The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-10-13
of shelled corn from Is ears, 81

IL ears, OF POUNDS.
Fourth row, 5 hills Of i stalks
each-2O stalks. Produced 16 ears;
Is on Is stalks and 4 barren.
Weight of shelled corn from Is ears,
81 pounds.
Fifth row, 5 hills of 4 stalks each
20 stalks. Produced "a ears; Is
on Is stalks and 8 Or 4 stalks.
Weight of shelled corn from "a ears,
8 pounds.
Sixth row, 5 hills Of 4 stalks each
30 stalks. Produced 21 ears; Is
on Is stalks, 6 on 3 stalks, l barren
and l broken. Weight Of corn from
Fl ears, Z pounds.
Weight of damaged kernels from
all, 2 pounds.
Total: 464 pounds from LIS acre.
Our experiment has given us, by
actual weight, at the rate Of 145
bushels of shelled corn to the acre.
On examination we find that only
106 stalks out of the 100 bore any
thing. Suppose the barren and acct
dentaIIy broken stalks had borne
one a each, this would have added
6 pounds more, giving us 50 instead
of 46f pounds; or at the rate of 1853
bushels to the acre.
DAMAGED KERNELS AND SMALL EARS.
A number Of the ears were quite
small and im%perfectly tertilized, 1-2O
of all the grains was damaged by
the excessive rains, and the worms
and smut damaged an equal guam
tity. Could all the 1O6 ears above
weighed have reached their normal
growth and had each of the barren
and broken stalks produced one
normal ear each; and had there been
no damaged kernels, the yield would
easily have reached the rate of 200
bushels to the acre.
COMPARISON OF GRAIN WITH COB.
The weight of cob in this expert
ment was 5 pounds 10 OUNCES
about Is of the whole. The usual
allowance for weight of cob is II
pounds to the bushel, and as we have
1928 bushels in our experiment, the
cob should be II! pounds. But the
actual weight is a small fraction over
half this. Upon examination of the
kernels and cob, this wonderful dit.
ference is quite apparent. Our cobs
are mere pipe stems, and the kernels
are deep, sound and heavy. We
propose increasing the weight of
kernel to the maximum, while we
will try to bring the stalk, fodder,
Shuck and cob to the minimum.
ROOT PRUNING.
1t will be seen that the outside
row in which there was no direct
attempt at root pruning with the
knife, produced the best result;
though the fifth row made as many
ears, lacking one, with 1t difference
in weight Of grain amounting to 1!
pounds. AS we will proceed to show,
this great difference i'll gain by the
outside row can be attributed to
nothing else than that it received
more ofthe sunshine of the Is clear
days and those that were partially
clear. On spading up the roots for
examination after the stalks were
cut down, it was found that all the
roots. in all the rows alike, had
grown directly downward; and that
no signs of the II inch knife that
had been passed vertically around
each stalk at a distance of three
inches were to be seer in the roots.
an explanation of this downward
vertical direction of the roots, we
the fact that April was an
entirely dry month. These roots
also show, by their backward and
decayed appearance, an excess of
wet that told upon the health of
the plants and their power of repro
.uction. Root pruning as a thing
accomplished, has not entered into
this experiment, and our belief that
it must enter largely into the deter
mining and fixing the number of
ears has not been shaken.
POINTS IN SECURING SEED.
First, we must have seed with a
great deal Of vitality, ready to give
a healthy plant for each kernel, and
quick to grow off, with a deep color.
c u seed that will produce
The most grain to the acre by weight.
Our own observation and experience
says have the cobs small; the ker-
nels deep, sound and heavy; the
medium, and the shuck light.
The writer is working for this: and
ventures the assertion without