228 EXPERLMENT STATION. [Jan. 



1908. Season variable, with high temperature and rainfall at oi>})or- 



tune times. July hot with little rain till the last part. 

 August cool with plenty of rain. The early part of Septem- 

 ber dry and warm which hastened the development of the 

 crop that was exceptionally good. 



1909. Season, as a Avhole, dry and cool. The crop germinated well, 



but the growth was checked by drought and cool weather to 

 such an extent that in many eases the ears did not ripen in 

 spite of no killing frosts until late. 



1910. Season, as a whole, hot and dry. Rain at such times as to 



greatly benefit crop, which was above normal and well 

 matured. 



The most striking feature brought out by the preceding table 

 is the extreme variation in yield, not only between different 

 varieties, but between the same varieties gro\^^l in different 

 years. This point is well illustrated by Pride of the Xorth, 

 grown in 1904, 1906 and 1907, the yield being a third more for 

 1906, a very favorable corn year. Morrow ^ found this to be 

 the case in experiments conducted in Illinois, and states that 

 the rain and heat were more influential on the rate of growth 

 than the difference in the variety of corn. It is believed that 

 the total peld of dry matter can be affected by climatic condi- 

 tions in two ways: a lack of rain at critical periods may cause 

 the corn to ripen before it has obtained its maximum growth, 

 while a cold, wet season will retard the growth of the crop so 

 that it does not reach maturity in the growing season. 



The data in the above table make especially clear that : — 



1. The small varieties as represented by the Twitchell, be- 

 cause of the relatively low yield of total dry matter, are not 

 economical for Massachusetts conditions. 



2. The flint varieties, such as Longfellow and Sanford and 

 the medium dents — Rustler and Pride of the North — are 

 quite well suited for grain and also serve fairly well for silage. 



3. The larger medium dents — including the Teaming, White 

 Cap Yellow, Red Cob and Early Mastodon — give a very good 

 yield of dry matter, and in average season bring their ears to 

 the milk stage. All conditions considered, these varieties are 

 rather preferable for silage purposes. 



4. The coarse, late maturing varieties as represented by the 



1 Bui. No. 31, 111. Exp. Sta., p. 363. 



