42 Nebraska Agricultural Exp. Station, Research Bui. IS 
In 1917 corresponding hills with missing plants increased 
the grain yields of three-plant hills respectively 2 per cent, 
9 per cent, 15 per cent and 25 per cent over the yield of 
three-plant hills entirely surrounded by three-plant hills. 
The data indicate that irregularity of stand in corn yield 
tests may cause inaccurate yields and should be avoided. 
Error due to variation in stand of corn may be largely 
overcome by planting the corn thick and thinning to a uni- 
form stand soon after coming up. If grown in hills, the 
seed may be space-planted in the hill so that the actual 
number of plants may be readily counted at harvest with- 
out suckers being mistaken for separate plants. It is desir- 
able, just before husking, to count out a given number of 
hills having a full stand and surrounded by a normal stand, 
upon which to base the yield per acre. This may be facili- 
tated by planting an additional number of hills to permit dis- 
carding. Space-planting in the hill for experimental yield 
tests may be accomplished by first marking off the field cross- 
wise with a sled marker and then making three separate 
spaced plantings in each intersection by means of a hand 
corn planter adapted for the purpose. Where three plants 
are grown per hill, the marker runners should be double 
so that all three plantings maj^ be made in a runner mark, 
thus insuring uniform planting conditions for all three plants. 
There are exceptional kinds of corn experiments in which 
planting thick and thinning to insure a perfect stand would 
conflict with the object of the investigation. 
Table 20 — Relative yields of one, two, and three-plant corn 
hills tvhen surrounded uniformly by three-plant hills 
(191Jf and 1917) 
Number of plants in 
Number 
Number 
Number 
Average grain 
hills surrounded by 
of hills 
of tillers 
of ears 
yield per hill 
uniform three-plant 
averaged 
per 100 
per 100 
hills 
plants 
plants 
Actual 
Relative 
Grams 
Per cent 
YEAR 1914 
Hills with three plants. . 
310 
8 
83 
466 
100 
Hills with two plants . . . 
70 
38 
96 
380 
82 
Hills with one plant .... 
16 
112 
168 
344 
74 
YEAR 1917 
Hills with three plants. . 
288 
95 
509 
100 
Hills with two plants . . . 
50 
102 
422 
83 
Hills with one plant .... 
64 
114 
252 
50 
