132 MAIZE 



CHAP, perfect stand of plants ; (b) large ears, with a heavy yield of 

 V- grain per ear. Deficiency in either of these two requisites will 

 spoil the results obtained from the other. 



The influence of incomplete stands on total yield is one 

 cause of loss which does not receive sufficient attention. The 

 writer has made a careful examination of different maize 

 stands, in various places, counting the number of bearing plants 

 in a given area, and estimating the yield. The method adopted 

 was to measure off ioo yards at various points which seemed 

 to show an average stand. The plants in the row on either 

 side of the measured strip were counted, omitting such as, 

 through injury by stalk-borer or smut, were not likely to de- 

 velop any grain. Where these fields were planted in continuous 

 rows 3 feet apart, allowing 3 feet width of soil surface for each 

 plant, the average number of plants in each I OO yards was 

 multiplied by 48 '40, which gives the approximate average per 

 acre. The results obtained showed that the stands vary from 

 90 per cent down to 25 per cent of the possible perfect stand. 

 Following are the details of some of the examinations which 

 were made on different farms : — 



No. 1. Yellow Horsetooth. — Messrs. Reynolds Bros., Zand- 

 baken, Val Station, Standerton District. Main crop planted 

 36 x 22 inches, equalling 5-5 square feet per plant, or 7,920 

 plants per acre for a full stand. Average of two rows, 130-5 

 plants per 100 yards, or 6,216-4 per acre, equalling 79-5 per 

 cent of a full stand. At an average of 8 ozs. of grain per plant 

 the yield should be 3,158 lbs., or 1579 muids per acre. 



No. 2. Yellow Horsetooth: — Messrs. Hutchinson & Shaw, 

 Zandbaken, Val Station, Standerton District. Main crop 

 planted 36 x 22 inches, equalling 55 square feet per plant, or 

 7,920 plants per acre. Four rows averaged 132 plants per 

 100 yards, or 6,375-6 per acre, or 80-5 per cent of the full 

 stand. At an average of 8 ozs. of grain per plant the yield 

 should be 3,194-4 lbs., or 15-97 muids per acre. 



No. 3. Golden King. — Messrs. Hutchinson & Shaw. 

 Planted 36 x 22 inches, equalling 5-5 square feet per plant, or 

 7,920 plants per acre. Four rows averaged 113-5 plants per 

 100 yards, or 5,480-6 per acre, which is 69-2 per cent of a full 

 stand. At an average of 8 ozs. of grain per plant the yield 

 should be 2,7467 . lbs., or 13-73 muids per acre. 



No. 4. Hickory A7//£-.— Messrs. Hutchinson & Shaw. 



