular and valuable early variety. .

Ford's. Synonym — Ford's early; Vaughan.

Similar to Minnesota. The ear is some larger, of a cleaner color, white with a red- dish tinge sometimes, cylindrical or slightly tapering; rows of kernels, regular; pairs of rows, sometimes separated at the butt; cob, white or reddish in color. It reached edible- maturity in 1889 in 80 days from planting, in 1890 in 72 days.

Darling; Landreth. Synonym — Early sweet or su%ar; Ferry.

Has larger, somewhat later, and more perfect ears than Minnesota. Stalk, 5/4 to *f ft. high; rather slender; suckers, numerous, reaching nearly the size of the parent stalk; tassel, slender and drooping. Ear, about 2 ft. from the ground, white, with a white cob, cylindrical, 7 to 8 in. long, 1.4 to 1.6 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, regular; pairs of rows, separating toward the butt of the ear. Kernel is broader than deep, krinkled, less shriveled than most sweet corn. It reached edible maturity in 63 to 64 days from planting in 1888 and in 77 to 79 days in 1890. It yields well and the corn is of good quality.

EARLY VARIETIES— White— Rows, more than eight.

Original Crosby; Gregory.

Stalk, about 5 ft. high, slender; tassel, slender and drooping; suckers, very numer- ous, small to three-fourths size of the parent stalk. Ear, 12 to 18 in. from the ground,, dull white, tapering, with a white cob, 4^ to 6 in. long, 1.3 to 1.6 in. in diameter, with IO to 14 rows of kernels. Kernel very irregular in shape, about as deep as broad, flat- tened over the top. It was first fit for use in 80 days from planting in 1889 and in 74^ days in 1890. It produces so many small nubbins in proportion to the good ears as to be worthless. In 1889, there were 58 good ears to 91 nubbins and in 1890, 10 good ears to 135 nubbins.

Durkee; Gregory.

Differs from Original Crosby in being larger with a better proportion of good ears to- nubbins, but it could not be recommended for cultivation.

Boston market. Synonym — Early Boston market; Gregory.

Stalk, 4 to 5 ft. high, heavy, large leaved; tassel, small, stiff. Ear, 12 to 14 in. from the ground, dull white, nearly cylindrical, 5^ to 7 in. long, 1.4 to 1.7 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt; tip, not well filled; rows of kernels, 10 to 12, not very regular. Kernel, large, irregular. A rough, irregular ear, fit for use in 1889 in 81 days from plant- ing. Not very productive; quality, only fair.

Leet's. Synonym — Leet's early; Ferry.

Stalk and ear, of larger size than the last, otherwise very similar. Stalk, 5 to 6 ft- high, heavy, leafy, short-jointed. Ear, 18 to 24 in. from the ground, dull white, 6 to

1891.] EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN, 1890. 437

in. long, 1.4 to 1.7 in. in diameter; rows of kernels, 10 to 12, not very regular. Ears and kernels, coarse, rather rough; quality, only fair.

Crosby. Synonyms — Crosby's early; Vaughan. Crosby's early sugar; Henderson. Crosby's extra early sugar; Dreer, Smith, Landreth. Early Des Moines; Iowa Seed Co.

Stalk. 6 to 7 ft. high, rather slender; tassel, slender and drooping; suckers, numer- ous, reaching ^ to ^ the size of the parent stalk. Ear, 18 to 24 in. from the ground, white, tapering, 5 to 7 in. long, 1.410 1.9 in. in diameter; kernels, even or slightly rounded past the butt; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, 10 to 14, regular. Kernel below medium size, as deep as broad, crinkled. The corn is below the medium size, of good shape and good quality. A valuable and popular variety. In 1888, the various plats were fit for use in from 62 to 64 days from planting; in 1889, in from 83 to 85 days; and in 1890, in 79 days.

Early southern; Ferry.

Stalk, 5 to 6 ft. high, heavy, leafy; tassel, bunchy, stiff. Ear, dull white, nearly cylindrical, 24 to 30 in. from the ground, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.6 to 1.9 in. in diameter; ker- nels, rounded past the butt; tip, not well filled; rows of kernels, 8 to 10, not regular. Kernel, deep, broad, flat. Appears more a dent than a sweet corn; quality, poor. This variety may be of value for the South where the better kinds of sweet corn cannot be grown. It was fit for use in 1889 in 85 days from planting and in 1890 in 77 days.

*Early Adams; Haskell, Vaughan. Synonym — Extra early Adams; Hallock, Landreth.

Stalk, \y2 to $% ft. high, rather short-jointed; tassel, stiff. Ear, 16 to 20 in. from the ground, white, cylindrical, tapering at the tip, 4^ to 6 in. long, 1.6 to 1.9 in. in diameter; kernels rounded over the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows of kernels, 10 to 12, regular; pairs of rows, not very distinct; cob, I to 1.2 in. in diameter. Kernel very solid, rounded over the top, about as deep as broad, creased or smooth. It is smaller, earlier, and less dented than the following. It was fit for use in 1888 in 57 to 60 days from planting and in 1889 in 78 days.

Adams. Synonyms — Early Adams; Haskell, Vaughan. Extra early Adams; Henderson.

Stalk, 5 to 6^ ft. high, strong, short-jointed, leafy; tassel, short-, stiff, bunchy. Ear, 24 to 30 in. frcm the ground, white, cylindrical, tapering bluntly at the tip, 5^ to 7 in. long, I. 4 to 1.9 in. in diameter; kernels, rounded over the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows, 10 to 14, regular; pairs of rows, not very distinct; cob, white, .7 to I.I in. in diameter. Kernel, very solid, rounded over the top, dented or nearly smooth, about as deep as broad. Seedsmen seem to send out this and the preceding indifferently. It was first fit for use in 1888 in 70 days and in 1889 in 85 days from planting.

Landreth market. Synonyms — Early Landreth market; Landreth. Burlington hybrid; Johnson & Stokes, and Northrup, Braslan & Goodwin Co.

Stalk, 4/4 to 6^ ft. high, leafy, short -join ted; tassel, slender and drooping; suckers, very few. Ear, 16 to 20 in. from the ground, white, cylindrical, tapering at the tip, 5 to lYi in. long, 1.4 to 1.8 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows, 8 to 12, regular; cob, white, I to 1.2 in. in diameter. Kernel, solid, rounded over the top, broader than deep, smooth. Has the appearance of a flint corn when ripe. It was first fit for use in 1888 in 56 days from planting, in 1889 in 80 days, and in 1890 in 77 days. This is a cross between Early Adams and an early sweet corn, probably Minne- sota, and is not of so good quality as the pure sweet corn. It would probably be of value at the South where pure sweet corn can not be successfully grown.

EARLY VARIETIES— Colored, not yfJ/ow—8-rowed. Dreer's. Synonym — Dreer 's first of all; Dreer.

Only distinguished from Cory by being smaller and according to the past season's notes two days earlier. Stalk, 3^ to 4 ft. high, slender. Ear, 8 to 12 in. from the *This and the two varieties which follow are sold for table use but are not sweet.

—4

438 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

ground, 4 to 5^ long, 1.3 to 1.6 in. in diameter. It was first fit for use the past season in 63 days from planting.

Cory. Synonyms — Early Cory; Smith. Cory early sugar; Henderson. Extra early Cory; Haskell. No. 48; Salzer. La Crosse; Salzer. Earliest Rockford market; Shumway.

