86 THE CEREALS IN AMERICA 



thickly, it tillers but little and produces but few spikes per plant 

 If sown thinly, it stools more and the spikes are larger often 

 sufficiently to counterbalance the thin seeding. 



In climates where the winters are uniformly mild, much thin- 

 ner seeding may be practiced than where the winters are severe. 

 The fact seems to be that when the winters are mild the plant 

 largely adjusts itself to its surroundings, so that it makes but 

 little difference how much seed is sown within reasonable limits, 

 but when the winter is severe and the wheat partly killed, if 

 the wheat is sown thickly there may still be wheat enough left 

 to raise a fair crop. 



The Statistician of the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture estimates the average quantity of winter wheat sown at 

 I ^-S bushels per acre, and of spring wheat at i 1-2 bushels per 

 acre. Professor Brewer found by means of circular letters sent 

 to representative farmers throughout the country that the amount 

 sown in the Middle Atlantic States was seven to nine pecks, in 

 the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys six to eight pecks, and in Cal- 

 ifornia three to eight pecks, the smaller amount being used in 

 the drier regions. 



Experiments have been carried on in the experiment stations 

 of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas and Oklahoma for 

 periods ranging from three to eleven years, aggregating thirty- 

 three years' trials. In no case was the largest average yield at 

 any of these stations made with less than six pecks of seed per 

 acre, or more than eight pecks. Two stations report in favor of 

 six pecks, one in favor of seven pecks, and three in favor of 

 eight pecks. The Ohio Station not only reports in favor of 

 eight pecks, but also states that with the thicker seeding the 

 weight per bushel is greater, and consequently the quality of 

 seed better.^ In some cases, on moderately fertile soil, better 

 results were obtained with nine to ten pecks. In experiments 

 of all the stations the variation in yield between five and 



I Ohio Bui. 118. 



