CAMPBELL'S SOIL CULTURE MANUAL 163 



head of plowing and sub-packing, as compared with 

 corn put into the ground in the ordinary manner, is inter- 

 esting. The growth of roots as shown under the topic 

 of root development is also an interesting matter. 



AMOUNT OF SEED. 



Here is another thing about which there is a great 

 diversity of opinion even among the experienced corn 

 growers of the west. Perhaps experiences have been 

 different. Condition of soil and climate have something 

 to do with it. 



But do not put in too much seed. Better not have 

 all that you think ought to be in the field. There are 

 unquestionably many cases where light crops are due 

 to the presence of too much seed in the ground. Half 

 as many stalks growing would have done better as pro- 

 ducers, and the crop would have been two or three times 

 as great. 



The remark is frequently heard: "If you don't put 

 in the seed you can't get the crop," indicating the crop 

 was gauged by the quantity of seed. This is another 

 mistake and is beginning to be more generally under- 

 stood. The strongest evidence along this .line is found 

 in some experimental work which we conducted in 1897, 

 where eight ears of corn were raised from one single 

 kernel, seven of these were well developed ears, the 

 eighth having corn about half the length of the cob, 

 both the upper and lower ends of the cob being bare of 

 corn. It may not be generally known, but it is a fact, 

 that a stalk of corn starts from five to ten ears, and 

 some or all of them will usually be abandoned by the 

 stalk before the ear is in fact developed. Now the de- 

 velopment of these ears depends entirely upon the phys- 

 ical condition of the soil and an ample supply of avail- 