Stalk, 4 to 4^ ft. high, slender; tassel, short, stiff; suckers, few, small. Ear, 10 to 12 in. from the ground, 4 to 6 in. long, 1.4 to 1.7 in. in diameter, dull white to red; butt, enlarged; tip, round-pointed, well filled; rows, nearly regular. Kernel, large, rounded over the top, broader than deep, crinkled or smooth. Type, not well fixed. The various plats of this variety were first fit for use in 1888 in from 54 to 56 days from planting, in 1889 in 77 to 80 days, and in 1890 in 65 days. This variety though of recent introduction (1885) is very popular as an early corn. It lasts but a few days and many of the later kinds are of better quality.

Marblehead. Synonyms — Marblehead sugar; Dreer. Marblehead early; Vaughan. Extra early Marblehead; Ferry. New Cory; Nellis.

Stalk, 4 to 5 ft. high, rather stout; tassel, small, stiff; suckers, few, not reaching more than half size. Ear, 12 to 18 in. from the ground, nearly white to light red, with a red cob, cylindrical, enlarged at th'e butt; tip, round-pointed, well filled, 5 to 7 in. long, 1.4 to 1.6 in. in diameter; rows, not crowded, regular; pairs of rows, quite distinct or entirely separated. Kernel, below medium size, rounded over the top, crinkled or nearly smooth. This is probably the parent variety from which Cory was produced by selection. It differs from Cory in being of larger growth, ears longer, more slender and more regular in shape. In 1888, it was fit for use in 55 to 56 days from planting; in 1889, in 76 to 77 days; and in 1890, in 69 days.

Narragansett. Synonyms — Early red Narragansett; Ferry. Extra early Narra - gansett sugar; Landreth.

Stalk, 4j^ to 5 ft. high, rather stout, leafy, marked with purple; tassel, short, stiff; suckers, few, not reaching more than half size. Ear, 16 to 20 in, from the ground, light to dark red, nearly cylindrical; tip, round-pointed, well filled, 6 to 7.5 in. long, 1.5 to i. 8 in. in diameter; pairs of rows, frequently separated. Kernel, rather large, broader than deep, crinkled or crimped. This variety may be easily distinguished from the pre- ceding three varieties by being larger and darker in color. It was first fit for use in 1888 in 57 to 59 days from planting.

EARLY VARIETIES — Colored, not yellow— Having more than 8 rows.

Chicago market; Vaughan, Haskell, Leonard. Synonym — Ballard's extra early; Storrs & Harrison.

Stalk, 4 to 5 ft. high, rather slender; tassel, small, stiff or drooping; suckers, few, not usually reaching more than half the size of the parent stalk. Ear, 1 2 to 15 in. from the ground, cylindrical or tapering, white to pale red or flesh color; kernels, even or slightly rounded past the butt; tip, well filled, 5 to 6^ in. long, 1.4 to 1.8 in. in diameter; rows of kernels, 10 to 12, regular. Kernel, below medium si/e, flatly rounded over the top, n early as deep as broad, crinkled or nearly smooth. This variety differs from the pre- ceding in the number of rows of kernels and in color, being much nearer white than any of them. It differs from the next following in being lighter colored and much smaller. It was fit for use in 1888 in from 57 to 59 days, in 1889 in 78 to 81 days, and in 1890 in 65 days from planting.

Golden sugar; Landreth. Early orange sweet; Farm, Field and Stockman. Early orange; Vandercook. Neither the term golden nor orange is applicable to this variety, and both have been already applied by other seedsmen to another variety.

Stalk, 5 to 6^£ ft. high, variable in appearance. Ear, 18 to 24 in. from the ground, white to red, tapering, 6 to 7^ in. long, 1.6 to 1.8 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt of the ear; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, 12 to 14, regular. Kernel, as deep as

^891.] EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN, 1890. 439

broad, wrinkled. This variety was first fit for use in 1888 in 63 to 65 days from planting, and in 1889 in 86 days.

MEDIUM MATURING VARIETIES— White — Having more than 8 rows.

Albany. Synonyms — Albany sugar; Dreer. Breeds premier; U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Stalk, $% to 6^ ft. high, strong, leafy, dark green; tassel, rather stiff; suckers, «nany. Ear, 24 to 30 in. from the ground, dull white, tapering, blunt-pointed, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.6 to 1.9 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt; not filled out at the tip; rows, 10 to 12, regular; pairs of rows, not very distinct; cob, white, i.i to 1.3 in. in diameter. Kernel, rounded over the top, nearly as deep as broad, thick, crinkled or crimped. It was fit for use in 1888 in 64 days from planting, in 1889 in 85 days, and in 1890 in 71 •days. Type, irregular.

Perry's. Synonym— Perry's hybrid; Hallock, Salzer, Vaughn.

Stalk, 5 to 6ft. high; tassel, small; suckers, few, small. Ear, dull white or reddish, cylindrical, I to 2 ft. from the ground, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.6 to 2 in. in diameter; rows of kernels, 8 to 12. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, crinkled or smooth. Not of good quality. It was fit for use in 1888 in 64 days from planting in 1889, in 82 to 85 days, .and in 1890 in 74 days. It is so variable as scarcely to deserve to be classed as a variety.

Concord. Synonyms — Moore's early Concord; Ferry, Vaughn. Early Concord sugar; Landreth.

Stalk, 5 to 7 ft. high, short-jointed; tassel, long, slender and drooping; suckers, n umerous. Ear, 18 to 24 in. from the ground, dull, white, cylindrical, round-pointed at the tip, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.6 to 2 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt, nearly filling out the tip; rows. 12 to 14, regular; cob, white, i.i to 1.3 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, nearly as deep as broad, very thick, crimped and wrinkled. It was fit for use in 1888 in 65 to 68 days from planting, in 1889 in 85 to 87 days, and in .1890 in 84 days.

Shakers'. Synonym — Shakers' early sweet; Henderson.

Stalk, 5 to 7 ft. high, rather heavy; tassel, heavy, stiff. Ear, 18 to 24 in. from the •ground, dull white, cylindrical or tapering, round-pointed, 5^ to 7 in. long, 1.6 to 1.9 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt, not filling out the tip; rows, 10 to 12, regular; pairs of rows, distinct; cob, white, I to 1.2 in. in diameter. Kernel, rounded over the top, broader than deep, thick, crinkled or nearly smooth. This variety reached edible maturity in 1888 in 66 days from planting, and in 1889 in 85 days.

Peeandkay. Synonyms— Western queen; Shumway. Maulers XX sugar; Maule.

Stalk, 4^ to 6^ ft. high, short-jointed, leafy, dark green; tassel, stiff. Ear, 16 to 18 in. from the ground, tapering, sometimes compressed at the butt, very dull white, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.6 to 2 in. in diameter; kernels even at the butt, not quite filling out the tip; rows, 10 to 12, regular; cob, white, i.i to 1.3 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, crinkled or crimped, nearly as deep as broad, very thick. Similar to asylum sugar, but smaller and earlier. This variety was fit for use in 67 days from planting in 1888, in 83 to 85 days in 1889, and in 73 days in 1890.

Squantum; Landreth. Synonyms — Squantum sugar; Henderson. Early bonanza; Wilson. Early conqueror; Faust.

