215 



Illinois Station, Bulletin No. 17, August, 1891 (pp. 16). 



Experiments with wheat, 1800-91, G. E. Morrow, M. A. (pp. 

 1-0). — A record of experiments in eoiitinuatiou of those of i)revious 

 years, reported in l>ulletin K^o. 11 of the station (sec Ex])erinient Station 

 liccord, \(»1. II, p. 273). Tlie toi>ies treated are(l) (piantity «>l'seed, (li) 

 time of sowinj;', (3) depth of sowing", (4) effect of fertilizers, (5) test of 

 varieties. AVith the exc<'ption of some of the fertilizer tests, the exper- 

 iments were nuule on the fertile, dark-colored i)rairie soil (►f the station 

 faiiii. The season was nnusually favorable for wheat. 



Wheat, quantity of seed. — Notes and tal)nlate<l data are given for an 

 experiment on seven plats, 2 by 4 rods each, seeded at the rate of from 

 3 to 8 pecks per acre. 



Trials for 3 years indicate that variations in quantity of seed between 1 and 2 

 bushels per acre have less effect on yield than other conditions have. In 1891 the 

 larirest yield Avas from 6 pecks per acre; in 1890, from 4 and from 8 pecks; in 1889, 

 fi-om 5 pecks. 



In 1891 sowing small kernels gave a larger yield than was obtained from the same 

 weight of larger kernels, but less than from the same number of larger kernels. The 

 k(Muels in the crop from the small seed were approximately as large as those from the 

 larger seed. 



In two trials no injury resulted from rolling drilled wheat soon after sowing. 



Wheat, time of sowing. 



The yields of live plats, sown at intervals of 10 or 12 days from September 2 to 

 October 14, were all good [30.8-36.4 bushels per acre]. It is not certain that they 

 were affected by the date of sowing. If the last-sown plats be excepted, there was 

 no appreciable difference in time of ripening, and very little including it. The 

 quantity of straw and the number of stalks per square foot decreased from the earli- 

 est to the latest sowing. The average length of heads and weight of kernels increased 

 from the first to the last, except in the case of the second sowing, which was 

 better than the third. In view of danger from the Hessian fly and of undue growth 

 of straw, very early sowing is not advisable; and the danger to late-sown wheat 

 from repeated freezing in winter or early spring makes it unsafe in this latitude to 

 sow in October. 



Wheat, depth of soicing. — " September 27, 1890, in each of nine rows 

 1 rod long and 1 foot apart, 198 kernels of selected seed wheat were 

 planted. This is one kernel for each inch." .In each i)lat of three rows 

 the wheat was covered 1 inch, 3 inches, or/> inches. The yields dimin- 

 ished with the increased depth of planting. 



Wheat, effeet of fertilizers. — Notes and tabnlated data are given for 

 experiments with commercial fertilizers and barnyard manure at the 

 station and in fonr other locahties in Illinois. At the station the fields 

 where commercial fertilizers were nsed and the yields in 1801 on plats 

 where connnercial fertilizers had been applied in large amounts in 1889, 

 averaged somewhat less than those on unfertilized plats. The results 

 of all the trials with commercial fertilizers on wheat at the station indi- 

 cate that such fertilizers are not profitable on the black praiiie soils of 

 central Illinois^ 



