THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS NQN CIRCULATING CHECK FOR UNBOUND CIRCULATING COPY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, Agricultural Experiment Station CHAMPAIGN, AUGUST, 1894. BULLETIN NO. 34- CONTENTS. EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1893-94. EXPERIMENTS WITH OATS, 1894. EXPERIMENTS WITH WHEAT, 1893-94. Results of experiments tried with wheat on the Station grounds in the season 1893-94 are here given, with reference to like experiments in previous years. These experiments are reported: No. 65. Quantity of Seed. No. 1 1 6. Test of Varieties. TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL, JULY, 1893, TO JUNE, 1894. July 1893, to June 1894. Average for 10 years. Rain- fall. Temper- ature. Rain- fall. Temper- ature. July.. 59 .06 3.62 1.14 2.98 1.09 1-95 1-33 2.41 i. 80 3-30 1.78 76.4 71.1 66.5 53-3 37-3 30 29.4 24.7 43-5 51-4 59 73-4 2-73 3-45 3.27 3-27 2.76 2.47 1-54 3-42 2.61 3-19 4-45 5-04 77-5 74-6 66.5 54-6 40.6 27.1 22.8 29.7 39 52.4 64.6 7i August September October . . ... November ... December , , January , February March May. . Tune Total 22.05 38.20 401 402 BULLETIN NO. 34. [August, Experiment No. 116, Wheat, Test of Varieties. The land used in this experiment was fairly level prairie soil, about one-half lying nearly six feet lower than the rest. The slope from the one to the other level gave to several of the plats a southeastern expos- ure. The others were nearly level. The land had not had exactly the same treatment in former years in the application of manure, but no differences in the crop could be traced to this cause. In 1891-92 this land had been in wheat. It was sown to wheat in the fall of 1892, but the crop was so badly injured by the winter that oats were sown in the spring of 1893. The land was plowed, harrowed, and rolled Sept. 24th to Sept. 26th. The wheat was drilled Sept 2yth to 29th. The ground had been remarkably dry, but two inches of rain having fallen from July ist to Sept. 23d, on which day there was a rainfall of 1.79 inches. Seventy-five plats each i by 8 rods, or 1-20 of an acre, were sown. Seventy-two of these plats were in 8 rows of 9 plats each. The remaining three plats were placed across the end of the tract. Spaces of two feet were left between the sides and ends of the plats. The drill used was a five-hoe, one-horse drill, set to sow at the rate of six pecks per acre; but owing to differences in size and shape of the kernels of the different varieties the quantity actually sown varied from 6 to S 2 /i pecks per acre. Sixty varieties, or samples under different names, were sown. There were four duplicate plats of one variety, six plats of mixtures, and six plats sown at different rates of seeding. The wheat made but very moderate growth during the autumn. A few plats with southeastern exposure were evidently injured during the winter or early spring. The wheat ripened from June 2yth to July 3d, was harvested June 3oth to July 3d, three or four plats being not quite so mature as the others at the latter date. The wheat on all the plats stood well. The average yields from the 75 plats was at the rate of 35.9 bu. per acre, the range being from 17.4 to 48.4 bu. Twenty-six plats gave yields of over 40 bu. each, and nine under 25 bu. per acre. The average yield of the sixty varieties was 35.6 bu. per acre. These are the yields of the plats as separately threshed. The "scattering" wheat from the 75 plats was sufficient to add nearly 2 bu. per acre to the average yield, but it was impossible to apportion this correctly to the different plats. The average weight of the wheat per bushel, as threshed and without special cleaning, was 61.6 pounds per bu., the range being from 58.5 to 63.5 pounds. The wheat from six plats weighed less than 60 Ib. per bu. Thirty-seven plats of bearded wheat averaged 35, and 30 plats of smooth averaged 36.8 bu. Thirteen plats of wheat classed as white averaged 34.7, and 56 classed as brown or red averaged 35.8 bu. The average yield of straw was at the rate of 3,680 Ib., varying from 1,435 to 5,375 Ib. On each of 31 plats the yield of straw was at 1894-] WHEAT EXPERIMENTS, 1893-94. 