Stalk, 6 to 7 ft. high, leafy, short-jointed, heavy; tassels, stiff"; suckers, few. Ear, 18 to 24 in. from the ground, very dull white, tapering, rounded at the tip, 5^ to 7^ in. long, 1.6 to 1.8 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt, nearly filling out the tip; rows, 12, regular; cob, white or pink, i to 1.2 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, crinkled or crimped, nearly as broad as deep, rather thick. This variety was first fit Tor use in 1888 in 69 days from planting, in 1889 in 85 to 89 days, and in 1890 in Si days. That sent out as early conqueror was not at all uniform, but was more like this

44° BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

than any other variety. Ears might have been selected from it that would have answered to the description of either S-rowedor Stowell^s.

Stabler' s early ; US. Department of Agriculture. Synonyms — Stabler' s early sugar; Henderson. Stabler' s extra early sweet or sugar; Dreer, Smith.

Stalk, 5 to 7 ft. high, rather long-jointed, pale green; tassel, drooping or stifi; suck- ers, not many. Ears, 16 to 24 in. from the ground, white, tapering, rounded at the tip, 6 to I*/?, in. long, 1.5 to 1.9 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt, filled out at the tip; rows, 10 to 14 regular; cob, white, i to i.i in. in diameter. Kernels, flatly rounded over the top, crinkled and crimped, as deep as broad. It was fit for use in 1888 in from 66 to 71 days from planting, and in 1889 in 87 days.

Asylum; Vaughan.

Stalk, 6 to 8 ft. high, rather long-jointed, blades large; tassel, many-branched, drooping; suckers, not many. Ear, 24 to 30 in. from the ground, tapering; tip, bluntly- rounded; very dull white, 7^ to 9^ in. long, 1.6 to 1.9 in. in diameter. Kernels, even at the butt, neatly filling out the tip; rows, 10 to 12, regular; cob, white, i.i to 1.3 in. ir» diameter. Kernel, broadly rounded over the top, not so deep as broad, thick, crinkled, and crimped. This variety was fit for use in 71 days from planting in 1888, in 89 days- in 1889, and in 86 days in 1890.

Russell'1 s prolific; Vick.

Stalk, 6 to 7 ft. high; tassel, long, drooping; many small suckers. Ear, dull white, with white cob, cylindrical, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.5 to 2 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt of the ear; tip, fairly filled; rows of kernels, lo to 12. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, crinkled or smooth. Approaching flint; quality poor. It was fit for use in 1890 in 81 days from planting. It yields less than many other better varieties.

Red cob. Synonyms— Red cob surar; Landreth, Early red cob; Johnson & Stokes. Early large red cob Perry'1 s; Landreth. Livingston1 s evergreen; Vaughan.

Stalk, 6^ to 8% ft. high, heavy, dark green, characteristically marked with purple; tassel, slender and drooping; suckers, many. Ears, 2% to 3 ft. from the ground, reddish white, generally cylindrical, rounded at the tip, 7 to 8)4 in. long, 1.6 to 2.1 in. in diam- eter; kernels, even at the butt; fairly well filled at the tip; rows, 10 to 12, regular, some- times spirally arranged; cob, red, I to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, as deep as broad, rather thick, crinkled and wrinkled. This was fit for use in 1888 in from 70 to 71 days from planting, in 1889 in 88 days, and in 1890 in 84 days. It is the only variety in the group that is easily distinguished.

MEDIUM MATURING VARIETY — Colored, not Yellow— 8-rowed.

Black Mexican; Vaughan. Synonyms — Black Mexican sweet; Smith. Black Mex- ican sugar; Henderson. Black sugar; Cowan.

Stalk, 6 to 7 ft. high, rather slender, light green; suckers, few. Ear, 24 to 30 in. from the ground, cylindrical, tapering at the tip, 6 to 7^ in. long, 1.3 to 1.7 in. in diam- eter; kernels, even at the butt; not filled out at the tip; regular; pairs of rows, usually but little separated; black or slate color; cob, white, .7 to i.i in ia diameter. Kernel, rounded over the top, crinkled or crimped, broader than deep. It was fit for use in 1888 in 66 to 68 days from planting, in i83g in 84 togz days, and in 1890 in 79 to 81 days. There is only one variety of black sweet corn.

LATE VARIETY — Yellow — Having more than-8 rows.

Gold coin; Livingston, Vaughan.

- Stalk, 8 to 9 ft. high, very strong, leafy; not many suckers; tassel, large, full, stiff. Ears, 2^ to 3J/J ft. from the ground, light yellow, cylindrical or tapering, 7 to 10 in. long, 2 to 2.4 in. in diameter; kernels, rounded past the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows, 16 to 24, regular; cob, white, i to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernels, very loose, rather flat on the top,

1891.] EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN, 1890. 441

above the medium size, ll/2 times as deep as broad, wrinkled. This is a cross between a yellow dent and Stowell's evergreen. It is a fine looking corn, but is lacking in quality and is not so tender as the pure sweet varieties. It was fit for use in 1889 in 103 days from planting. In 1890, that from home-grown seed was fit for use in 86 to 88 days, and that from seed from Livingston and Vaughan in 96 to 98 days.

LATE VARIETIES — White— 8 rowed.

Eight-rowed. Synonyms — Early 8-rowed; McAllister. Large S-rowed; Nellis. Large •early 8-rowed sweet; Henderson. Darling's sugar; McAllister. Rochester 8-rowed; Baruard. New England 8-rowed; Currie Bros.

Stalk, dy2 to 8% ft. high, rather slender; tassel, slender, drooping; suckers, not many. Ear, 20 to 30 in. high, white, tapering, 8 to 10 in. long, 1.5 to 1.8 in. in diame- ter; kernels, even at the butt; tips, well filled; rows, regular; pairs of rows, distinct, sometimes entirely separate toward the butt; cob, white, I to i.i in, in diameter. Kernel, broadly rounded over the top, broader than deep, crinkled, large. A very prolific variety of good quality, It was fit for use in 1888 in 69 to 74 days from planting, in 1889 in 88 to 94 days, in 1890 in 86 days.

Triumph; .Vaughan. Synonyms — Triumph sugar; Landreth. Triumph sweet; Smith.

Stalk, 6 to 8 ft. high, stout, short-jointed; tassel, full and heavy; suckers, few. Ear, 24 to 30 in. from the ground, white, cylindrical, tapering roundly at the tip, 7J^ to 9^ in. long, 1.6 to 2 in. in diameter; kernels even at the butt; filled out at the tip; rows, 8; pairs of rows, distinct to entirely separate; cob, white, I to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernel, rounded over the top, very large, broader than deep, crinkled or crimped. It was fit for use in 1888 in 72 to 76 days and in 1889 in 94 days from planting. This differs from the preceding in having larger ears, larger kernels, the rows of kernels not so regular, and •sometimes 10 instead of 8 rows.

LATE VARIETIES — White — Having more than 8 rows.

Early mammoth. Synonyms — Early mammoth sugar; Landreth, Vaughan. Mam- moth early; Faust. Marblehead mammoth; Gregory.

Stalk, 6 to 8 ft. high, stout, short-jointed, large-leaved; tassel, drooping; suckers, 'few. Ear, 24 to 28 in. from the ground, dull white, tapering, rounded at the tip, 7.5 to 10 in. long, 1.7 to 2.2 in. in diameter, even at the butt; tips, fairly filled; rows, 12 to 14, regular; cob, white, I to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, as deep as broad, thick, crinkled. It was fit for use in 1888 in 72 days from planting, and in 1889 in 86 to 91 days.

