The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-03
WILD INDIAN CORN.
HAS THE PARENT PLANT OF THIS
GRAIN GsEN DISCOVERED?


Many Varieties.
Many years ago researches woro made to
establish tho fact that maizo belonged OK
clusivcly to this country and was OF Amer
lean origin. 1t was believed in 1897 that
tho plant in its wild state was extinct.
and thus ono of tho strongest arguments to
provo it indigenous was lost. No evidence
could DO found in Europe, Asia or Africa
to show that the plant existed prior to tho
voyages of Columbus, in 1902, or Pizarro,
In 1924. Both Of these nayigators saw it
growing, and we have now reason to be-
lievo that the Indians and meas maCio use
OF tho grain many years before these visit
ors arrived. We have corn that has been
preserved for several hundred years, and it
may have boon grown ovor 900 years ago
In dry state this grain appears to DO ill.,
dostruotible, and have in my possession
some Peruvian corn that Is certainly sew
oral hundred years old 1t ia dry and fri
able, is of red color and yields white
meal. 1t was buried with so called
mummy prior to tho year 1856 and how
long before history does not tell. Peruvian
corn WINS in small ears, from to inches
long, and bore grains pointed on tho top,
not in rows, but somewhat imbricateti 1t
was evidently far removed from the wild
stock
Primitive corn, or wild corn, which hes
been found in several different regions or
this continent naturally reproducing itsolf,
has character of growth that fits it for
long preservation in Il mild climate, al
though If planted and cultivated for II fow
years all the characteristics of wildncss
gradually disappear. Tho cobs of wild
,naizo arc thin and hard, covered with
ch o1O
having wirelike pedicol growing from
the top, attached to Il gllmc inclosinr u
small pointed grain, or Il flat grain, smaller
than any popcorn. These kernel husks
overlap each other toward the point of tho
car, like the shingles on the roof OF house.
Ihe lmbrlcations are largest and longest
ut the butt of the ear and gradually lie.
como less pronounced as they advance in
distinct rows TO tho point. Tho individual
glumes arc from an inch to . inches lont.
and are much longer than this where tic
grains are not fertilized, particularly if tho
entire car is of this character, rs is proved
bya specimen in my collection. Over these
1mbrications is tho outside husk, us we
have 1t Ill all cultivated corns OF course
the barn and the corncrib soon mako win
ter protection by tho glumcs unnecessary
Originally there may have been but ono
mild climate. But, judging from analogy
anu tho effects of cultivation, we arc of tho
opinion that there were subvarioties, and
in them the grains were of a different col.
or and tho giumcs striped Tho meas and
Indians had different varieties of corn, and
grow cars of several colors some uniform
and others mixed, but their cobs were thin
ana sometimes the cars quito short Six
varieties OF tho wild corn found growing
III unfrequcnted localities havo been dc
scribed, five of which have soon, and sew
oral of which have been grown. All havo
pcdiccls attached to the glumcs and the
glumes imbrcatcd
The word corn in many languages sim
ply means grain. Indian corn is Indian
grain distinctivcly, as the Indians had no
other They had beans, squnshes, pump
kins, gourds and melons, but wheat, rye
oats and barley belonged to tho old world
and had to be imported. The Indians grew
corn over wido range of country and
wherever tho climate was adapted to it.
Cultivation has done wonders with this
grain both in its form and color, so that
now we have perhaps 100 varieties. Tho
plant varies from II to 10 feet in height,
and tho ears from inches to IL inches in
length. We find in modern Indian g1owths
ears that arc of II uniform gumbcge yellow,
white, black, blue and red, besides mixed
colors We have also several varieties of
POPCORN sugar corn and field corn Most
of the corn grown by Indians is in small
rounded grains, except that of the cliff
dwcllers, who appear to have been, in u
measure, an agricultural people. Their
cobs were thin and their grain in rows.
but the individual grains were larger and
square ended. Indentcd corn seems also
to have been known among them.
Every people must have Il drink, and il
tho process of distillation is unknown they
resort to fermentation. Primitive Amer
lean races made n drink out of corn anal
ogous to beer, by fermentation Of tho ear
In its greon state or after it had dried
This was intoxicating to certain extent.
but fortunately much less so than tho
modern distillato from the same grain.
The drinking mugs of the cliff dwellcrs
bear testimony to their having hnd this
habit. Great improvements have been
mado by tho white race in growing this
cereal, and one of tho chief of these is in
tho diameter of the cob, which has been
made to hold as high us 81 rows.
From four to six oars have been grown
on ono stalk, and ears produced of very re-
lnarkable length. Sugar corn was intro
duccd in 1779 and now it and popcory.
hayo entered into tho race, and larger va
riotics are being produced. The CONNER
cial variety known as turkey corn is not
mai2c, and does not bear its grain on an
ear, but on the top in tho tasscl, rs tho
broom corn does. Turkey corn is about s
feet high and bears a small, rounded grain,
which is either whito or pinkish. In tho
cast it is known by the name of dura Tho
Turks and Egyptians grow Indian corn, it
is true, but il was originally obtained
from America. Turkey corn ana Inaizo
have often been COMPOUNDED by botanical
writors. =" Bio do Turquie'' is distinc.
two grain Robert u Harris In Gnr,;or