Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
Indian Corn.

Dr. Byron B. Halstead, at the winter meeting, in Northampton, of the Massa chusetts Board, spoke of Indian corn, the yield of which the present season will approach very near two billion bushels, raised chiefly in six States, and on an area thirteen times as large as Massachusetts, which produced two mill lion bushels and was the first in the worl d to be planted with corn by civil ized man. Corn is of plastic nature and can adapt itself to widely different influences. The many sorts now grown was probably developed from single source and from variety much inferior to our best kinds now. Com IS divided into flint and dent varieties, field or gar den, or sweet, pop and Undiscovered, the latter believed by many to represent the original habit of growth. From four to forty rows are found in an ear, al- ways an even number. Varieties are cultivated that reach height of only two feet, while others rear their tops so that man on horseback can scarcely reach them. The kernels are many shaped and many colored, and the grain varies in weight from ffty-six to sixty four pounds per bushel. The kernel is made up of the chit or embryo, and starch and oil for feeding it during its early growth. Like most of all other plants 1t has its roots, stem and leaves. The value of the entire crop of the | United States is not less than seven hun dred million dollars worth for each of the hundred days of it's growth, though as corn grows but little during cold spells, the money value is increased most rapidly during the hottest days just succeeding showers, when there must at times be twenty or more mil lions of dollars worth grown in single twenty-four hours. The sexual charac- ter of the plant was described with its male blossoms on the spindle and the female organs on the ear, giving us the power to cross-breed and make new vari- cites by careful selection and manipula- 4ion. Much can be done tc increase the average yield of the country by selection Of seed and growing seed especially fol planting. A variety with the habit oi producing one fine ear is better than one that may produce several small ears. The cob should be small, the hrsk soft i Early growth is also an important char. acteristic. The person who is fortunate enough to originate new variety ot marked superiority to any now existing the race. America is the peculiar home of the corn plant England would gladly give thousand fortunes could she suc- cessfully raise this grain, which is every l inch king.
 EUROPEAN CITIES. to 6 comprehensive statistical return lately published in Germany, there are in Europe ninety-two cities with more than 100000 inhabitants, out of which foul capitals show each over million popula- tion, as follows: London, 3,832, 40 Paris, 2,225, ,910; Berlin, 1,122, 800; Vienna, l, 1,1O3, no. Out of the ninety. two cities and towns referred to, England claims 26, Germany 16, Italy II, France 10, and Russia 8. The others are divided among the smaller States. There were in the United States in 1880 twenty cities having 100000 inhabitants and upward.
 A LUBR1oAToR.-The Avoca, N. Y., Aduo'ace has discovered that printer ink is the best lubricator for store doors.