Mammoth; Bridgeman, Hallock, Storrs & Harrison. Synonyms— Late mammoth; Vaughan. Mammoth sugar; Salzer. Maulers mammoth; Maule.

Stalk, 7 to 8^£ ft. high, strong, leafy, pale green; tassel, large, many-branched, •drooping. Ear, 28 to 33 in. from the ground, dull white, tapering, round-pointed, 8.5 to •11.5 in. in length, 1.8 to 2.4 in. in diameter, kernels, even at the butt, nearly filling out the tip; rows, 12 to 18; cob, white, 1.2 to 1.8 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, as deep as broad, thick, crinkled. This variety was fit for use in 1888 in 76 •to 80 days, in 1889 in 96 to 98 days, and in 1890 in 92 days from planting. It differs from the preceding, which has much more slender though nearly as long an ear. The kernels of the former are also more nearly smooth.

Hickox; Hallock, Salzer. Synonyms — Hickox improved; Landreth. Hickox im- proved sugar; Henderson, Vaughan. Creedmoor; Hallock (as grown in 1890).

Stalk, 6 to 8 ft. high, heavy, leafy, short -jointed; tassel, full, rather stiff. Ear, 30 to 36 in. from the ground, white or bleached white, cylindrical, round-pointed at the tip, 8 to 10 in. long, 1.7 to 2 in. in diameter, kernels scarcely -even at the butt; tip, fairly filled; •rows, 10 to 14, regular; cob, 1.3 to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the

442 BULLETIN NO. 13. {February,

top, nearly as deep as broad, thick, crinkled or crimped. This variety was first fit for use in 1888 in 71 to 74 days, in 1889 in 91 to 95 days, and in 1890 in 84 days from planting.

Henderson; Henderson.

Stalk, 6^2 to 8 ft. high, heavy, leafy, short-jointed; tassel, much-branched, rather stiff. Ear, 28 to 30 in. from the ground, dull white; cylindrical or tapering, tip, blunt, 8 to II in. long, 1.6 to 2 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows, 10 to 16, not very regular; cob, white, I to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernels, flatly rounded over the top, irregular in shape, above medium size, as deep as broad, wrinkled and crimped, or smooth. This was fit for use in 1889 in 94 days and in 1890 in 84 days from the time of planting. This and the preceding are quite similar. Hickox is a rougher looking ear and has larger kernels than Henderson. Both resemble mimnuth in many ways, but are- smaller.

Honey; Storrs & Harrison.

Stalk, 6 to lYz ft. high, leafy, stout; tassel, rather stiff; suckers, numerous. Ear 24 in. from the ground, dull white, cylindrical, 6 to 8 inches long, 1.4 to 1.8 in. in diameter; kernels, rounded over the butt; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, 10 to 12, regular. Kernel, rounded over the top, crinkled, as deep as broad. A very prolific variety. It was fit for use in 1889 in 94 days and in 1890 in 84 days from planting.

Excelsior; Hallock. Synonyms — Potter's excelsior; Vaughan. Excelsior sugar; Maule. Large excelsior: Thorburn.

Stalk, 8 to 9 ft. high, rather strong, short-jointed, pale green; tassel, many-branched, drooping. Ear, 2 to 3 ft. from the ground, dull white, cylindrical, rounded at the tip, 6- to 8 in. long, 1.5 to 1.8 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt, filled out at the tip; rows, 10 to 12, regular; cob, white, I to 1.2 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, broader than deep, wrinkled. It was fit (or use in 1888 in 72 to 74 days, in 1889. in 90 days, and in 1890 in 84 days from planting.

Ruby; Vaughan.

Stalk, 6 to 8 ft. high, heavy, short-jointed, large-leaved; tassel, large, full, drooping;, suckers, many, large. Ear, 24 to 30 in. from the ground, a rich, creamy white, tapering, rounded at the tip, 6^ to IO in. long, 1.9 to 2.3 in. in diameter, slightly rounded over the butt, nearly filling out the tip; rows, 12 to 20, regular; cob, white or purplish, 1.2: to 1.6 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, wrinkled, very thick, deeper than broad, large. Stalks, vary in color from dark green to dark purple. Quality very good. It was fit for use in 1888 in 91 days and in 1890 in 84 to 88 days from planting. A variety easily distinguished by the dark purple found on many of the cobs and stalks.

Roslyn. Synonyms — Roslyn hybrid; Dreer, Johnson & Stokes. Simpsonia; Wilson.

Stalk, 7 to 8% ft- high, heavy, leafy, tassel, much-branched, heavy, rather stiff; suckers, few. Ear, 24 to 30 in. from the ground, cream to dull white, tapering, 7 to 10- in. long, 1.9 to 2. 4 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt; tip, well filled; rows, 12 to 16, regular; cob, white, 1.2 to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, one and one-fourth times as deep as broad, wrinkled, above medium size. This var- iety was fit for use in 1889 in 86 days from planting, and in 1890 in 88 days. The qual- ity is rather poor.

Old Colony; Vaughan. Synonyms — Sony ea intermediate; Barnard. Landredtfrs sugar; Landreth. •

Stalk, 6 to "jYz ft. high, very heavy, leafy, dark green; tassel, stiff and heavy. Ear, 24 in. from the ground, clear white, tapering abruptly, 6j£ to 8 in. long, 1.6 to 2 in. in diameter; kernels, rounded over the butt; not quite filled out at the tip; rows, 12 to 14, regular, cob, white, .9 to I.I in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, deeper than broad, wrinkled. It was fit for use in 1888 in 71 to 74 days, in 1889 in 87 to 90 days., and in 1890 in 86 days from planting.

1891.] EXPERIMENTS WITH SWEET CORN, 1890. 443

S fabler's nonpareil; Dreer. Stabler' s pedigree; Burpee.

Stalk, 7 to 8 ft. high, heavy, large-leaved, dark green; tassel, long, drooping. Ear, white, tapering, 2 to 3 ft. above the ground, 7 to 8 in. long, 1.8 to 2.2 in. in diameter; rows of kernels, 12 to 16, not regular; kernels, even at the butt; tip, well filled. Kernel, one and one-fourth times as deep as broad, wrinkled. It was fit for use in 1890 in 84 to 86 days from planting. It shells from the cob more easily when ripe than any other va- riety. Differs but little from Old Colony.

Egyptian; Dreer, Vaughan. Synonym;— Egyptian sugar; Landreth. Improved evergreen; Salzer, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Stalk, 6^ to 8 ft. high, leaf/, heavy, short-jointed; tassel, heavy, rather stiff. Ear, 2 to 3 ft. high, tapering, bluntly rounded at the tip, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.5 to 2 in. in diameter; kernels, even or slightly rounded over at the butt; filled out at the tip; rows, 12 to 14, regular; white, clear color; cob, white, I to 1. 2 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, as deep as broad, not large, wrinkled. The various plats were fit for use in 1888 in 73 to 80 days, in 1889 in 92 to 94 days, and in 1890 in 86 to 91 days from planting.

Stowell's evergreen; Haskell and others. Synonym — Evergreen sweet; Landreth.

