Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886
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190 habit of producing two ears as a rule. Our soil and the corn plant seem abundantly able to do this, and it seems probable the total product can be increased in this way. The advantage in husking is with the single large ear, but an increased yield would more than counterbalance this. We are testing this matter with a favorite variety. It is well known that the character of both stalk and ear may be considerably changed in a' very few years by selection. In three years we have made white the color of a very large majority of the ears in a variety which, when received, produced white ears only in very rare cases. This gives additional encouragement in attempts to increase productiveness by increase of number of ears. PERCENTAGE OF BARREN STALKS. The extent to which the yield of corn is reduced by barren stalks is greater than is often supposed. This loss varies from year to year, as well as in different varieties. Violent storms when the corn is in bloom may prevent the fertilization of many ears. This we cannot easily control. But if is strongly believed that the productiveness of any variety may be increased by • preventing fertilization by the pollen of barren stalks by removal of the tassel from these, or by cutting away the stalks entirely so soon as it is discovered that no ear is to appear. This course is impracticable in general field culture, but can be applied to small plats especially designed for seed. Examination of several varieties grown in 1886 on the University farms shows an unusually large percentage of barren stalks, with, marked variations between varieties in the same field. It is believed a violent wind and rain storm, when the later varieties were in bloom, is largely the cause of the surprising percentage of barren stalks in several varieties. The two varieties making the best showing are much earlier in maturing than either of the others. In noting the results as shown in the table following, it should be borne in mind that many of the stalks not counted barren produced ears of very little value. The first three varieties were planted m hills; the last four in drills. All are dent varieties, counted valuable. The average of barren stalks in the seven varieties is over 14 per cent. Examination of a single variety in a former year showed only 8 per cent, of barren stalks: Variety. Murdock S m i t h ' s Mixed D e n t Learning CJhampaign Yellow Dent B u r r ' s White D e n t C h a m p a i g n White P e a r i Monticello . Averages Percent, No. with No. with .No. No. stalks. OIK ear. two e a r s . b a r r e n . b a r r e n . 462 451 414 412 362 394 384 !' 1 ! i ! j ! 31 32 79 58 126 98 72 71 + iiii iii 17 30 12 8 44 18- ! | ' i i ! 6.2 6.4 15.8 11.6 25 2 19.6 14 4 14.1 411 +
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