Gilpin observer., 1903-08-20
FARMING MATTERS.
Theory Of Corn Planting.

corn states give few winter evenings,
and O.000,0 900 bushels will be added to
the annual corn crop OF the corn belt"
In these words Prof. P. G. Holden of
the Ames Agricultural College sum-
marizes the campaign instituted by
himself and the Iowa Corn Growers
Association.
1t Is not increased acreage that Pro-
fessor Holden wants-it is better re-
suits from the present acreage 1t is
not by any artificial culture he would
bring about these apparently gigantic
results. He promises and demonstrates
they will be realized II the former does
the simple thing of putting a hundred
live kernels in every thirty hills.
Entirely unique in the science of ag-
ronomy is the experimental work of
Professor Holden, and throughout the
state of Iowa he has convinced meet
ings of farmers that for once a pro-
fessor in an agricultural college has a
reform that is thoroughly practical. In
word, his plan requires only the sort
ing by hand of seed corn into lots of
uniform size and the filing Of the plates
in corn planters in such way as to
drop the required number of grains
of corn in each hill. The missionary
work is being extended to other states
and it is proposed to have every farmer
in the corn belt eventually find how
to plant his corn to get the best yield.
The Iowa Corn Growers Association
has been formed by farmers. and only
farmers who believe Professor Hold
ems theory is right. w. G. Whiting,
of Whiting, Iowa, in charge of the ag-
ricultural division of the Iowa commits
sion for the Louisiana Purchase Ex-
lwx- ILL tz1 90.
the Ames College and the Corn Grow
ers' Association a trophy valued at
$3.50, which will be awarded annually
for seventy-five years for the best re-
suits in corn-growing according to
Professor Holden's theory. The trophy
is entirely unique, representing an ear
of corn eighteen inches long, the husks
of silver, and ear of gold, standing on
an ebony case. Upon the base are four
scrolls of silver, decorated by tiny gold
ears of corn, upon which will be in
scriptions of the names of the winners
of the object for which the cup was
given.
To find how much the farmers OF
Iowa are losing each year by not prop
erly planting corn, Professor Holden
last year sent 600 letters. to all parts
of Iowa, asking the number of stalks in
each hill in cornfields. He found that
the stand was but seventy-five per cent.
of what he has demonstrated will pro-
duce the largest yield, and last years
corn crop was generally considered a
good stand The other day he himself
inspected twenty-four of the best corn
fields he could find.
Il found" he reported to meeting
of the Iowa Corn Growers Association
in Sioux City, from thirty-nine, to
eighty-six and twO-tenths per cent. OF
a perfect stand. The average loss was
thirty-eight and seven-tenths per cent
/ do not mean by this that the field
that has five stalks in each hill is bet
ter than one with four, and that hills
of six stalks are better than hills q
five l have found that the best results
are obtained from an average of about
three and one-third stalks to a hill
Our experiments have shown that one
stalk in hill will produce but one
third as much corn as a proper num-
ber of stalks, two stalks three-fourths
of a yield and five stalks the same. In
making my tables l counted either
three or four stalks 100 per cent.
stand"
For ten years the average yield OF
corn in Iowa has been approximately
thirty-five bushels. A yield of thirty
five bushels. with seventy per cent.
stand. which is the average found in a
number of years. would become fifty
bushels with a 100 per cent. stand
The acreage planted 10 corn in the
seven states growing over 100.000.00U
bushels of corn in 1902 was: Illinois,
9,623. $50; Iowa. 1902 .6SS; Nebraska.
1917 1862; Kansas. 7,45l. .692; Missouri,
6.775. 1874; Indiana. 4.520,637; Ohio. 3d.
200.224. The combined acreage was
about 100000 a gain of ten bushels
an acre. or a ninety per cent. stand.
which Professor Holden thinks is cas-
lily attainable. would mean an increase
in the annual yield of these states OF
4S0 900, 900 bushels.