Stalk, 6 to 8 ft. high, strong, short jointed; tassel, many-branched, rather stiff, heavy. Ear, 24 to 28 in. from the ground, white, usually tapering, "jy2 to 10 in. long, 1.9 to 2.3 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows, 14 to 16, regular; cob, white, i.i to 1.4 in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, wrinkled, deeper than broad. Stoiviirs evergreen, as sent out by different seedsmen va- ries greatly, often being so mixed as not to be recogaized except by a lew ears. The va- rious plats were fit for use in 1888 in 69 to 74 days, in 1889 in 87 to 97 days, and in 1890 in 86 days from planting.

Little gem; Vaughan, Dreer. Synonyms — Ne plus ultra; Gregory. Shoe peg; Johnson & Stokes.

Stalks, 6 to 7 feet high, slender, pale green; tassel, short, bunchy, stiff. Ear, usu- ally tapering, white, 2 to 3 ft. from the ground, 5 to 6 in. long, 1.410 1.7 in. in diameter. Kernels, usually not in rows, wrinkled, nearly twice as deep as broad, very small and slender, irregular in shape. It was fit for use in 1888 in 74 to 76 days, in 1889 in 98 days, and in 1890 in 86 to 91 days from planting.

LATE VARIETY — Colored, not yello-v— Having more than 8 rows.

An,ber cream; Landreth, Henderson.

Stalk, 6 to lYz ft. high, short-jointed, stout; tassel, many-branched, rather slender, drooping. Ear, 20 to 24 in. from the ground, reddish white to flesh color, cylindrical, long, and rather slender, 8 to 10^ in. in length, 1.5 to r.8 in. in diameter; kernels, even at the butt, not filled out at the tip; rows, 10 or 12, regular; cob. white, .9 to I.I in. in diameter. Kernel, flatly rounded over the top, as deep as broad, rather thick, crinkled. This was fit for use in 1888 in 71 to 72 days, in 1889 in 91 to 93 days, and in 1890 in 84 days from planting.

Pop Corn, Tests of Varieties.

A report upon varieties of pop corn is here inserted as collateral to that upon sweet corn, both being classed as garden crops. The pop corn varieties were primarily grown for botanical and other closely related studies, and especially in tests of cross fertilization, from which interest- ing results are to be reported at another time.

444 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

liThe list of varieties of pop corn grown the past season by the Sta- tion is as full as it was possible to make it from the seedmen's lists received. As pop corn is not so generally grown as either sweet or field corn, there has not been the same inducement to bring out or produce new varieties. So far, all the varieties of pop corn may be readily ^divided into two very distinct types or classes. One class is very commonly known as rice corn, and has kernels more or less pointed, with the outer coat, where the silks were attached, continued into a sort of spine, which may either" stand almost erect or may be depressed by the crowding of the husk on the ear. The ears in either case are rough to handle. The other class, of which the white at least is frequently known as pearl corn, has kernels rounded or flattened over the top and very smooth, the point of the at- 'tachment of the silk being lower down on the same side of the kernel as the germ. The two classes thus distinguished may be divided, as with sweet and field corn, into early, medium, and late, and these again into white, yellow, and colored, not yellow.

All the varieties of corn cross with each other so readily that it is difficult under ordinary methods to keep a variety strictly to any given type; and so we find frequently that corn sent from different sources under the same name will differ as much as corn from the same source under different names, and that there is room for question as to whether a given lot belongs in this or that group which we class as a variety.

The plats were 1-80 of an acre each. Plats of this size, even with a uniform stand are not large enough from which to make a safe estimate of what the varieties will do under field culture; and with the great variations in stand, calculations of yield are untrustworthy. Any cor- rection of calculated yield on account of stand only makes matters worse. For illustration, see bulletin No. 8, p. 280, table. The poor stand noted in so many cases may be fairly attributed to the condition of the seed when received here, as was shown by germination tests.

RICE VARIETY— Early maturing— White.

Blush; Farm, Field and Stockman.

Stalk, 5 to 7 ft. high, rather slender; blades, small, dark green or purple; tassel, long, drooping, much-branched; suckers, few, reaching only about half the size of the parent stalk. Ear, 2 to 3 ft. from the ground, tapering, dull white to purplish, 4.5 to 6 in. long, 1.2 to 1.5 in. in diameter; cob, .75 to .9 in. thick; kernels, rounded over the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows, regular or irregular, 16 to 20. Kernel, rather slender, .15 in. broad, .25 to .3 in. deep, sharp-pointed; the spines usually erect. A single plat with 90 per cent, of a stand yielded at the rate of 20 bu. per acre. One plat with 94 per cent, of a stand yielded in 1889 at the rate of 26.7 bu. per acre. The ears and kernels are below medium size and the ears are very rough. It would not be profitable to grow here. It was ripe enough to cut in 118 days from planting.

RICE VARIETY — Medium maturing — White.

Monarch rice; Suffern, Iowa Seed Co.

Stalk, "]l/2 to 8^ ft. high; joints, medium or rather short, leafy; tassel, with few branches, long, slender, drooping; suckers, many, reaching nearly the size of the parent stalk; husk blades, very small. Ear, 3^ to 5 ft. from the ground, dull white, with a

1891.] EXPERIMENTS WITH POP CORN, 1890. 445

white cob, tapering, 6.5 to 8 in. long, 1.25 to 1.5 in. in diameter; cob, .65 to .85 in. thick; kernels, rounded over the butt; tip, well filled; rows, 14 to 18, usually regular; pairs of rows, not distinct. Kernel, .2 to .25 in. broad, .3 to .35 in. deep, pointed. There were two plats of this variety with 92 and 66 per cent, of a stand, respectively, which yielded at the rate- of 46.1 and 27 bu. per acre. A single plat of the same kind with 96 per cent, of a stand yielded in 1889 at the rate of 78.7 bu. per acre. The ears are of good size and shape with large kernels, but are very rough. It was ripe enough to cut in 135 days from planting.

White rice; Harris, Iowa Seed Co. Snowball; Landreth, Salzer. Wisconsin pro- lific; H. G. Faust.

Stalk, 7 to 8 ft. high, rather short-jointed, leafy, dark green; tassel, long, slender, with few branches, drooping; suckers, many, growing to about half the size of the parent stalk; very few husk blades. Ear, 3 to 5 ft. from the ground, strongly tapering, dull white, with a white cob, 5 to 7 in. long, 1.3 to 1.75 in. in diameter; cob, .65 to .8 in. thick; kernels, rounded over the butt of the ear and usually filling out the tips; rows of kernels, 14 to 20, regular; pairs of rows, not very distinct. Kernel, pointed, the tip being continued into a spine which is either depressed or nearly erect, .15 to .2 in. wide, •3 to -35 m- deep. Five plats of this variety, with 47, 58, 71, 79, and 42 per cent, of a full stand, respectively, produced at the rate of 25.3, 19.1, 31.2, 29.5, and 15.7 bu. per acre. The corn was ripe enough to cut in 132 days from planting. A single plat yielded in 1889 at the rate of 86.3 bu. per acre. This differs from monarch rice in hav- ing a shorter ear with a greater number of rows of kernels, and the kernels more slender.

Silver lact; Wilson, of which only two kernels grew out of the 200 that were planted, seems to be the same as white rice.

Egyptian; Gregory.

