The Regional Adaptation of Corn in Nebraska 
7 
numbers of vascular bundles, number of stomata per unit leaf 
area, and size of stomata. A slightly shorter stoma tal aperture 
accompanied by a slightly smaller epidermal cell appears to be 
characteristic of the short season dry land types of western Ne- 
braska. Such a shortening of stomatal aperture is not, however, 
effective in checking the transpiration rate per unit leaf area. 
During four years Kimball County and Lancaster County 
corn were compared by the potometer method as to their rel- 
ative transpiration rates. The Lancaster County plants which 
were 51 per cent taller, had 88 per cent greater leaf area and 
T9 per cent greater dry matter than the Kimball County corn, 
used 81 per cent more water per plant, 3 per cent less water per 
unit leaf area, and equal amounts of water per unit dry plant 
substance produced. In a comparison of two varieties each from 
western and eastern Nebraska and from New York state, the 
seasonal transpiration per unit leaf area was respectively, 102, 
101, and 100 grams. The corresponding total plant transpiration 
for seed from the above three sources was respectively, 85.TT8, 
114.653. and 97.218 kilograms. The data indicate that adaptation 
of corn to a region of moisture shortage consists in the reduc- 
tion of vegetative development and consequent reduction in the 
amount of water used by the individual plant. 
In a comparative two-year yield test at the Experiment 
Station of corn types representing twelve distinct regional areas 
within the State, those from nearest home yielded the most. 
When these types are grouped into eastern, central, and western 
Nebraska groups, the yields were respectively, 59.8, 46.2, and 
31.6 bushels per acre. These yields are for equal planting rates 
normal for adapted types in Lancaster County. The corre- 
sponding maturity dates were: September 24, September 21, and 
September 12. 
In a three year comparison at the Nebraska Experiment Sta- 
tion of: (1) Native Experiment Station Hogue’s Yellow Dent 
corn. (2) seed from nine local farmers, and (3) seed from seven 
distant eastern Nebraska farmers, the relative grain yields of 
the three groups were respectively, 100, 94, and 91. Of corn 
brought to the Station from a distance, that from three south- 
eastern counties yielded 56.9 bushels as compared with an aver- 
age yield of 63.7 bushels for seed from four northeastern counties 
and 66.7 bushels for the home grown Hogue’s Yellow Dent. The 
relative yields of these three groups were 85, 96. 100. 
In a two-year test comparing native Nebraska Experiment 
Station corn with native seed from the Experiment Stations 
of eight neighboring states, the local seed yielded an average of 
ten bushels or 18 per cent more than the imported seed. Seed 
from several states yielded quite as well as home-grown seed. It 
