The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-10-22
INDIAN CORN.
A Cereal Which Emphasizes the Hope
and HardihoOd of the New World.

A Cereal Which Emphasizes the Hope
and Hardwood 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 werld. 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;
right-hand reliance of the pioneer;
above all. it must be an immemorial 90
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 subterraneonsly, would do
wrong to oar national genius; the
second a golden braggart, with its
earth-embracing habits-afar be its sug-
gestion The third would but conjure
up vision of Columbia, Tapped in mic
otian 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 armorial
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
the oak itself. 1t stands erect, poises
sufficient, its green blades swearing
right and left in the curve of beauty,
and ready at the winds excitation to
engage in mock battle of scythes With
its neighbors.
First the blade. II must be an eye
Indifferent to contrast in color that viii
not take distinct delight in those little
pennons of sunshiny green, futtering
above the rich lumber 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 ehalices @
| hold the rain, to its midsummer pride
| ct two-fold fiowerage. 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 ana
by, it is seen standing on tiptoe; tees
white, or, sometimes, prettily roseaFe
(The farmer, I am bound to say, sees
only ''brace-roots. the botanist only
"aerial roots" extending from the frss
joint of the stalk downward until they
fasten themselves in the soil; yet i VII
be evident to one who makes corn
sympathetic study that it stands q Up
toe out of pure good spirits and Vsii
iance.) It's leaf, closely scanned, shows
not one uniform green. but streaklng
of paler and deeper color. Hold tns
blade between you and the light ana
you viii see on each side Of the strong.
straight midribs an equal number @
lucid hair-line channelings. The upper
surface is roughish, being set via
minute hairs; the under surface IS Of :
cool smoothness. A day of NINETY 2
the shade tells upon the leaves, cam
ing them to curl their margins upWara
as though to shut out the glare OF tnu
sun; but the night does not fail to pfins
restoration. Atlantic AoBthIu.