Stalk, 7^ to 9 ft. high, rather slender, pale green; tassel, long, slender, with few branches, drooping; suckers, many, reaching nearly the full size of the parent stalks. Ears, 4 to 4^ ft. from the ground, tapering, clear white, with white cob, 6.5 to 7.25 in. long, 1.2 to 1.5 in. in diameter; cob, .7 to .8 in. thick; kernels, even at the butt; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, 14 to 18, regular. Kernel, .2 in. wide, .3 to .4 in. deep, pointed. A single plat of this variety with 79 per cent, of a full stand gave a yield of 30^ Ib. of ears, or at the rate of 34.3 bu. per acre. The ears are of good size and are smoother than the other varieties of rice corn. Kernel, very large. It differs from monarch rice and white rice in its lighter color, and is intermediate between them in size. It was ripe enough to cut in 132 days from planting.

RICE VARIETY— AfaA'lHH maturing— Colored, not yellow.

, f age's striped rice; Iowa Seed Co.

Stalk, 6^ to 7 ft. high, slender; joints, long; blades, dark green; tassel, long, slen- der, drooping, with but few branches; suckers, few, small; husk blades, small. Ear, 2 to 3 ft. from the ground, tapering or nearly cylindrical, usually white and red striped, with speckled cobs, 4.5 to 6.5 in. long, 1.2 to 1.5 in. in diameter; cob, .5 to .75 in. thick? kernels, even or rounded at the butt; tip, well-filled; rows, regular, 12 to 16. Kernel, .15 to .25 in. broad, .3 to .4 in. deep, sharp-pointed; spines, usually depressed. A single plat with 68 per cent, of a stand yielded 133^ Ib. of ears, or at the rate of 15.5 bu. per acre. The ears are below and the kernels above the average size. The ears are very rough. It was ripe enough to cut in 132 days from planting.

RICE VARIETY— Late maturing— White.

California; Wilson.

Stalk, 4 to 5 ft. high, heavy, short-jointed, leafy, dark green; tassel, short stiff, much -branched, bunchy; suckers, many, about half the size of the parent stalk. Ear,

446 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

2 to 3 ft. from the ground, nearly cylindrical, creamy white, with a white cob, 2^ to 3^ in. long, I to 1.15 in. in diameter; cob, .5 to .6 in. thick; kernels well rounded over the butt; tip, perfectly filled; rows of kernels, usually so irregular as to be indistinguishable. Kernel, very slender, .1 to .15 in. broad, .3 to .35 in. long, pointed; the spine, usually depressed. A single plat with 12 per cent, of a stand yielded 2^ Ib. of ears, or at the rate of 2.8 bu. per acre. The ears and kernels are both very small. It pops well and is of very good quality. This was the latest variety of pop corn grown this season, being ripe enough to cut in 146 days from planting.

PEARL VARIETV— Early maturing— White.

Nonpareil; Gregory.

Stalk, 5 t° 6 ft. high, slender, not very leafy, dark green; tassels, long, with few branches, drooping; suckers, few, small; husk blades, small. Ear, i^ to 2 ft. from the ground, cylindrical, sometimes enlarged at the butt, dull white, with a white cob, 6 to 8^ in. long, .9 to i.i in. in diameter; cob, .45 to .6 in. thick; kernels, barely even at the butt; tip of ear, well filled; rows of kernels, 8, very regular; pairs of rows, separated at the butt. Kernel, flattened across the top, .25 in. broad, .2 in deep. A plat of this variety with 67 per cent, of a full stand, yielded 16 Ib. of corn, or at the rate of 18 bu. per acre. The ears are long, slender, smooth, and the corn pops well. It is entirely distinct from any other variety of pop-corn in having only 8 rows of kernels to the ear. It was ripe enough to cut in 118 days from planting.

PEARL VARIETIES — Medium maturing — White.

Common white; Landreth.

Stalk, 10 to 12 ft. high, rather slender, short-jointed; blades, large, dark green; tassel, short, much-branched, drooping; suckers, many, reaching nearly the full size of the parent stalk. Ear, from 5 to 7 ft. abDve the ground, cylindrical, white, with a white cob, 6 to 8 in. long, i.i to 1.4 in. in diameter; cob .65 to .85 in. thick; kernels, even or only slightly rounded past the butt; tip, fairly filled; rows of kernels, 12 tp 16, very reg- ular. Kernel, .25 in. broad, .25 in. deep, rounded over the top, smooth. This variety yields well. One plat with 78 per cent, of a full stand, yielded this year 45^ Ib. of ears, or at the rate of 50.9 bu. per acre. A plat of the same variety in 1889 with gt per cent, of a stand yielded at the rate of 98.3 bu. per acre. It pops well; the ear is above medium size, very smoDth though slender; kernels of medium size. It was ripe enough to cut in 139 days from planting.

Pearl; Dreer.

Stalk, 7 to 8% ft. high, rather large; blades, large, dark green; tassel, long, with few branches, drooping; suckers, many, reaching about three-fourths the size of the parent stalk. Ear, 3.5 to 4 5 ft. from the ground, nearly cylindrical, clear white, with a white cob, 6 to 8 in. long, I to 1.4 in. in diameter; cob .55 to .65 in. through; kernels, even at the butt; tip, usually well filled; rows of kernels, 10 to 14, regular. Kernel, .2 in. broad, .25 in. deep, very smooth, somewhat flattened over the top. One plat with 88 per cent, of a full stand yielded 41 Ib. of ears, or at the rate of 46. 1 bu. per acre. The ears are long, slender and smooth. It differs from the com>iun white in having longer and more slender ears and in making a much smaller growth of stalk. It was rips enough to cut in 125 days from planting.

Maple Dale prolific; Wilson.

Stalk, 6 to 8 ft. high, rather heavy, short-jointed, leafy, dark green; tassel, slender, with few branches, drooping; suckers, many, reaching about three-fourths the size of the parent stalk. Ear, 3 to 4^ ft. from the ground, nearly cylindrical, dull white, with a white cob, 5 to 6.5 in. long, i.i to 1.5 in. in diameter; cob, .6 to .7 in. thick; kernels, rounded over the butt; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, 12 to 14, regular. Kernel, .2 to -.25 in. broad, .25 to .3 in. deep. A single plat with 23 per cent, of a stand yielded 8^

1891.] EXPERIMENTS WITH POP CORN, 1890. 447

Ib. of ears, or at the rate of 9.8 bu. per acre. This variety is smaller and apparently no more prolific than the common white or pearl. Its chief attraction is in the name. It was ripe enough to be cut in 139 days from planting.

Silver lace; Burpee.

Stalk, 6 to 7 ft. high, short-jointed, leafy, dark green; tassel, much-branched, slender, drooping; suckers, many, reaching nearly the full size of the parent stalk. Ear, 3 to 4 ft. from the ground, tapering, dull white, with a white cob, 4.5 to 6 in. long, I to 1.25 in. in diameter; cob, .55 to .75 in. through; kernels, even at the butt; tip, poorly filled; rows of kernels, 14 to 18, regular or irregular. Kernel, .15 to .2 in. broad, .2 to .25 in. deep, smooth. A single plat with n per cent, of a full stand yielded 3 Ib. of ears or at the rate of 3.4 bu. per acre. The ears are rather small and all were poorly filled. Its- only merit seems to be that it is different from the other varieties. It was ripe enough to cut in 125 days from planting.

PEARL VARIETY — Early Maturing —Yellow.