403 the rate of more than 4,000 and on 12 less than 3,000 Ib. per acre. The average number of stubs on one square foot was 51, the range being from 34 to 65. The average height was 44 inches, the range being from 38 to 50 inches. In 1892 the number of stubs on a square foot varied from 34 to 77. The height in that year varied from 47 to 60 inches. In that year wheat harvest was unusually late, the cuttings being made from July 9th to i4th. The average weight of 100 kernels of wheat in 1894 was 3.35 grams, the range being from 2.40 to 4.04. In 1892 the range of weight of 100 kernels was from 1.74 to 3.74 grams. In tests made at the Iowa Experiment Station, apparently with wheats of the crop of 1893, the number of kernels per bu. varied from, approximately, 490,000 to 1,184,000, with an average of 770,000. The average number of kernels per bushel of the wheat grown at this Station this year was a little over 800,000; the extremes being about 600,000 and 1,130,000. With the exception of a few plats the yields were unusually good. It is to be noted that the year ending with June, 1894, was one of unusu- ally light rainfall, the total being but 22.5 inches, and of this but 18.27 inches fell after the wheat was sown. In no one month was there a great rainfall, 3.30 inches in May being the greatest. In no case should the merit of a variety otherwise apparently valu- able be determined from its yield in any single year. In the trials here reported the variation in yields of different plats evidently depended much more on slight differences in exposure and elevation than on differ- ences in variety. The greatest difference in the average yield of the plats in the 8 rows of 9 plats each was 4 bu. per acre, while the difference in yield of the cross rows of 8 plats was 14 bu. per acre. Four plats of one variety were sown in different parts of the tract of land. The yields of these were at the rates of 34.3, 35.2, 42.4, and 46.3 bu. per acre. The smallest yields were from plats with a southeastern exposure; the largest from level plats on slightly lower ground, with presumably somewhat greater natural fertility. Through the kindness of Director Thorne, of the Ohio Station, at Wooster, of Professor Latta, of the Indiana Station, at LaFayette, and Director Arrnsby, of the Pennsylvania Station, at State College, we are enabled to give the yields of a number of varieties grown at each or all of these Stations. The comparatively low yields at the Ohio Station are explained as due to excessive drouth at time of sowing, which prevented the growth of much of the wheat, and also to treatment of the seed with a too strong solution of copper sulphate de- signed to destroy stinking smut with which the wheat was affected. At this Station in 1894 the varieties giving the largest yields were New Michigan amber, 48.4; Yellow gypsy, 46.5; Crate, 45.5; Rock velvet, 45; Royal Australian, 44.7; Currell's prolific, 43.7; Diehl Medi- terranean, 43.7; Missouri blue stem, 43.6; but it would not be safe to make this fact conclusive evidence of the superiority of these varieties 404 BULLETIN NO. 34. [August, over others tested. The wheat crop of 1893 was a failure. In 1892 the best yielding varieties were the following: Hindustan, Diehl Medi- terranean, Dietz, Tuscan Island, Lehigh, Crate, Tasmania red. Cur- rell's prolific also gave a large yield, as did Nigger, which gave a yield of 40 bushels in 1894. In trials for several successive years, Valley stood first at the Ohio Station, second in Pennsylvania, and third in Indiana. At the Ohio and Indiana Stations Velvet chaff (Penquite's) has been grown as a standard variety. This is probably the same variety as that grown at this Station under the name Rock velvet. The variety tests for two years, at this Station, as well as those made in the other states named, do not sustain the claims made for wonderful productiveness of varieties recently introduced. Some of these seem to be identical with well known varieties. In 1 892 the yields of each of four plats sown with a mixture of several varieties was somewhat greater than the average of the varieties composing this mixture. Seed from these mixtures was sown in fall of 1893. In but one case was the yield greater than the average yield of all the plats, and in but one was it greater than that of the plats ad- joining. The Station lias no seed wheat for sale. i8 94 .] WHEAT EXPERIMENTS, 1893-94. 