23G EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



1910. Favorable Corn Year. — Varieties: Longfellow, Rustler, Brew- 

 er's, Eureka. The first two vai'ieties were mature when cut. 

 Brewer's was in milk and tlie ears just forming on the 

 Eureka. 



It will be observed that in many cases the proportion of the 

 several parts diticr in the green stage and on the drv-matter 

 basis. Thus Twitchell's shows 27 per cent, of stalk when cut 

 and only 15 per cent, when all of the water is eliminated. San- 

 ford White shows 24 per cent, of ears when cut and 35 per cent, 

 in dry matter. 



The remarks which follow refer to the proportions of the parts 

 on the basis of dry material. In general it may be said that 

 there is a wide difference between the proportion of stalks and 

 ears ; the difference between the leaves and husks is less marked. 



A decided difference is noted between the same variety grown 

 in different years. This variation is evidently due, to some 

 extent, to the stage of maturity of the plant when cut and also 

 to unfavorable conditions, which checked the development of 

 the ear. The stalks and ears form practically 70 per cent, of 

 the dry matter of the plant. The leaves and husls 30 per cent. 

 From the data at hand the inference can be drawn that this is 

 an inherent characteristic of the maize plant. While other in- 

 vestigators ^ have determined the relative proportions of the 

 plant, it is believed that this fact has not before been noticed. 



Those coarse varieties maturing late naturally have less ear 

 and a correspondingly larger proportion of stalk. Note the 

 mature varieties, including the Longfellow with an average of 

 28 per cent, of stalk and 44 per cent, of ears ; the Pride of the 

 North with an average of 38 per cent, of stalk and 35 per cent, 

 of ears; the Rustler with 32 per cent, of stalk and 35 per cent, 

 of ears, against the later maturing varieties, such as the Brewer's 

 with 49 per cent, of stalk and 19 per cent, of ears ; the Learning 

 with 44 per cent, of stalk and 26 per cent, of ears; and finally 

 the Eureka with 61 per cent, of stalk and 6 per cent, of ears. 

 On the whole, the proportion of leaves and husks does not vary 

 widely in :niy of the varieties, averaging 20 per ceiit. for the 

 leaves and per cent, for the husks. The Eureka shows rather 



■ Schweitzer, Bui. No. 9, Mo. Exp. Sta., Caldwell, Bui. Nos. 7-11; Kept, of 1890. pp. 30^3, 

 Pa. Exp. Sta.; Bui. No. 21, Iowa Exp. Sta. 