Golden Tom Thumb; Wilson, Burpee.

Stalk, 2 to 3 ft. high, slender, blades small; tassel, short, stiff, few or no branches; no suckers; husk blades, very small. Ear, 6 to 12 in. from the ground, yellow, with a white cob 2.25 to 3.25 in. long, .75 to .9 in. in diameter; cob, .5 to .6 in. in diam- eter; kernels, even at the butt; tip well filled, but the cob, poorly filled as a whole; rows of kernels, 8 to 12, very irregular. Kerne), smooth, .15 to .2 in. broad, .2 10.25 in- l°ng.

This small corn is not worth growing, except as a curiosity. It ripens earlier than any other variety, being ripe enough to cut in 97 days from planting. Two plats with 22 and 51 per cent, of a stand, respectively, gave yields of 2. 8 and 3.9 bu. per acre.

PEARL VARIETIES — Medium Maturing — Yellow.

Queen 's golden • Rawson, Station.

Stalk, 7 to 8 ft. high, rather heavy; joints, medium length, leafy; tassel, slender} much branched, drooping; suckers, few, small; husk blades, very small. Ear, 4 to 4^ ft. from the ground, light, or lemon yellow, with a white cob, tapering, 6^ to 8^- in. long, 1.25 to 1.55 in. in diameter; cob, .7^ to .9 in. thick; kernels, rounded over the butt; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, 12 to 16, regular. Kernel, we 11 rounded over the top, .25 to .3 in. broad, .3 to .35 in. deep, smooth, slightly inclin ed to dent, as shown by the texture which is not of a flinty character throughout. This variety produces a large yield; 2 plats with a full stand gave an average yield in 1889 of 112. 1 bu. per acre. Twa plats with 52 and 17 percent, of stand, respectively, gave yields in 1890 of 3 1.8 andgbu. per acre. The ears.are large, smooth, and of good shape. It pops well, has a yellowish color when popped, and has the taste peculiar to yellow corn. It was ripe enough to be cut in 132 days from planting.

Dwarf golden; Gregory.

Stalk, 7 to 8)4 ft- high, slender, rather long-jointed, dark green; tassel, short, stiff many branches; suckers, few, small. Ear, 12 to 18 in. from the ground, tapering, orange yellow, with a white cob, 6 to 8 in. long, 1.2 to 1.6 in. thick; cob, .7 to .9 in. thick J kernels, even or rounded over the butt; tip, well filled; rows of kernels, very regular; pairs of rows, indistinct. Kernel, short, smooth, .25 to .3 in. broad, .3 to .35 in. deep, slightly inclined to dent. This variety yields well; a single plat with 76 per cent, of a full stand yielded at the rate of 52.6 bu. per acre; in other words, a plat of 1-80 of an acre yielded 46^ Ib. ear corn. The ears are of large size and good shape, with very large kernels. It pops well, retaining a yellowish color when popped, and has the laste peculiar to yellow corn. It differs from queen1 s golden in the color being darker and in having the ears borne much lower on the stalk. It was ripe enough to cut in 132 days- from planting.

THOMAS J. BI-RRILL, PH. D., Horticulturist and Botanist.

GEO. \V. McCi.rER, B. S., Assistant Horticulturist.

448 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

GROWTH AND INCREASE OF DRY MATTER IN CORN.

Experiment No. po.

The following preliminary report is made of a series of observations on the rate of growth of field corn, as determined by measurements and by ascertaining the quantity of dry matter at different dates. The design is to attempt to determine by a series of such observations the relations be- tween growth, both of the whole plant, and of its different constituents, and meteorological conditions; and also to help to determine the stage of growth at which the plant has the greatest food value.

The plan adopted is to cut, to measure, and to examine by chemical analysis at stated intervals during the season of growth, the stalks of du- plicate or triplicate hills grown under conditions as nearly similar as pos- sible. The average results of the examination of six or nine stalks will usually give a fairly correct basis for comparison. Work of this nature has been done during 1889 and 1890, under very similar conditions of soil, cultivation, time of planting, etc., but with different varieties.

The condensed table on p. 449 shows that corn planted the first week of May reached its maximum height (about 10 ft.) August 5th in 1889, and July 2ist in 1890. In each year a growth of 25 in. was made in seven days; July 8th to isth in 1889, and June 23d to 3oth in 1890. In the lat- ter year a growth of 48 in. was made in 14 days, from June i6th to June 3oth. With the average temperature nearly the same, but with two inches greater rainfall in May, 1889, than in May, 1890, the corn made much less growth during the month in the former year. With the average tempera- ture nine degrees lower and the rain-fall much greater in June, 1889, than in June, 1890, the corn had not half the height at the end of the month in the former that it had in the latter year. With the average temperature nearly the same, but with a much greater rain-fall in July, 1889, than^ in July, 1890, the growth in the latter year was much more rapid.

The results each year show that the quantity of solid or dry matter in the corn plant is relatively very small in the early stages of its growth. When the corn had reached half its total height it had but about seven per cent, and when in full tassel about 36 per cent, of its maximum weight of dry matter. When the kernels were in the soft milk stage, the plants contained about 62 per cent, of the maximum weight of dry matter in 1889, and about 78 per cent, in 1890. In 1889, there was a continuous increase of weight, with but a single exception, until the corn was ripe. In 1890, there was greater variation, but the greatest weight was at the final cut- ting, when the corn was thoroughly ripe. Some of the variations near the close of the season are partly explained by the dropping of the dried leaves and tassels.

In Experiment No. 77, Corn-Fodder, Effect of Ripeness, an early ma- turing variety of dent corn was planted May 5, 1890. One plat was cut when in the milk or roasting-ear stage; one when the kernels were dented and fairly hard; and one when the corn was fully ripe. The weights for

<;kOWTH AND INCREASE OF DRY MATTER IN CORN.

449

equal plats when thoroughly field-cured were 1,328, 1,710, and 1,810 Ib. The weights of the ear corn from three plats, each one-tenth of an acre, were 302.50, 425.75, and 475.25 Ib. The weights were determined of sev- eral samples of 100 kernels each from the corn on these three plats, and found to be 19, 29, and 31 grams per 100 kernels.

The indications of these trials clearly are that, so far as quantity of dry matter is concerned, there is a great loss in cutting corn before it is fairly matured, whether it is designed for field-cured fodder or for ensilage;

TABLE SHOWING AVERAGE HEIGHT AND GRAMS OF DRY MATTER OF CORN PLANTS CUT AT DATES AND STAGES OF GROWTH GIVEN.

Date of cut- ling.	Av. height of stalk, in.	Grams dry mat- ter per hill.	Stage of growth.
To top of leal.	To top of tas- sel.
June 10	7.6		2^48 10. II 33-84 75-45 197.98 322.90 408.07 589.09 681.54 72450 94952 906.21 1,034-55 1,176
" 17 " 25 July i " 8 " 15--- • " 22... . " 30... • Aug. 5... . " 12. . ", l%- • " 26... . Sept. 2. . . . " 10... . " 16. .. .	14.7 26.7 42-5 533 78.2 92 103-5 121. 8 110.5 110.3 1 10.8 106 9 1 08 106.3	75-2 100.8 1 20 in. 6 109.8 108.1 103-5 108 106
'
Tassels showing. All in tassel, bloom, and silk.
Silk dead or partly dead. Soft milk stage. Milk stage or past. Mostly glazed. Milk stage to ripe. Ripe, except one ear.

