REPORT OF MR. R. ROBERTSON 273 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



EvDUN CORN SOWN AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES APART. 



Experiments were again carried on this year with corn planted at different dis- 

 tances apart. The land was similar to that in the uniform test plots, and had the 

 same treatment. Three varieties were used. The corn was planted June 9 and cut 

 September 27. The following table gives the names of the varieties used, the distances 

 apart in the rows, and the yield obtained. The plots were one- fortieth acre each : — 



FIELD CEOP OF ENDIAN COEK 



Three acres of Indian corn was grown in six plots of one-half acre each. The 

 land was a clay loam in a good state of fertility, and had been in clover hay the pre- 

 vious 3'ear. For five of these plots the aftermath was left growing until early in June. 

 Manure at the rate of 20 tons per acre had been spread on the grass as early as pos- 

 sible in the spring, and early in June this was ploughed under along with a heavy crop 

 of grass. One plot of one-half acre was ploughed last fall and manure spread on it 

 at the rate of 20 tons per acre this spring, and well worked in with the spade harrow 

 before sowing, the object being to compare the results of these two methods of treat- 

 ment. The variety known as Longfellow was used for this latter plot. 



To one-half acre each of Compton's Early and Dakota White was added commer- 

 cial fertilizer at the rate of 250 lbs. per acre, another half acre of each was left with 

 manure alone. After ploughing, this was well worked up with disc, springtooth and 

 smoothing harrows and sown in rows 35 inches apart with the drill seedei' on June 9. 

 The land was gone over once with a light smoothing harrow before the corn came up 

 and cultivated with the Breed weeder and one-horse cultivator six times throughout the 

 summer. This crop made very satisfactory growth. The following table shows the 

 results : — ■ 



16—18 