405 SECOND CROP GROWN FROM MIXTURES, 1893-4. Wt. 100 T Vi vier Yield p< sr Acre. kernels, grams. bu. Straw, Ib. Grain, bu. Components of Mixture A. * Velvet chaff Lehigh 3-56 60 3555 30.7 Hindustan 3-64 63 3955 39.4 Tasmania red 3-54 62 3990 40.2 Nigger. . 3.19 60.5 498-5 4O \ Diehl Mediterranean. .... 3.66 62.5 4680 43.7 Tuscan Island .. 4.01 62.5 3775 38.7 Miami Valley 3.38 63.5 3240 30.7 Bearded Monarch 3.36 61.5 3715 39.4 *Fairfield . Average of above .... . . . 3.54 61.8 3987 37-9 Yield from mixture a (av 2 plats) 3.31 62 3020 26 6 Components of Mixture B. W yandot red . . 3-44 62 344 37-3 Poole 3-39 62.5 3325 41 .2 \Vitter 3-n 62.5 4180 41 *Sheriff *Hicks *Fultz Currell's prolific 3.23 62 39 J 5 43-7 2.97 62.5 43 J 5 41.4 Longberry . .. 3-33 61.5 3565 37-9 Early ripe . 3-29 61 433 33-i Average of above 3.25 62 3867 39-4 Yield from mixture b ... .... 3.20 60.5 4240 39-3 Components of Mixture C. 3.48 62 3425 32.9 Extra early Oakley 3-39 62.5 3765 37- 2 Crate 3.87 62 4550 45-5 Average of above . . 3.58 62 3913 38.5 3.29 61 3065 29.6 Components of Mixture D. *Deitz Lebanon 4 O4 62 4020 40 Theiss . . . 3 IO 62 5 3095 74.7 3. 57 62 3557 37.3 Yield from mixture d (av 2 plats) . 3 4O 62 ; 3447 *7 *Not grown in 1894. 4 o6 BULLETIN NO. 34. ffStfS^RS g,RR^J?!?5 8 &5 2,!?2 X RS &,J?<8 SS S 2 r^ M rnoo tf N <* o m tx m m jx ro - en m O m m>- o Oiao rx M ac ac ae ac ac ac Condition | g. . , |f. |f. . . . | g. | g, s -5553 -38: s - = 1 when cut. SS"""SwS" S2 S^ S \V6ignt of IOO I ^o>coMTi-cofoc i ic s iocorNcoo*iTj-NT}-o > i'^-w ^oo o o o o w kernels, g. No. Of Stubs on txtxrx^-NcnminaowmoOMONoot^Ocn^-coorxmmmNcnTi- I SO foot mTj-^-mi/im-^in ino m ^-o rt- m ^f mo o -^- ** m ^-o m ino ** co T}- v-> ^t- mo o O m m co Color of chaff Color of straw. Color of ,j. kernel. Bearded or Q smooth, oo Height. "3 | 5 5 $. ^. ^. ^^ ^ ^ 5. 5 ^. * ^^^^i- ^ ^ M . ^. ^^ a>aqq-*rt-^-^i^ThfxNN E" 1 C^ M P Harvested. w | 2 a * ^ | Lb. and oz. sown per plat < When D, W Drilled. -? in s 5 -5 s s s ffi > Per cent germinated in {^^ o> ^. , 8,38 Si'R^o'oooo {Qoo x3 oo w t ao oiJCo?oo c?>Ko CTI t^oix: Soooo 0100 apparatus. 8, l I ' a w- = : : - ^c/3: : s 5 : r ^ s s = = = 5 : = 5 w - - ft 01 ^_ O . P ' B . I ::::::: S s S -gg : := -S iS'S.'S^. ' c : :| iSl^-g. : " : S, 3 1 Plat No. 1 894.] WHEAT EXPERIMENTS, 1893-94. 407 M TJ- co ^ o oS "- 1 Ooo c* O >- Snvo'vO invo'vo vo >O mvo OVOVOVOVOVOVOOVOVOVOVOVOVOVOVO u->vO O O VO O u-ivo oo * M M oo O 01 O rxoo -^OM^N -*-*M o NC,NNNOOOOOOOOOO ooooo M 1-1 QO OO M ^3O Tf-wMtHOOrOtoroO *VO *MM tooo M CO M u-> invo vo m vr> u->vo vo invo vo vo vo >nvo m vo rt nvo vo m rj- TJ- OOVoOMfrxtN.riu-)NvO x) IN.OO o^oo o oo vo oo vo oSoo rxoo O^ O M * u-ivo txoo o> nm mvo vovovovovovovo 408 BULLETIN NO. 34. \August, YIELDS OF VARIETIES OF WHEAT NAMED >AT THE EXPERIMENT STATIONS OF ILLINOIS, INDIANA, OHIO, AND PENNSYLVANIA SEASON OF 1893-94. Variety. American bronze Badger Bailey Beal Bearded monarch Big English Buckeye Canada wonder Canadian hybrid Crate Currell's prolific Dale Deitz Democrat Diehl Mediterranean. . . . Dietz longberry Earliest of all Early Genesee giant Early red Clawson Early ripe Early white leader Egyptian Extra early Oakley Fairfield Finley Fulcaster Fultz Fultz blue stem Geneva German emperor Gold dust Golden cross Golden prolific Gypsy Harvest queen Hickman , Hindustan Hybrid Mediteranean. . , Improved rice ohnson , ones' American bronze. ones' square head ones' winter fife , Kentucky giant , Landreth , Lebanon Lehigh Longberry Longberry red Wabash. Martin's amber McGhees' red Mealy Mediterranean Miami red Miami Valley Miller's prolific Missouri blue stem. . . . New Columbia New Michigan amber. . Yields. Illinois. Indiana. Ohio. Pennsylvania 41-7 29.8 24.6 17.4 39-4 34-9 28.3 45-5 43-7 25-1 43-7 37- 6 27 33-1 37 37-2 35-5 32.5 40.6 43-1 38.6 39-4 37-8 32.9 22.9 38.7 34-8 40 30.7 37-9 37-3 41.4 30.7 38-2 43-6 48.4 36.7 41-3 38.3 30.9 40.3 32.2 40.3 39-7 30.5 40.7 37-2 35-3 41.7 43-5 37-3 29.1 35-7 19.2 16.8 12.5 16.2 16.9 15 18.5 19.6 M 19.7 18.8 14-7 21.4 18.2 14-5 24.1 12.6 28.2 19.4 18.5 19.8 8.8 ii. 8 15-8 27.2 14.2 10 10 13.8 33.1 15.2 12.4 20.7 14.6 32.2 17.2 26.4 34 28.5 28 31-8 28.8 28.1 30.7 25-1 30.6 32.1 30.9 33-5 31-3 32.3 29-5 29.9 28.8 28.7 28.1 30.1 I894-] WHEAT EXPERIMENTS, 1893-94. 