748 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of planting was also studied. Corn was planted in rows 44 in. apart 

 and in hills 15 in. apart at rates of 4, 3, 2, and 1 stalk to the hill. 



" The maximum yield of feed per acre was secured with 3 stalks in a hill when the 

 natural rainfall fed the crop, and also when this was supplemented with a little more 

 than 7 in. of water by irrigation. So, too, the smallest yield of dry matter per acre 

 was secured in every one of the 4 cases where the 1 stalk was planted every 15 in. 

 with rows 44 in. apart (E. S. R., 9, p. 595). 



"When the yields of shelled corn per acre are compared it will be seen that a 

 somewhat different relation holds, the largest amount with the white dent being 

 produced where there were but 2 stalks every 15 in. ; but with the smaller variety 

 of Pride of the North dent the largest yield of corn coincided with the largest yield 

 of dry substance where irrigation was practiced, but where the natural rainfall pro- 

 duced the crop the largest amount of shelled corn was associated with the thinnest 

 seeding, and it is a noteworthy fact that this yield is almost as large as where the 

 water was applied, showing that with so thin a stand there was nearly water enough 

 in the season's rainfall for maximum yields." 



Analyses of the grain indicate that the thinnest seeded corn was 

 somewhat the richest in nitrogen. 



Cost of irrigation in 1897. — With an ordinary farm engine using coal 

 at $5 per ton, 28.87 acre-in. of water per ton of coal was raised 26 ft. 

 through a 0-iu. pipe, at a cost of 17.32 cts. per acre-inch. With a 

 2^-horsepower gas engine, using gas costing $1.25 per thousand feet, 

 the cost of raising the water 12.85 ft. was 15.75 cts. per acre-inch. 

 ''These results make it appear safe to say that water can be pumped 

 to a height of 26 ft. under conditions similar to ours at a cost for fuel 

 not to exceed 20 cts. per acre-inch." 



Water used by crops in Wisconsin. — This is a continuation of previous 

 investigations on this subject (E. S. R., 8, p. 293), both in the plant house 

 and in the held. The investigations have included experiments with 

 corn, oats, clover, and potatoes. The results are summarized in the 

 following table: 



Water used by different crops in Wisconsin. 



Corn in the field 



Corn in plant house 



Difference 



Oats in the field 



Oats in plant house. 



Difference 



Clover in the field 



Clover in plant house. 



Difference 



Potatoes in the field 



Potatoes in plant house. 



Difference 



Crop. 



Number 

 of trials. 



Water re- 

 quired per 

 ton of dry 

 matter. 



Acre-inches. 

 2.433 

 2. 386 



.047 



5.011 

 4.535 



5.345 

 5. 005 



.340 



4. 283 

 2.618 



