The most successful cultures may be made
after the maximum number of individuals per unit of area has been
determined. A control-experiment was made under the same conditions and
with the same seed, but allowing much less for the same space. I sowed
only 1 cu. cm. on my bed of 2 square meters, and thereby avoided [395]
nearly all weeding out. I got 120 plants, and among them 30 with full
crowns of converted stamens, practically the same number as after the
weeding out in the first experiment. This shows that smaller quantities
of seed give an equal chance for a greater number of large crowns, and
should therefore always be preferred, as it saves both seed and labor.
Weeding out is a somewhat dangerous operation in a comparative trial.
Any one who has done it often, knows that there is a strong propensity
to root out the weaker plants and to spare the stronger ones. Obviously
this is the best way for ordinary purposes, but for comparisons
evidently one should not discriminate. This rule is very difficult in
practice, and for this reason one should never sow more than is
absolutely required to meet all requirements.
Our second point is the manuring of the soil. This is always of the
highest importance, both for normal and for anomalous attributes. The
conversion of the stamens into pistils is in a large measure dependent
upon the conditions of the soil.
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