10 GUAM AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



The past dry season was rather more definite and more prolonged 

 than that of the foregoing j'ear, but with Avater avaihible for irriga- 

 tion the lack of moisture was not seriously felt. Irrigation was em- 

 ployed to a very limited extent only, and upon properly tilled soil was 

 found necessary only for forcing ratoon growth on newly cut areas 

 and in the case of certain surface-feeding vegetables which require 

 light waterings i»,ither than thorough irrigation. 



CORN. 



On July 1, 1010, a field of corn, a portion of which was of the 

 Large Mexican June variety obtained from the Bureau of Agricul- 

 ture in Manila, and the remaining part of the common native variety, 

 was in a growing condition, having been planted during the pre- 

 ceding year. Damages ca-used by cattle and carabao which gained 

 entrance to the field, and from unusual heavy rains immediately pre- 

 ceding harvest, rendered an authentio yield comparison of the two 

 varieties impossible; but the results of the test were clearly favor- 

 able to the introduced variety. The yield of the Large Mexican 

 June corn was decidedly heavier than that of the native variety, 

 while the ears of the former were larger and more perfectly filled, 

 the cob smaller, and the grain deeper and less flinty than in case of 

 the latter. Unexpected results following the storage of seed from 

 this planting are interesting and point to a possible distinct differ- 

 ence in the power shown by acclimatized and nonacclimatized varie- 

 ties to retain vitality. Selected ears of. each of the varieties were 

 shelled and dried on September 9 and 10 ; and on the latter date this 

 seed was bottled and sealed mider exactly similar conditions. The 

 bottled seed was placed upon a shelf in a cool room and remained 

 there for nine months. On June 10, 1911, the seals of all these bot- 

 tles were broken and the seed from_ all, including two bottles of the 

 Large Mexican June variety and five of the native variety, was 

 planted in the same manner and under apparently similar condi- 

 tions. The seed of the native corn, germinated almost perfectly, 

 while that of the introduced sort failed to produce a single stalk 

 from 3^ pounds of seed. The cause of this variation can not, how- 

 ever, be referred with absolute certainty to a varietial difference as 

 a result of a single trial, as the difference might possibly be due to 

 some other unobserved factor. 



At the close of the period covered by this report 2^ acres of com, a 

 portion of which is of specially selected seed, was growing on the 

 station grounds, and at that time the crop was in good condition and 

 gave greater promise of a good yield than any field in the vicinity of 

 the station, though growing on soil which utterly failed to produce 

 corn during the preceding year. 



