724 



Several ears from each plat were inclosed in cloth sacks and were fertilized with 

 pollen from several plants in the same plat. Usually the ears were pollinated from 

 two to four times ; because of the drought many of these ears failed to produce a 

 single grain. ' 



A list of the forty-one kinds of crossed corn planted is given, with 

 brief descriptions of the ears obtained in 1890. 



Practical summary. — The general indications from the experiments of 

 the three years are thus summed up: 



Numerous crosses between varieties of maize by means of artificial pollination 

 were mostly successful, the different races (as dent, flint, soft, sweet, and pop-corn) 

 crossing apparently with equal non-resistance. 



The eff"ects of the crossing are in comparatively few cases (mostly in sweet vari- 

 eties) visible the first year. The second year (or second generation) generally shows 

 ears more or less completely blended, often exactly intermediate between the two 

 parental types ; more rarely the grains of a single ear are unlike each other, and 

 each may resemble closely or remotely either parent. The product of the third year 

 is generally true to the seed planted (as shown by record of this year only); by 

 selecting diverse grains from any ear or from diS'erent ears, ears are obtained with 

 grains usually like those planted. Any desired form of a "cross" can therefore 

 ajjparently be iierpetuated. 



In view of the above, it is possible to efi'ect desired points of improvement in vari- 

 eties by crossing (and of course fixing or perfecting by subsequent selections). But 

 the experiments were much reduced in value the i^ast season by reason of serious 

 drought. J'avorable seasons will doubtless furnish more favorable, or at least more 

 conclusive results in the efforts to improve varieties. 



Kentucky Station, Bulletin No. 33, April, 1891 (pp. 15). 



Field experiments with fertilizers on corn, M. A. Sco- 

 VELL, M. S. — These experiments are a continuation of those begun two 

 years ago, and were made on the same plats. For a description of the 

 land used (a "blue-grass" soil) see Experiment Station Eecord, Vol. 

 II, p. 143. " The season was unfavorable to corn." 



Effect of the leading elements of plant food used in various combina- 

 tions, on the production of corn. — This is a report of the third year's 

 experiment on this subject. The results of the two previous years are 

 recorded in Bulletins Nos. 17 and 26 of the station (See Experiment 

 Station Record, Vol. I, p. 61, and Vol. II, p. 143). The fertilizers used 

 on the 9 tenth-acre plats were nearly the same as in 1889, i. e. nitrate 

 of soda, muriate of potash each 160 pounds per acre, dissolved bone- 

 black, and acid black 320 pounds, used singly, two by two, and all three 

 together; two plats remained unmanured. In 1889 each plat was divided 

 in two halves to compare the effect of sulphate and muriate of potash ; 

 in 1890 the same fertilizers were applied to both halves. "The plats 

 receiving no fertilizers the past years received none this year, and like- 

 wise the plats receiving fertilizers during the past years received the 

 same kind in each case this year." 



Field notes, the yield of corn and fodder, and the financial results 

 are given for each plat. The yields of ear corn on the two unmanured 

 plats were respectively 34 and 40 bushels per acre; on the three plats 