409 YIELDS OF VARIETIES OF WHEAT NAMED AT THE EXPERIMENT STATIONS OF ILLINOIS, INDIANA, OHIO, AND PENNSYLVANIA SEASON OF 1893-94 Continued. Variety. Yields. Illinois. Indiana. Ohio. Pennsylvania New monarch . . . 27 4-3 37-2 37 33-2 22.2 29.2 29.2 2O 21.7 2 5 .6 3i 36.6 29.4 3i.9 28^4 28.6 38" 29.1 3L9 35-3 25.3 29.4 29.1 3i-9 30.4 32.4 28.2 2s: 3 29.3 29.8 Nigger Ohio blue stem Ohio early ripe. . 34-2 39.8 41.4 41.9 41.2 Ontario wonder Oregon Pickaway . . . Poole Post Pride of Illinois .... 33.7 35-7 36.5 Raub's black prolific Red Clawson Red Fultz Red Russian Red wonder 37-5 Reliable Reliable Minn 42.9 28.1 34-9 14.5 15 Roberts 24.8 Rochester red Rock velvet ... 45 Roumania Royal Australian 44-7 25 32.7 45-7 9-9 13.7 Rudy Saskatchewan Sheriff Sibley's new golden 19.2 41.3 ". 5 14.2 22.2 13-2 15-2 22.5 13.7 17.4 Silver chaff Surprise ... . Tasmania red . 40.2 34.7 38.7 38.3 39-i 37 36 Theiss Tuscan Island Valley Velvet chaff Weedlen Wicks Willits 23.2 36.7 23 :6 30-7 2O. 2 18.2 Wisconsin triumph. Witter 4i 34-7 41.1 World's Fair Wyandot red 37-3 46.5 39.2 Yellow gypsy Yuba BULLETIN NO. 34. [August^ AVERAGE YIELD OF VARIETIES OF WHEAT FOR A SERIES OF YEARS AT THE EXPERI- MENT STATIONS IN ILLINOIS, INDIANA, OHIO, AND PENNSYLVANIA. ? pr i 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 ii 12 13 M 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I 4 c 6 7 9 10 ii 12 13 !<: 15 16 17 18 Name of variety. Illinois. Indiana. Ohio. Penn. \v. of all 3 * f P 3 CD SF 3 1 Zx o * s P 3 tt 8? ? 3* 1 10 10 IO IO IO 10 W SF ? 1 <$ X CD S $ 3 w I 5 i i 5 5 5 td 8* 3 1 3.1 u jT o^ 13 21 12 13 19 16 7 12 14 14 8 17 13 8 17 8 16 7 7 13 16 ii 14 7 14 bd B? 3 1 34.2 33-4 32.4 32.3 31.9 31.9 31-3 30.9 30.8 30.4 30.4 30.3 30.3 30.3 29-5 29.4 29.1 29 28.9 27.7 27.6 27.5 27-4 26 24.7 33-2 32.5 32.3 31.9 3 i.8 31.1 30.6 30.3 30 29-4 28.4 27-9 27.9 27.5 26.2 25.8 24.9 24-7 Seven or more trials. Poole ?fi 7 33.9 35.2 31.2 31-7 34- 1 32.9 31.9 31-3 31.9 29.1 27.1 27.4 30.9 Valley ... i i 38.3 44 -7 5 31.1 Royal Australian 76 8 2 I 36 43 7 2 29.1 Diehl Mediterranean Ontario wonder 32.4 Martin's amber 2 32 .3 10 7 7 7 IO I I 10 I I 30.6 30.1 31.6 29 31.9 17.2 16.2 29.5 33. I 13.7 Wyandot red 2 33-7 36 1 5 5 30.5 26.2 Missouri blue stem I 13 fi Democrat 27.7 5 28.2 New Michigan amber I 2 2 2 2 2 2 I 48.4 37 30.5 33-5 33-8 26.8 3i 19.2 II 29.9 Currell's prolific 5 5 5 5 i 5 5 5 5 5 5 i i i 30.5 29.1 27.1 30.8 35-3 28 27.9 3i.i 28]i 23.7 22.2 29.4 29-3 18.2 Theiss Mealy Dietz longberry red 9 3 27.1 33-4 Rudy German emperor Sibley's new golden 7 i i 7 28.8 14.5 22.2 25.3 Fulcaster 2 2 2 2 2 23.9 24-5 33-2 31-6 27.2 8 8 28 28.9 New monarch Extra early Oakley Improved rice Miller's prolific 7 25.7 ~ Three to Jive trials. Oregon 2 2 I I I 2 2 2 I 2 2 2 I 3 5 .i 34-i 16 5 3 3 2 3 2 5 3 3 3 3 4 3 2 4 4 5 3 4 Witter Yellow gypsv. ... Hickman Geneva 38.6 35-5 34 396 34-3 45 29-7 35-3 37-4 37 i 37.2 i i 19.8 28.2 Loneberry . . 3 2Q i Crate i i 12.5 22.2 Bearded monarch. . . Rock velvet i 15 Miami Valley i i 28.7 28.8 .... ... i i 14.2 8 8 Hindustan .... Early white leader i 18 8 Willits... 3 3 2 28.9 27-3 24.1 Johnson I 2 2 I 22.9 30.5 32.4 17-4 Early ripe . i i 19.7 IO Lehigb Beal 3 27.2 i8 94 .] WHEAT EXPERIMENTS, 1893-94. Experiment No. 65, Wheat, Quantity of Seed. Six plats were sown with different quantities of seed. The drill being set to sow from 3 to 9 pecks per acre, but it is probable that in each case a somewhat greater quantity was sown. The largest yield was from plats sown at the rate of four pecks per acre , second from sowing six, and third from sowing eight pecks per acre. The plat sown at the rate of seven pecks per acre was injured by rabbits. In trials for five years slightly the largest yields have come from sowing eight pecks per acre, but there was a difference of only one bushel per acre whether four, six, or eight pecks were sown. Under favorable conditions the thinner sown wheat has a larger number of stalks per stool. YIELDS FROM DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF SEED, 1893-94. 