165 



Data relative to the best 7 of the J.T compethui erops — rontimioil. 



With regard to the weather and other items during this season 

 of 1889 at these seven stations I have found only the following notes 

 referring to the prize crop No. 1 : 



C'ldti ration. — The seed was planted March 2, 5 or G kernels to 

 each foot of a row ; the plants began to sprout on the 16th ; there was a 

 good stand the 25th, and the stalks were thinned out to 1 every 5 or « 

 inches on April 8 ; no hilling was done, but the whole acre was kept 

 perfectly level. The crop was harvested November 25. 



Weather. — In March the weather was warm and laiu! moist. 

 Good rains on March 3, 10, and 15; rain on 24th; 1 inch of rain on 

 May 2G; G inches of rain May 30; rain on June 4 and 5; rain on 

 June 9. The season in general was rainy and wet as compared with 

 other years; rains following frequently, and no irrigation was neces- 

 .sary. 



The record of largest corn crop up to this date had been that of 

 Doctor Parker, Columbia, S. C, in 1857, who raised 200 bushels to 

 the acre. ' 



The exact measures of all these 45 competing crops have been uiade 

 the basis of a comparison showing that on the average of the IT east- 

 ern crops the percentage of nitrogenous matter was 10.78, but for 14 

 southern crops it was 10.33, and for 14 we.stern crops 10.2(), .showing 

 an imperceptible difference slightly in favor of the eastern climate 

 and soil and seeds. 



In respect to the general advantage of fertilizers, and notwith- 

 standing the apparent advantages gained by some of the heavy 

 manuring in these competing crops, attention is called to the fact that 

 competitor No. 7 raised a very fine crop of 130 bushels green or 05 

 dry bushels to the acre without any fertilizer whatever, and that the 

 crops reported by Nos. 4, 5, and 6 were even less than his in their 



