Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-09-24
INDIAN CORN.
A Cereal Which Emphasizes the Hope
and HardihOOd of the New World.

A Cereal Which Emphasizes the Hope
and Hardihood of the New World.
Our national escutcheon displays an
eagle. Now, if it were required to
choose an emblem from the vegetable
kingdom to bespeak the hope and
hardihood of the new world. where
would the selection fall? The plant to
be promoted to the place of honor must
possess the virtue of accommodation.
growing readily north. south, east and
west; be notable for its fruitfulness; a
right-hand reliance of the pioneer;
above all, it must be an immemorial oc-
cupant of the soil The western CONT
nent has produced the potato, the
pumpkin, and the tobacco plant; also
maize. The first, prone in its ways,
and fruiting subterraneously, would do
wrong to our national genius; the
second golden braggart, with its
earth-embracing habits-afar be its sug
gestion! The third would but conjure
up vision of Columbia. Tapped in ME-
ot;an haze and vagaries. inviting the
nations to smoke with her! There re-
mains only the maize, and how can we
do better than to adopt as our armoriai
device the Indians own plant? No
other species in the list of cultivated
cereals appears to such good advantage
in the isolated individual. a single
full-grown plant of Indian corn, though
but fleeing. annual growth. possesses
presence and dignity no less than does
tho ool- itsaf cfor1,
sufficient. its green blades sweeping
right and left in the curve of beauty.
and ready at the winds excitation to
engage in a mock battle of scythes with
its neighbOrs.
First the blade. Ii must be an eye
Indifferent to contrast in color that will
not take distinct delight in those little
pennOns of sunshiny green. fluttering
above the rich umber of the soil, and
signaling the welcome intelligence.
Corn is up" Every stage of its
growth, as in the life of some lovely
child, is interesting and repays atten-
ton, from the time when its blades,
clasping the stalk, first form chalices to
hold the rain. to its midsummer pride
of two-fold flowerage. yellow or brown
ish tassel above and flowing silk below.
What strides of growth it makes from
evening to the next days light! A sly,
silent bacchanal. it gets drunk upon
the dew every blessed night. BY and
by, it is seen standing on tiptoe: toes
white, or, sometimes, prettily roseate.
(The farmer, am bound to say, sees
only ''brace-roots. the botanist only
aerial roots" extending from the first
joint of the stalk downward until they |
fasten themselves in the soil; vet it will |
be evident to one who makes corn |
sympathetic study that it stands a tip
toe out of pure good spirits and VAL
iance.) Its leaf. closely scanned. shows.
not one uniform green. but streakings |
OF paler and deeper color. Hold the
blade between you and the light. and
you will see on each side of the strong. |
straight midribs an equal number Of
lucid ha:r-line channelings. The upper
surface is roughish. being set with
minute hairs; the under surface is OF .
cool smoothness A day of ..ninety in
the shade" tells upon the leaves. cans
ing them to curl their margins upward,
Is though to shut ont the gloee q ~ |
sun; but the night does not FL r 49,
r1taeatien. Aflsntis Ntnfelk