3 ST Amount sown Wt. 100 kernels, grams Stubs on i sq. ft. Lb. per bu. Yield per acre. Lb. straw Grain, bu. 62 63 61 72 7i 70 3 pk per acre 3-12 2.93 3.23 2.96 3.05 3.21 55 57 56 56 60 54 62.5 63 62 63 62.5 62 3515 4000 3915 3545 4025 4290 39-2 44-7 43.7 34-2 42.2 40.5 4 ' " 6 " 7 ' " 8 ' " 9 ' " YIELD OF WHEAT FROM DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF SEED, 1888-89 to Yield per acre. Seed per acre pecks 1888-9 1889-90 1890-91 1891-92 1893-94 Average CD ?5 $ c-9 C P. a' W ?s $ 2215 2620 2740 2200 cr? C a 24.6 28.2 26.3 24*5 CD F2 4140 4400 4080 4980 ?S. " 5' 22 23.7 22.2 28.3 a: cr ^ P r? F -. 5' CD 5 s ? 3515 4000 a-? c e 39.2 44.7 CO ?5 3290 3631 3719 3778 ^ c ?. 5 28.6 3i.5 28.9 31-7 3 4 6 7 8 9 4560 4700 4750 36.2 38.3 36.3 2575 3357 3045 24.7 29 25-9 3915 3545 4025 4290 43.7 34.2 42.2 40.5 4540 35-4 2740 28.3 5100 26.8 2670 27.8 3815 32.1 G. E. MORROW, A.M., Agriculturist. F. D. GARDNER, B.S., Assistant Agriculturist. 412 BULLETIN NO. 34. [AugUSt y EXPERIMENTS WITH OATS, 1894. Results of experiments with oats on the Station grounds in the sea- son of 1894 are here reported. Of these N'o. 84, Oats, Test of Varieties y is the only one reported in detail. The land on which the experiments were tried was fertile prairie soil, which had been in corn in 1892 and 1893. The stalks of the last crop were removed and the land was plowed about 5 in. deep in the late fall of 1893. The plats, 48 in number, were 2 by 4 rods or 1-20 of an acre, with a space of 2 feet between. The first part of March was un- usually favorable for farm work. The land was disked once with a cut-away disk or harrow, and plats i to 24 were seeded broadcast at the rate of 2^ bu. per acre March i6th and lyth. March 24th plats 25 to 32 were sown. All the plats were disked once after sowing, then harrowed, clover and timothy seed was sown, and then the plats were har- rbwed again. In all cases the seeding was at the rate of 2 1^ bu. of 32 Ib. per acre, except with plats 28 and 32. On plat 28, 3^ Ibs., and on plat 32, 2 Ib. were sown. March 25th, 26th, and 27th the temperature fell to a minimum of 12, 10, and u degrees. The severe freezing injured all the oats to some extent, but to a much greater extent on some plats than on others. April i4th plats i to 24, inclusive, which had been sown March i6th and lyth, were re-sown with the same varieties and like amount as before. The oats on plats 25 to 32 did not seem to be much injured, and were allowed to remain. The oats ripened and were harvested from July I3th to 2Oth. Those on four plats were considerably lodged; on one all were lodged. Fifteen varieties were sown on duplicate plats. Twelve of these varieties had been selected from a considerably larger number tested in previous years. The duplicate plats in all cases were at considerable distance from each other, with the design of equalizing any differences in the soil. Except for slight variations in elevation and exposure the soil of all the plats was apparently more than usually uniform, but the yields from plats of the same variety differed in a marked degree in a number of cases. Two varieties were tested on single plats. Duplicate plats were sown with each of three mixtures of varieties possessing like char- acteristics; also duplicate plats with oats grown on plats sown with the same mixtures in 1892. Two plats were rolled after being sown. Two plats were drilled, the quantity of seed being less than that used in sowing broadcast, owing to failure of the drill to sow the desired quantity. 1894-] OATS EXPERIMENTS, 1894. 4:3 The average yield of the 48 plats was at the rate of 62.3 bu., the range being from 40.8 bu. to 75 bu. per acre. Five plats gave yields of less than 50, and 7 of over 70 bu. each per acre. The average yield of the 32 plats in the variety test was 63 bu. per acre. The average weight per bushel from all the plats was 32.6 lb., range being from 28.5 to 37.7. These weights were taken as threshed and without special cleaning. The average weight of 100 berries was 2.27 grams, the range being from 1.71 to 2.70 grams. This gives the average number of kernels per bushel appproximately as 640,000, the range being from 537,000 to 850,000. The average