54 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



of the stand. It is also influenced more or less by the season. The 

 corn plant, so far as we know, was originally a very much branched 

 plant, sending up a number of stalks from one grain, much as wheat and 

 oats yet do. By selection of the largest ear for seed, we have to a 

 very great degree eliminated the branching tendency or the tendency to 

 develop suckers. That is, we have selected the largest ear for seed, 

 which means that we have taken the ear from the stalk that had not 

 branched badly. Among the conditions favoring the development of 

 suckers may be mentioned a very thin stand and a very favorable season 

 for growth. The development of a large number of suckers indicates 

 that you have not a full stand for your land and for the season. Some 

 very interesting experiments along that line have just been reported by 

 the Nebraska Experiment Station, and I will give you figures here 

 showing the influence of the thickness of planting upon the development 

 of suckers. 



As an average of several years of experiments — 



lOO plants, planted four stalks in the hill, developed 8 suckers. 



lOO plants, three stalks in the hill, produced 25 suckers. 



100 pants, two stalks in the hill, developed 76 suckers, 



100 plants, one stalk in the hill, produced 198 suckers. 



Thus as we progress toward a thinner stand the tendency of the 

 plant to cover the ground completely by the development of those suck- 

 ers was very manifest. 



The question arises what is best to do with those suckers when they 

 are numerous enough to become a menace. For instance, during the 

 time of a drought when the water supply of the soil is drawn upon 

 heavily to develop a crop, these suckers arc in the way there just as 

 much as additional stalk would be ; indeed, they oftentimes become that. 

 What was originally a sucker becomes another stalk — a little later in 

 coming on it is true — but another stalk with an entire root system. 

 What shall be done with these suckers? Shall they be removed or be 

 allowed to remain? The data and experiments on this point are very 

 limited. Some experiments made at the Nebraska Experiment Station 

 covering three seasons, too short a time for a safe conclusion, indicate 

 that tiiere was no benefit to be derived from the removal of suckers. 

 That is to say, the injury done to tiic plant in the removing of the 

 sucker was of more consequence than allowing the suckers to stay there. 

 This will need further confirmation, and more experiments will need 

 to be made before we can say that this will be true in the majority of 

 seasons. I should say in passing that some varieties tend much more 

 to produce suckers than do others. The sweet corn, as vou all know, 



