33° 



MAIZE 



CHAP. 

 VII. 



284. Relative Length of Growing Season. — The time taken 

 for the crop to mature varies greatly from year to year, accord- 

 ing to the fluctuations of the seasons ; in a dry, warm, sunny 

 season the crop takes a shorter time than in a cold, wet, rela- 

 tively cloudy season. Therefore no definite time limit for the 

 ripening of the grain can be assigned to any variety or breed 

 of maize ; the time fluctuates with the season. Prof. Morrow, 

 of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, notes the fol- 

 lowing differences in the ripening of Burr White Dent : — 



1888 in 135 days. 



1889 in 144 and 156 days. 



1890 in 130 days. 



i8g2 and 1893 in 127 days. 



Prof. Burrill, of the same experiment station, notes the 

 following difference in time of reaching edible maturity in 

 Crosby Early sweet maize : — 



1888 in 62 to 64 days. 



1889 in 83 to 85 days. 



1890 in 79 days. 



The season does not affect all breeds in equal degree, but 

 there is a relative proportion between their times of maturity 

 which can be used for classificatory purposes and as a guide 

 to the adaptability of the different breeds to climatic conditions 

 in different parts of the country. 



The relative ripening period of the different breeds may be 

 roughly classified as follows, the time referring to the period 

 between appearance above ground and the time when the plant 

 is safe from injury from early frost : — 



Very Late 

 Late 



Medium Lat^ 

 Medium Early 

 Early- 

 Very Early 



150 days and over. 

 t40 to 150 days. 

 125 „ 140 ,, 

 no ,, 125 ,, 



95 .. "0 » 



85 .. 95 „ 



Hie relative time of maturity for different breeds is shown 

 in the following list, but the reader should understand clearly 

 that such a list is only approximate, and that the relative posi- 

 tion of different breeds varies in different districts and in 

 different seasons. As a rough guide, however, such a list has 

 its uses. 