weight of straw was 3,300 lb. per acre, the range be- ing from 2,560 to 4,545. The average number of stubs on one square foot was 44, the range being from 33 to 61. The average height of the straw was 37 in., the range being from 31 to 42. As in former years the different varieties were found to vary materi- ally in the per cent of the husk surrounding the kernel of the berries. The average per cent of the kernel was 72.1, the range being from 66.8 to 76.6. This variation of about 10 per cent is less than has been found in former years. The best yielding varieties were: Texas rust proof, 74 bu. per acre; Lincoln, 68.7 bu.; Texas red, 68.2 bu.; New Dakota gray, 67.3 bu.; Calgary gray, 67.6 bu.; New red rust proof, 67.1 bu.; Ameri- can banner, 64.4 bu.; Green Mountain, 64.4 bu.; Pringle's progress, 64.3 bu. In trials for five years the best yielding varieties have stood in fol- lowing order: Pringle's progress, Texas rust proof, New Dakota gray, New red rust proof, American banner, Improved American. Cal- gary gray has been grown two seasons. It ranked third among 59 varieties in 1892. A small package of oats, unnamed, sent by Thomas Weaver, Nash- ville, Tenn., apparently gave a good yield, and ripened ten days or more in advance of any other variety. Each of the mixtures of varieties gave a slightly larger yield than the average yield of the varieties used in making the mixtures, while the yield of the plats sown with seed, the product of mixtures in 1892, was slightly lower than the average yield of the varieties making the mixture. Rolling the plats after the seed was sown did not seem to affect the yield. The two plats drilled instead of sown broadcast gave yields much below the average, but this may have been because a less quan- tity of seed was used. This is the first year since the Station was established in which early sown oats have been injured by frost. Several half acre plats, not reported upon, which were sown previous to the severe frost, gave yields of from 50 to 60 bu. per acre. BULLETIN NO. 34. SYNOPSIS OF VARIETIES f [August, fPringle's progress ____ 64. 3 Long. J Early Dakota ........ 56.9 1 Green m un tain ..... 64.4 [Lincoln ............. 68.7] Short . \ Superior Scotch ..... 47. i ( Texas rust proof ..... 74 ) [Dun. . { Long..- New red rust proof. .67.1 f 69.8 ( Texas red ........... 68.2) Long Im P roved American . . 62 . i Medium .-1 Panicles open. . <{ White ican banner . . . .64 .4 Short. -{ Australian .......... 54.4 [Late Panicles open. . { White { Short . oa>ot^w CONO Stubs per square foot. When cut. PTO PO ro C\ O\vO O O VO VO O PO POVO vO When ripe. Height inches M m TJ-VO mvo . PO ir -* O> -^-vo oo vo O ONVO Ooo Lb. per bu. Lb. straw per bu. grain. CTi >n - po M t-^ TTOO oo m POOO o Ooo ino POVN POM ION C^OO NOO W CTiPOmmPOM POO>vO POt^POPOVO -<*-M , >, O S _ _ o o m *?_ 5*99. , M 2 5**P ^ !O O M N PON PON O t^vo vovOVO vovOVO invovo TJ- Mvon-i-c^ vovot^O>OM PONVON MOOVONI^PO O OO fJ mOO t^fOMNMVONPOMNlO 'I-VO POONNOOONNO OO N 00 00 VOO t-^t^-OO r^OOOOO f^OOOO OO moo t^omTj-iri'^-OOO 10 Per cent germinated. OOOONOOOfOOmfOPONNO OOO > iOO>ONC*^l-'^-MMOO -O OOOOOOOOOO OOO OOO -OOOOOOOOOOOOOO -O ^ g OOOOOOOOOOOOO N N M M M M M N M M - OOOOOOOOOOOea.. g 8 ^ s- , a - : : S : s - 1 Plat No I M m N **" ^ "^ ^^ "^ ^^ ^ ^^ 416 BULLETIN NO. 34. [August i YIELDS OF MIXTURES, 1894. Pringle's progress 64 . 3 Early Dakota 56 . 9 Average 60.6 Mixture a 55.8 Black Russian 62 . New Dakota gray 67.3 Average 64 .6 Mixture c 62.9 New Dakota gray 67 . 3 Improved American 62 . i Average 64 . 7 Mixture d 60 . 6 Texas red 68 . 2 New red rust proof 67 . i Average 67 . 6 Mixture 68.4 Black Russian 62 . Calgary gray 67.6 Average 64 . 8 Mixture 70.8 Early Dakota 56 . 9 Pringle's progress 64 . 3 Average 60 . 6 Mixture 61.2 Mixtures a, c, and d made in 1892. YIELD OF GRAIN PER ACRE OF ELEVEN VARIETIES TESTED FOUR YEARS. Texas rust proof. . . . Pringle's progress... New Dakota gray.. . . New red rust proof. . Texas red Black Russian American banner.. . . Black prolific Japan Improved American. Early Dakota Calgary gray 1890 Rank Bu i 8 5 2 6 10 9 7 ii 3 55-9 48.1 39-4 45 49-7 40.6 30.6 35-9 40.3 25 48.8 Rank Bu 6 2 I 8 ii 7 5 9 3 4 10 72.2 79 85 64.6 60.8 70.8 73-4 68.7 75-8 75-2 63.7 1892 Rank Bu. 9 2 7 i 8 6 3 5 10 4 ii 41.2 51-3 41.7 56.3 41.7 44-2 48 46.6 39-i 47-6 38.2 50.4 1894 Rank Bu i 6 3 4 2 9 5 7 10 8 ii 74 64. 