How do I delete the search bar in a new tab window so that I can have nine tiles instead of only six?

I used to get nine tiles when I opened a new tab. All of a sudden I only get six with a search bar at the top. All attempts to delete the search bar have failed. I have tried changing the rows and columns in about:config, and I learned about using Ctrl/scroll to shrink the tiles to allow more on the screen. That is a hassle compared to what used to happen. Is there any way to get rid of the search bar, or is there any way to get the nine shrunken tiles to come up when I click on a new tab rather than have to scroll? Thanks for your help.