1890.

June 2. ...	14.7		2
" o. .	27		8.4C
•• 16.::::	38.3		30 17
1 23. ..	J"-J 6l.3		06.84
' 30. .	866		1 74.. A
Tu v 7.	08		4CX 8^
' 14 * 21	y 1 10.6 118.6	102.6 117	502.7 687.47	In tassel.
< 28	114 6	III	868 86
Aui7. A. .	IOQ 3	HO 7	892 93
" II	106.3	IOQ. 3	878.83
" 18 " 25 Sept. 2 " 8. .. " 15 " 22	"3-3 115.6 113.6 112. 6 1 06 1 14.	iwy.j 106 118.3 "3-3 1 10. 6 104 117. 6	1,033-6 1,180.45 *M55- 1,264.33 * i, 032. 4 i 046 i	Milk stage. Milk stage. Kernels, dented; husks, partly dry; dry. Ears, dented except one; husks leaves, one-half dry. Nearly or entirely ripe.	bottom leaves, >, mostly dry;
" 30...	112	in.-?	1,327

*Field notes show that September 2d, the stalks in one hill had been blown down and the ears had not developed, and that September I5th, one stalk had been broken off and two others were of less than normal size.

450 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February,

that to cut it for soiling or summer feeding, when it is in tassel even, is to lose more than half its possible food supply; that to cut it when the ker- nels are in the soft milk stage causes a loss of one-fourth or more of the possible yield of dry matter; that the dry matter of the corn kernels in- creases relatively more than that of the stalks in the later periods of growth.

Other considerations will greatly affect the decision as to the best time for cutting. This preliminary report does not take account of the digestibility or palatability of the fodder at different stages of maturity, nor of the greater or less degree of loss in curing ox from exposure, as affected by cutting at earlier or later stages. In case wet weather follows the cutting, the immature corn would probably be most injured. In some years corn cut when in the milk stage and left in the field in ordinary sized shocks would become unfit for food. On the other hand the longer the corn is left uncut the greater the danger of injury from storms or from the loss of leaves, etc. When fed fresh, the immature corn is usually very palatable — much more so than when dried. In some cases, at least, the earlier cut corn-fodder is less palatable when dried than is that cut when more mature.

In 1889, the variety of corn used was Edmonds, an early maturing yellow dent variety. It was planted May 4th, in rows 3 ft. 8 in. apart each way. Fifteen pairs of hills were selected and thinned to three stalks each June loth. The plants were quite uniform throughout the plat. Two hills were cut close to the ground at the dates given in table on page 449 and the averages in height and weight are given.

In 1890, Burr's white, a medium maturing variety, was planted May 5th in rows as in 1889. Twenty-one sets of three hills each were selected as nearly alike as possible and thinned to three stalks each June 2d. These hills were cut at dates specified in the table on p. 449, which gives the average of the results.

The field work of this experiment during 1889 and 1890 was under the direct charge of Professor T. F. Hunt, now of the State College and Agricultural Experiment Station of Pennsylvania.

G. E. MORROW, A. M., Agriculturist.

WEIGHT OF EAR CORN PER BUSHEL OF SHELLED CORN.

Several inquiries have been received as to the number of pounds of ear corn required to make a bushel, 56 lb., of shelled corn at different seasons of the year, the implication or direct statement being that the common prac- tice of requiring 70 lb. is, this season, more to the interest of the buyer than of the seller. The percentage of water in corn in central Illinois when

1891.] EAR CORN PER BUSHEL OF SHELLED CORN. 451

husked in the autumn of 1890 was considerably less than in the years im- mediately preceding. We have found 70 Ib. for the early; 73 for the medium; and 78 for the late maturing varieties tested at this Station, was sufficient to produce a bushel of air-dry corn at the last of October.

Tests have been made Feb. 14, 1891, in which a trifle over 65 Ib. of Murdock, an early maturing; 66^4 Ib. of Learning; less than 67 Ib. of Burr's white; and a little over 66 Ib. of mixed varieties of yellow dent made 56 Ib. of shelled corn. The ears were not especially selected. The corn was taken from the crib in three cases and from shocked corn in the fourth. Probably a little more would be required if large quantities of either variety tested were shelled by large power-shellers. The indica- tions are clearly that 70 Ib. is more than is necessary to make a bushel of shelled corn this season in central Illinois.

When thoroughly air-dry, 12 Ib. of cob per bu. or 68 Ib. of good ear corn for 56 Ib. of shelled corn would seem a maximum for any variety suitable to be grown in this latitude. When the ears have been carefully selected, as in selecting corn for seed, less than this should be sufficient. When delivered to the buyer in the ear, there are often many partly shelled ears, inferior ears, some dirt, etc.

No fixed rule can be given for determining the proper weight of ear corn for a bushel of shelled corn soon after husking. The per cent, of moisture in both cob^and kernel varies greatly in different sea'sons and in different varieties.

G. E. MORROW, A. M., Agriculturist.

All communications intended for the Station should be addressed, not to any person, but to the

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

The bulletins of the Experiment Station will be sent free. of all charges to persons engaged in farming who may request that they be sent.

SELIM H. PEABODY,

President Board of Direction.

452 BULLETIN NO. 13. [February, 1891.

ORGANIZATION.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. ALEXANDER McLEAN, Macomb, President.

JOSEPH W. FIFER, Governor of Illinois. LAFAYETTE FUNK, Shirley, President State Board of Agriculture.

HENRY RAAB, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

S. M. MILLARD, Highland Park. GEORGE R. SHAWHAN, Urbana..

CHARLES BENNETT, Mattoon. W. W. CLEMENS, Marion

OLIVER A. BARKER, Carbondale. FRANCIS M. McKAY, Chicago.

EMORY COBB, Kankakee. SAMUEL A. BULLARD, Springfield.,

BOARD OF DIRECTION OF THE EXPERIMENT STATION,

SELIM H, PEABODY, LL. D., Champaign, Regent of the University, President.

E. E. CHESTER, Champaign, of State Board of Agriculture.

HENRY M. DUNLAP, Savoy, of State Horticultural Society.

H. B. GURLER, DeKalb, of State Dairymen's Association,

EMORY COBB, Kankakee, Trustee of the University.

CHARLES BENNETT, Mattoon, Trustee of the University.

GEORGE S. HASKELL, Rockford, Trustee of the University.

GEORGE E. MORROW, A. M., Champaign, Professor of Agriculture.

THOMAS J. BURRILL, Ph. D., Urbana, Professor of Botany and Horticulture..

THE STATION STAFF.

GEORGE E. MORROW, A. M., Agriculturist.

THOMAS J. BURRILL, Ph. D., Horticulturist and Botanist.

STEPHEN A. FORBES, Ph. D., Consulting Entomologist.

DONALD McINTOSH, V. S., Veterinarian.

*THOMAS F. HUNT, B. S., Assistant Agriculturist.

GEORGE W. McCLUER, B. S., Assistant Horticulturist.

EDWARD H. FARRINGTON, M. S., Assistant Chemist.

GEORGE P. CLINTON, B. S., Assistant Botanist.

E. K. NELSON, Second Assistant Chemist. WILLIAM L. PILLSBURY, A. M., Champaign, Secretary.

*Resigned January 15, 1891.

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