67 67, 62 64.4 64-3 60.3 62.1 56.9 67.6 Aver- age. 60.8 60.7 58.3 58.2 55-1 54-4 53-9 53-1 52.6 51-9 peat them. The general conclusions which have been drawn from these experiments may be restated almost as they were given in the bul- letin reporting the experiments for 1893, as follows: The results of the experiments with oats tried at this Station for the last seven years suggest that on the fertile soil of central eastern Illinois we may expect in a series of years an average yield an acre of a little over 50 bushels of grain and about one and one-half tons of straw, the oats weighing rather less than more than the standard weight of 32 Ib. 1894-] OATS EXPERIMENTS, 1894. 417 a bushel; that it is not advisable to plow the land in the spring if the crop follows corn, the use of the disk harrow giving better results; that the seed should be sown near the last of March or first of April ; that if sown broadcast it is better to sow from two and one- half to three and one-half bushels per acre, covering the seed not more than one or two inches deep; that there is no one variety greatly superior to all others, so that it is not wise to put full credence in the claims often made for new varieties; that some varieties are, however, distinctly better than some others; that neither color nor plumpness of kernels, nor weight per bushel, nor the form of the head certainly determines value; but that, generally, varieties with long, slender, comparatively light kernels have the smallest percentage of husk and, probably, the greatest feeding value; that early maturing varieties are to be preferred to those ripen- ing later; that it is desirable to harvest the crop before it has fully ripened ; and that binding and shocking the sheaves at once is an ad- vantage rather than a disadvantage, if the grain is in fit condition for cutting. G. E. MORROW, A.M., Agriculturist. F. D. GARDNER, B.S., Assistant Agriculturist. This Station has no seed oats for sale. BULLETIN NO. 34. [August, METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS. A summary of the observation on rainfall and temperature, made at this Station for the six years ending August 31, 1894, ^ s herewith published. This period is too short to make it safe to accept the results as fairly representing the usual climatic conditions of this region. Ex- cept for the year 1892, the rainfall has been below what has been accepted as average for central Illinois. The rainfall for the 12 months from July, 1893, to July, 1894, was remarkably small for this region only 3T.T3 inrhrn. nnri for the fnllowinp* T3 monthi to Tulv T.-iSni it ^M.*.J " ^ * * o i " v -" % "-' "- M.\SM. tii^ *>-'"v T "*& * ** "iv"*.j.ik *.v j "j j- \ i '-'y^T? -was but 22.12 inches, making the. total for the two yoarG ending Juno 3Q) 1894^ but 43.3.5 inches* It should be borne in mind that the record of rainfall for a month or even a year may vary considerably at points not far apart, because of the occurrence or failure of local rains. In a series of years these differences would be equalized. The total rainfall for a year or a month does not necessarily indicate the adaptation of the season for crops, as excessively heavy rains may make the total seem satis- factory, while there may have been lack of moisture between these. The highest temperature noted is 99 deg., in August of 1891 and 1894; the lowest 21, in January, 1894. The mean monthly tempera- ture, during the crop growing season, has rarely varied greatly from the average for the six years, June, 1889, and September, 1891, being most striking exceptions. RAINFALL IN INCHES AT THE ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FOR THE Six YEARS FROM SEPT. i, 1888, TO AUG. 31, 1894. ' Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year. 