60 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



The foregoing figures show a large variation in production in dif- 

 ferent years, under conditions other than the season, quite uniform. 

 This variation is not alone in gross weight of crop, but in dry mat- 

 ter as well The largest quantity of dry matter produced in any 

 case during five years is nearly three times that yielded by the 

 smallest crop. Tois is due in part to the manuring and cultivation 

 and in part to the character of the season. 



Had these experiments been discontinued after 1891 the outcome 

 would have been decidedly favorable to ihe large variety of Dent 

 corn, but in 1892 and 1893, the relation of yield has been reversed 

 and the smaller variety of Flint corn has taken the lead. It is prob- 

 able that another five years' series of comparisons would furnish a 

 somewhat similar experience. 



The general outcome for the five years is slightly favorable to the 

 large variety of corn if we consider only the yield of digestible dry 

 matter. But when we take account of the fact that in the one case 

 an average of five and one-half tons more of material have annually 

 been handled over several timea, we are led to conclude that the 

 smaller, less watery variety of corn has really proved the more 

 profitable. 



It is significant, also, that the largest yield of dry matter in any 

 instance has been from the smaller variet}'. While the Flint corn 

 grown in this State is not capable of producing so much dry sub- 

 stance as the large variety of Dent corn, under circumstances 

 equally favorable for both, the former cannot in this latitude reach 

 anything like maturity, and so loses the advantage of that period 

 when growth is most rapid, as subsequent figures show. 



The writer has made one or two observations during these five 

 years which ma}' be worth noting. Oce is that the cut worm scarcely 

 ever molests the large Dent corn, even when feeding freely on the 

 smaller Flint variety. Tuis fact was observed during two years. 

 It is also the writer's opinion, from observation, that conditions 

 unfavorable as to fertility and cultivation will reduce the growth of 

 the Maine corn to the greater extent. 



A condensed summary of the results which are the outcome of 

 this series of experiments,. appears below. These statements stand 

 somewhat in conflict with those of the 1891 report. It must be 

 remembered, however, that the honest experimenter is limited in his 

 conclusions to the facts which appear after a careful analysis of 

 data. Facts should always outweigh existing opinions. Such a 



