The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-05-10
HOW INDIAN CORN GROWS.

When kernel of corn is planted in
a moist soil having temperature about
equal to Summer heat, moisture will
soon find passage through the spongy
hull and cell-walls of the kernel to its
embryo, and coming in contact with the
starch, which has been wisely stored,
a strong solution will be formed, from
which several roots are thrown out in
various directions through the soil,
soon after which the germ expands,
forces its passage to the surface OF the
ground in the form of round pointed
spike, where it continues to unfold until
we see the tall stalk waving gracefully
in the breeze, bearing the full corn in
the golden ear If the soil is rich and
mellow, many of the roots will have
spread more than foot in every later
nal direction from the kernel before the
plumule or stem has formed leaves
three inches in length. As soon as the
roots have appeared, vegetable life is
unfolded to such degree that the solu-
ton and the miniature plant have the
power of decomposing water so long as
the proper temperature is maintained.
Should the temperature fall to about
so deg. the process of termination will
be arrested, the starch in solution will
rapidly escape, and the seed will not
If temperature of Summer heat can
be maintained, there will be rapid
union between the oxygen in the waite r
which enters the kernel and some of the
carbon of the solution, when the pro-
duct will be expelled as carbonic acid.
The oxygen which is absorbed by the
kernel induces putrefaction of portion
of the albuminous material in the cells,
when an actual ferment ensues, during
which heat is generated, carbonic acid
gas is exhaled, and the starch is chang
ed into soluble sugar as pabuum for
promoting the development of the
young plant before the roots have at
tanned sufficient size to draw supply
from the soil. The roots spread through
the soil like long hairs beset with num-
berless minute branches, the extremities
of which are provided with spongioles
or mouths for taking up exceedingly
small atoms of plant-food and convey
ing it through the roots to the stem.
Let q hand-hoe be thrust into the
ground around about the young plant,
and a large proportion of the freeders
will be severed. The same is true
when any implement is run so near the
growing corn that the long roots are
mutilated. If the roots are cut off
the growth of the young plant must be
arrested until others can be produced.
Whoever will dig carefully around a
hill of corn and wash the soil from the
roots, will be surprised to see hcw
much the crop is frequently injured by
improper cultivation. Our best fary oers
manage their corn in such a manner
that the growing crop requires very
little use of the pillow and ha ad-hoe
Hence the roots are mutilated Q lly to
limited extent
The foregoing facts will t.s:ach those
farmers who use pillow Among their
growing corn, after the llil Is are knee.
high, that the implement will often dc
untold damage by mu ella ting the long
roots that have spread out between the
rows to take up the fertilizing mater
ial which may be two feet distant from
the hills. The Use of the pillow and
horse should always be discontinued
between the rows of Indian corn as
soon as the plants are about twenty
inches high. If noxious weeds ap
pear after this, let them grow until
they are foot high, then pull them
By this process the corn roots will not
be mutilated