EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



437 



herein reported shows that, where the corn is drilled as in Plot 1, or drilled 

 in rows 14 inches apart as in Plot 2, the per cent of protein is but little 

 more than half as much as where the sun and wind are allowed to cir- 

 culate freely about the separated plants as in Plots 4 and 5. The com- 

 position of the corn in Plot 3, is evidently abnormal, due to the work of 

 cut worms and other insect enemies which had thinned the corn, render- 

 ing the correct interpretation of the results exceedingly difficult. The 

 experiment notwithstanding this blemish, indicates very clearly that the 

 per cent of protein in the corn crop as a whole, including stalks and ears, 

 increases as the amount of seed decreases, up to the point where each 

 particular corn plant receives its full amount of sun and air. 



The amount of starch, sugar and other soluble carbohydrates included 

 under the general term of N. free extract does not seem to be influenced 

 by the thickness of planting. The same is true of the ash. Of the crude 

 fiber there is a greater proportion present in the yields of the thickly sown 

 plots. 



The next table gives the yields of each plot not only of green fodder 

 but of dry matter, protein, N. free extract, crude fiber, and fat as well. 



Yields per acre of the thickly sown and thinly planted plots in 1896. 



Plotl 



Plot 2 



Plot 3 



Plot 4 



Plots 



Silage cfTn 

 Sorghum .. 



Green 



fodder. 



Lbs. 



30,608 

 17,008 

 21,860 

 19,344 

 16,416 

 29,684 

 38,676 



Dry 



matter. 



Lbs. 





9,411.96 



5,483.38 

 7,500.17 

 5,814.81 

 4,790.19 

 8,655.85 

 7,700.39 



Protein. 

 Lbs. 



300.24 

 188.08 

 558.01 



a«9.ot 



331.96 

 735.74 

 429.14 



Fat 

 Lbs. 



164.71 

 110.76 

 269.26 

 185.49 

 170.05 

 312.48 

 447.39 



Possibly on account of the wet season. Plot 1 drilled in rows only seven 

 inches apart gave the greatest yield of green forage and dry matter. The 

 plot next to it with rows 14 inches apart returned but little more than 

 half as much while Plot 3, with rows 28 inches apart, returned two-thirds 

 as much green forage and nearly eighty per cent as much dry matter. 

 In studying the table it must be borne in mind that the field was infested 

 with both wire worms and cut worms whose depredations have influenced 

 the results. 



Turning now from the dry matter to that most valuable constituent, 

 protein, the experiment shows us that although the yields of Plots 3, 4 

 and 5, were much less than that of Plot 1, both in green fodder and dry 

 matter they exceeded Plot 1 in the amount of protein. 



The yield per acre of the N. free extract is also worthy of notice. Here 

 the thickly-sown plot returned the largest amount. The same is true 

 of the crude fiber. 



Before discussing farther the experiments of 189G, recognizing the dan- 

 ger of drawing conclusions from the results of a single trial, it may be 

 well to review the results of the experiment of 1897. This test was made 

 on the south side of Field 8 of the College farm. The plots were 94 rods 