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 Total 1.29 2.74 1.19 4 1 93 3-62 1.38 1.42 2.35 1.29 93 1.14 2.81 4.38 1.63 5.58 4-95 2.98 4.72 1.82 .05 1-53 1.62 1.09 *IO.20 34.88 31.28 26.73 39-05 32.27 fi5-79 190.20 1.48 5.26 99 79 1.05 1-95 2.08 1.87 2.60 2.64 4.48 1.32 1.61 2.70 3-55 2-59 3.20 2.41 .61 4.11 3-54 6-45 7.68 1.86 5-52 3.56 89 7.86 4-83 3-32 6.81 3.80 2.08 5.36 1-55 1.78 5-8i 2.83 1.41 2.50 59 i. 08 .60 1-93 2.86 2-45 .06 2.06 10.83 11.52 15.00 16.06 24-25 25.98 21.38 14.22 9.96 10.18 8.51 22.33 Ave.. 1.92 2.50 2.67 4.04 4-33 3.56 2-37 1.66 1.69 1.42 3.72 i. 80 31-70 * Four months. t Eight months. i8 94 .] METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS. METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS. 419 TEMPERATURE, DEGREES, FAHRENHEIT. SEPT. i, 1888, TO AUG. 31, 1894. 1888 1889 1890 1891- 1892 1893. 1894 January. February. March. April. Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. Min- Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. 1 Min. 29.28 33-5 30.26 19.2 14-8 29.4 57 66 57 57 48 64 -2 -5 6 -15 -21 23-36 34-66 30.45 33 25.8 24-7 53 68 61 55 5i 53 -7-5 7 -9 * -5 39-92 33.35 32.55 36.1 37-8 43-5 72 61 65 69 76 77 18 2 -I * # 10 51-9 52.32 52-78 48.6 49-3 51-4 75 81 81 70.5 75 85 25 29 22 26 30 25 Whole period 26.07 66 *-2I 28.66 68 *-9 37-20 77 *-I 51.05 85 22 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 May. June. July. August. Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. Min. 59-2 58.27 58-4 57-9 57-4 59-6 9i 87 9i 82 84 89 28 33 30 36 37 32 65-5 74.56 71.9 70.6 70.5 73-4 88 96 93 94 93 97 40 47 49 5i 53 34 72.7 73-02 70. 12 73-3 76-4 73-8 90-5 97-5 93 96-5 98 98 50 45 42 46 48 47 69.2 68-74 70.21 71.5 71.1 72-3 89 96 99 94 96 99 29-5 44-5 40 47 37 4i Whole period 58.46 9i 28 71.08 97 34 73-22 98 42 70.50 99 29-5 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 September. October. November. December. Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. Min. Mean. Max. Min- 59-9 61.32 60.46 69.2 63-9 66.5 89 87.5 89 96 87 97 3i 32 33 4 1 42 3i 47-2 47-26 52.07 51-3 53-6 53-3 75 82 76 88.5 88.5 84 23 25 27 27 19 18 39-6 36.82 42.62 35-69 34-8 37-3 75 62 68 67 64 75 13 4 21 2 6 31-57 42.71 30.91 37 27.7 30 57 66 58 60 60 63 12 15 8 n -6 18 Whole period 63-54 97 3i 50.78 88.5 37-So 75 2 33.31 66 -7 * The record is incomplete. G. E. MORROW, A. M., Agriculturist. All communications intended for the Station should be addressed, not to any person, but to the AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS. The bulletins of the Experiment Station will be sent free of all charges to persons engaged in farming who may request that they be sent. 42O BULLETIN NO 34. [August, 1894. ORGANIZATION. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. NELSON W. GRAHAM, Carbondale, President. JOHN P. ALTGELD, Springfield, Governor of Illinois. DAVID GORE, Springfield, President State Board of Agriculture. HENRY RAAB, Springfield, Superintendent Public Instruction: FRANCIS M. McKAY, Chicago. ALEXANDER McLEAN, Macomb. SAMUEL A. BOLLARD, Springfield. RICHARD P. MORGAN, Dwight. JOHN H. BRYANT, Princeton. NAPOLEON B. MORRISON, Odin. JAMES E. ARMSTRONG, Chicago. ISAAC S. RAYMOND, Sidney. ANDREW S. DRAPER, LL.D., President of the University. BOARD OF DIRECTION OF THE EXPERIMENT STATION. *GEORGE E. MORROW, A.M., Champaign, Professor of Agriculture, President. E. E. CHESTER, Champaign, of State Board of Agriculture. E. A. RIEHL, Alton, of State Horticultural Society. H. B. GURLER, DeKalb, of State Dairymen's Association. N. B. MORRISON, Odin, Trustee of the University. ISAAC S. RAYMOND, Sidney, Trustee of the University. *THOMAS J. BURRILL, PH.D., Urbana, Professor of Botany and Horticulture. STEPHEN A. FORBES, PH.D., Urbana, Professor of Zoology. THE STATION STAFF. *GEORGE E. MORROW, A.M., Agriculturist, President of Board of Direction. WILLIAM L. PILLSBURY, A.M., Champaign, Secretary. THOMAS J. BURRILL, PH.D., Horticulturist and Botanist. STEPHEN A. FORBES, PH.D., Consulting Entomologist. DONALD McINTOSH, V.S., Consulting Veterinarian. GEORGE W. McCLUER, M.S., Assistant Horticulturist. GEORGE P. CLINTON, M.S., Assistant Botanist. FRANK D. GARDNER, B.S., Assistant Agriculturist. WILL A. POWERS, B.S., Assistant Chemist. *Professor Morrow has resigned both the presidency of the Board of Direction and his position as agriculturist of the Station. Professor Burrill succeeds him as President of the Board of Direction after September ist. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA