Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-03-03
CORN.


said Mr.. Halstead, before the Msssa-
chusetts State Board of Agriculture, at
Northampton, in his recent lecture on
corn, that Corn is King" The yield
in the United States the present year
can fall little short of two billion
bushels, of which amount Massachu-
sets produced about two million bush
els. 1t was in this State that the first
field of this grain was ever planted by
civilized man, but so plastic is the ma
ture of the plant that it is now grown
over very wide extent of territory,
and its culture has become leading
branch of our American agriculture.
1t is probable that the many varieties
now grown originated from single va.
rety which was as much inferior to
those we are now familiar with, as was
the wild savage who planted 1t to the
best farmers of to-day, A classification
of the varieties is a little difficult, but
corn is distinguished under the names
of flint, Dent, pop, sweet or garden,
field, aud hard and soft. There is also
"a variety in which the kernel is inclosed
in husk, this by some being consider
ed the origina! type. The rows vary
from four to forty, and are always Of
even number. The kernels are OF va
rious shapes, and of many shades OF
color, from white to nearly black. The
vital portion is in the chit, the tender
part chosen by mice, and from which
the youne spire starts when planted.
The remaining portion, chiefly starch
and Ill, serves as food for the young
plant before it can draw its n0urish.
ment from the soil, Corn, like other
agricultural plants, has its three sys-
tems-roots, stem and leaves The
roots is are prov ed with inHujtp
number Of little root hairs, which are
I the real Feeding 6rgans, aud which re-
quire very fine, mellow, and rich
soil in order that the plant may attain
its highest possibilities. The corn crop
is produced in about one hundred days
growing but litlle in cold weather, but
very rapidly in not days after showers
As the annual value of the crop Of the
country is about 500, 900, 900, the av
erage daily increase during the season
of growth is some seven millions, hu
in days of extra growth the farmers
who are sweating in the field may com
fort themselves that every such ho
day is adding about $40, 000, 600 to tn,
wealth of the United States. 1t
growth may be divided into tire,
stages-the germinative, vegetative
and reproductive. The sexual organ
are on different parts Of the stem, tn
male flowers, yielding pollen dust, be
ing at the top, the silk and ear lowe
down on the stem.
The diagrams exhibited at the rea
of the platform, and showing the meth
oil of growth from the swelling seed I
the fertilization of germ through tn
influence of the pollen grains workin
themselves down through the interio
of the silk added much to the entel
Y tainment of the evening. The anDui
average yield throughout the countr
v is far below the possibilities of til
plant. Much may be done to increa'
). the product by better selection (
n seed, and by growing corn specially f,
!. the seed. One fine ear of good shaI
and length is far better than sever
II small and inferior 'ones. A model ei
is has a small cob that can be easily br
# ken from the stalk at harvest, So
% husks. aud the kernels uniform al
st well capped out at the tip In seleC
. ing or growing seed, prolificacy is
re great importance. Tco much corn
N grown of varieties that can nev
~ yield very great crops. Hybridizin
l or the crossing of selected varieti
" with care aud good Judgment, may
II the means of accomplishing much
W this direction, and the person who is
> fortunate as TO produce variety
:" double the value of the best NJ
re grown will doubtless be well rewardt
America is the peculiar home of t
nc corn plant. England would give
We thousand fortunes could she grow c.
u" as successfully as it is grown here
6" N. E. Farmer.
rse - "a F.
tt An article in an exchange is heaC
kissed by Her Husband" Such Il