252 



weight in gramnies of the whole corn plant and of its different parts 

 at successive periods of growth, and the weight in pounds of the ash 

 and other constituents of the corn plant, taken fioni an acre of land, 

 are also given in tables. Details of the methods of experimenting 

 emploj-ed and forty-four pages of analytical data are given in an 

 appendix. Among the conclusions drawn are the following: 



1. Tlie stem. — The largest amount of dry matter in the stem and or 

 stem in the whole plant was found on August <» (when the grain ^^as 

 hardly in the milk state), indicating that the productive growth of 

 the stem reaches its height about that date. 



2. The leaves. — Measured in the same waj- as for the stem, the pro- 

 ductive growth of the leaves reached its height al)out the same time, 

 or a little earlier. 



3. The cob. — The indications were that functional activity con- 

 tinues in the cob longer than in au}^ other part of the plant. 



•i. The grain. — The object here was to ascertain (1) at what period 

 of growth the ear may be severed from the stalk without impairing 

 the vitality of the seed; (2) hoAv and when the grain possesses its 

 greatest relative and absolute value. The analyses showed an 

 increase in the weight of the grain amounting to 24 per cent of the 

 total weight between September 10, when the leaves Avere drying and 

 dropping off, and September 24, when they Avere all dry and many 

 gone. This increase was so large as '' to indicate clearly that a crop 

 of corn should remain in the field as long as possible, the Aveather 

 permitting, to reach its greatest perfection." 



5. Th,e whole flant. — " The plant takes up nearly all the ash ingre- 

 dients it needs during the first stages of groAVth, and subsequent 

 additions are mechanically absorbed with the Avater imbibed by the 

 roots," and, therefore, to develop well and profitably the plant must 

 haA^e easy access to an abundance of mineral matter during its early 

 groAvth. Nitrogen Avas found in relatively large amounts in the 

 young plant and decreased in relative amount as the ears dev^eloped. 

 The young plant takes up nitrogen with extraordinary activity. 



XEBRASKA. 



Agricultural Experiment Station of Nebraska. 

 Department of the IiulKStrial College of the Univer.sit!^ of Nehra>ika. 

 Location, Lincoln. Director, Lewis E. Hicks, Pli. D. 



BULLETIN No. 11. DECEMBER 18, 1889. 

 The smut of avheat and oats, J. C Arthur, D. Sc. (pp. 1-23), 

 (illustrated). — An introduction to this article by C. E. Bessey, Ph. D., 

 gives ajbrief explanation of the nature and injurious action of fungi 

 and of the smuts in particular. Inquiries and inA'estigations have 

 shown that both the stinking and the black snmt are common in 

 Nebraska. Dr. Arthur's article is reprinted from Bulletin No. 28 of 

 the Indiana Station, an abstract of which may be found in Experi- 

 ment Station Record, Vol. I, No. 4, pp. 207-209. 



