30 BULLETIN 698, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
very cool, wet weather during the last three weeks of August, which 
was coincident with the first half of this period. The duration of the 
total growing period is about 105 to 110 days under Panhandle con- 
ditions. The shortest duration of the growing period was 91 days, 
in 1914, and the longest was 119 days, in 1915. The first was a dry 
season, marked by much reduced yields; the second a very we 
~ season in which enormous yields were obtained. 
The average row space intended for each plant of milo under 
Panhandle conditions is about 6.5 inches. Approximately this spac- 
ing has been obtained three times in the 9-year period, in the 
years 1912, 1913, and 1916. In the four years, 1908, 1909, 1914, and 
1915, the spacmg has varied between 9 and 16 inches, while in the 
other two years, 1910 and 1911, the stands obtained were very thin, 
the plants being 26.3 and 20.9 inches apart, respectively, in the two 
years. The average spacing of plants during the nine years has been 
13.7 inches. The stands vary somewhat with the conditions at sow- 
ing time. Either a cold, wet spring or an extremely dry soil may 
reduce germination and consequent stand. Dry soil was the cause 
in 1910, but the exact cause in 1911 is not known, as the stands of 
Dwarf milo and Blackhull kafir were not markedly reduced that 
year. ) 
The average stalk space is determined by conditions occurring 
during the progress of the early vegetative period and influencing 
the production of suckers. The average space in inches per stalk 
varies less than the space per plant, which shows the adaptation of 
these plants to equalize stand by means of tillering. The average 
stalk space in all plats in the nime years has been 5.7 imches, and 
only once has it appreciably exceeded 7 inches. This exception was 
in the year 1910, when the same drought that lowered germination 
also inhibited excessive tillermg. The percentage of suckers in 
the total number of stalks varied from 37.3 in 1913, when a thick 
stand was accompanied by a dry growing season, to 66.7 per cent 
in 1915, when a fairly thin stand and excessive moisture both con- 
duced to abundant tillermg. In five out of the nine years, more than 
half the total stalks were suckers. In three of these years the yields 
were below normal. In the 9-year period 52.3 per cent of the — 
total number of stalks were suckers. It is a question whether the 
free tillering of milo is wholly an advantage. Were it less pronounced 
the crop probably could make better yields in seasons of deficient 
moisture. The average height of milo under conditions obtaining in 
the Panhandle is about 4 feet. 
The average of erect heads m milo in eight years was 86.9 per 
cent. Practically no heads were produced in 1913. The lowest 
average was 61 per cent, in 1908. In four of the eight years more 
v<e 
—— 
