Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-06-14
Origin and History of Indian Corn.
BY DIR. JOHN H. PARISH, TENNESSEE.

ing value and importance of Indian
corn as a crop in the United States
suggests that some facts in regard to its
origin and history might interest your
readers.
The native country of maize or In.
dian corn is by some considered as un>
determined, though we think there is
sufficient evidence to prove beyond a
doubt that America is its native home.
1t was unknown to the Greeks and
Romans, and is mentioned by no aus
thor prior to the discovery of America
as existing in ASIA or Africa or else
where; though many authors have
given carefully prepared accounts of a
variety of plants of less Importance
which were then known. 1t was not
found in India by Alexander the
Great, nor is it mentioned by Arrian,
Diodorous, or Colamella; and in even
1491, the year before the discovery of
America, Ivan de Cuba, in his "Ortus
Sanitaris," makes no mention of it.
1t has not been found in any ancient
tumulus, sarcophagus, or pyramid, nor
represented in any ancient painting,
sculpture, or work of art, except in
America though all other grains have
been carefully represented in many of
the most ancient and finest works of
art.
But in America the palace gardens
of the Incas were found ornamented
with representations of corn in all its
shapes-stalks, leaves, ears, and in
gold and silver.
According to DR.. Candole and the
most ancient botanists, it is native Of
South america. Aug. de ST. Hilaire
considers the form where each grain is
covered with a gloom or shuck the
primitime type, and that it grows spon'
taneously in the forests Of Paraguay.
About the year 1912 he received from
Mons. ge Lananhaga, of Montevideo,
a variety of maize (each grain covered
with a glume) from Paraguay, where
it is cultivated by the Guaycusus In
dams, a people of the lowest grade Of
civilization, and where, according to
the direct testimony of one of them, ii
grows in the humid forests as native
production. This comes nearest to an
answer to the question as to whether
or not Indian corn had ever been seer
growing wild.
Acoste, who died in 1900 at Laba
nanca, in Spain, describes very minute
ly maize as grown and used by the In
dams on the discovery of America.
He would not have been so minute in
his descriptions had it been known ii
Europe before.
Another authority says it is fOunC
growing wild from the Rocky Noun
tains in North America to the humiC
forests of Paraguay, each seed lowered
with a glume or shuck.
The Smithsonian Institution has al
ear of corn found deposited in al
earthern vessel eleven feet under tn,
ground, in grave with mummy
near Ariquipa, Peru. The grains ar
rather sharp pointed, small, slightly
indented at the apex, tapping one owe
the other, in thirteen rows.
All our corn nowadays is said t.
have rows in even numbers, from
eight to thirty.six. Perhaps the spec
linen alluded to may have had an ever
number, as the representation of it il
the plate shows the rows to be very ir
regular. Other ears are said to have
been found and they are described a
of the gourd seed type.
There have been found in the rock,
caves in Arizona eight and ten-rowe,
ears, like the corn in cultivation at tn
time of the Spanish conquest OF Mex
leo, and also in mound opened nea
St. George, in Utah. The Pueblo Ii
dams now cultivate the original cult
waited corn in America in a primitiv
manner. They never disturb tn
ground after planting, nor at planting
except just enough to make hole
put in the seed in soft soil.
Columbus found Indian corn in Gu
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