CEREAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THE NEPHI SUBSTATION. 30 
than where the stand was thin. When the plants were not crowded, 
the early growth of the culms was lateral and the plants would spread 
out over considerable space. Later, as the plants approached matur- 
ity, the position of the culms would be such as,to give the row the 
appearance of having a much thicker stand than actually existed. 
The average number of culms per plant seldom exceeded 25. 
Individual plants would sometimes have as many as 40 culms. This 
was true only where the plant occupied an isolated position in the 
row. These observations may aid in explaining the fact, previously 
noted in connection with the plat tests, that the number of plants 
to the acre is not a depen ell A criterion in estimating the yield of a 
cereal variety. 
The average yields of the head rows give the varieties about the 
same rank as that which they occupied in the plat tests shown in 
the first part of Table VIII. The hard winter wheats were among 
the leading wheat varieties in the nursery, emphasizing more strongly 
their value as dry-land crops in the Mountain States. 
SPRING CEREAL HEAD ROWS. 
It was observed that the percentage of germination of the spring 
cereals generally was high. A much better stand was obtained in 
these than in the winter varieties, but the yields obtained were very 
low in comparison. This can be accounted for by the fact that the 
drought of the summer months has a very serious effect on the spring 
varieties, as previously noted in connection with the plat experiments. 
Then, too, though their percentage of germination was high, the spring 
varieties have a very low tillering power and seldom average more 
than five heads to the plant. Owing to the effect of the summer 
drought, the heads are short and the number of kernels per head is 
small. 
Another observation made on spring varieties of cereals in the 
nursery is of interest. The plants were very poorly established in 
the soil. They apparently had a very limited root development, 
which often failed to support them during vigorous movements 
caused by exceptional gusts of wind. Frequently a number of 
plants in each row would be found completely uprooted and lying 
flat upon the ground. 
INCREASE ROWS. 
The bulk seed of the most promising head rows was planted in 
rows 121 feet long. These rows are known as “increase” rows, 
and are designed to increase the pedigreed seed from the head rows 
sufficiently for sowing plats where any improvement due to selection 
can be measured. 
The rows were seeded with the drill used in seeding plats. Each 
cup of the drill was filled with the pure seed from a head-row selection. 
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