BROOM-CORN EXPERIMENTS AT WOODWARD, OKLAHOMA. 



19 



to a maximum o± 8.7 inches in 1916, with an average of 7.3 inches for 

 the whole period. This is approximately the same stand as that of 

 the other varieties, 'which makes comparison possible. This variety 

 requires about 90 days to mature under average conditions. This 

 time ma}- be either lengthened or shortened by growing conditions; 

 it was prolonged to 115 days in 1917, while it was only 81 days in 

 1918. Droughty weather when the crop is approaching the heading 

 stage, changed to favorable growing conditions by rain during that 

 stage, will prolong the vegetative period and make heading irregu- 

 lar, though the percentage of stalks headed may be high, as in 1917, 



Fig. 4. — Plants of Acme broom corn (C. I. No. 243). 



when 97.5 per cent of all stalks headed. The vegetative period rnay 

 be shortened by the reversal of growing conditions from favorable to 

 unfavorable just as the plants are approaching the heading stage. 

 In such cases none except the early stalks produce heads. This re- 

 sults in the shortening of the growing period and in a low percentage 

 of stalks headed, as was the case in 1918, when the crop required only 

 81 days to mature and produced only G6.6 per cent of heads. 



The average height of the plants ranged from 3.5 feet in 1918, a 

 very dry season, to 5.5 feet in each of the years 1915 and 1917, when 

 seasonal conditions were more favorable. The plants are uniform in 

 height, and the height compares favorably with the best strains of 

 the Dwarf broom corn. 



