The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-11-27
INDIANA'S FREAK CORN.
It Grows ON Trees from Prehds-
tor3O Seed.

It Grows ON Trees nom Prshis-
toriC Seed
The Strange DiseoveFy ~ Soientases
IN Arkansas - Another Sings
lar Kind u Cern
1ron Rassia.
Dempsy Waggy, . farmer residing In
Madison county, probably has the most
interesting field OF corn in Indiana.
Two years ago Waggy and DR.. Cullen,
. neighbor, were hunting in Arkansas.
They were staying in small village
named Marked Tree. 1t got its rather
unusual title from the fact that one OF
the trees bore strange hierogiyphics OF
an extinct race. The small village is
surrounded by many mounds OF re-
markable snakelike contour. During
their stay some northern scientists Wis
tied the mounds and began explora-
tions, finding many trinkets. Going
deeper they found bones OF humans and
trinkets which had been buried with
them. In one Of the hermetically sealed
receptacles, which was evidently the
last resting place Of one Of the rulers,
the explorers found ornaments, the
skeletons Of dog and of a human be-
ing and also some hermetically sealed
jars. Both jarswere air-tight. and when
opened were found to contain corn. It
was as bright, yellow, solid and dry as
though it had just been shelled. The
explorers took these vessels, but gave
Waggy handful OF corn. He wrapped
i, up in . handkerchief and threw it
into his travelling chest, There it lay
for two years. Scientists claimed that
there were ample proofs that the body
and the corn had been inferred ut least
1900 years and probably as long a.
5000 years.
Waggy came across the seeds last
spring and planted them in his garden.
He was surprised when tiny blades shot
up through the ground. The corn grew
marvelously fast, and as it developed it
threw out new mysteries almost daily,
until to-day the stalks are ten to twelve
feet in height and are somewhat on the
order of tree, being as thick as q mans
wrist 1T the ground Three feet from
the ground they shoot out three long,
palmlike leaves. The leaves are heavy
and very solid. resembling cactus leaf.
Some of them are five feet long from
tin to tip. These are the only leaves
on the stalk. About two feet further
up are the ears of corn. Many stalks
bear six ears and none has fewer than
four ears. At this rate it is figured
that the average yield to the acre would
| be about $50 bushels.
Above the ears the stalk continues
three Or four feet and is topped with a
| very elaborate tassel. The husks sur
rounding the ears are very heavy, and
| as the corn natures they break and curl
back, revealing q frm, yellow-gralned
ear. The grains are very solid and are
exceptionally good for feeding. The
roots of the plant are very long and
bury themselves deep in the ground.
While other corn was suffering on ac-
count of the drought this year the
prehistoric corn was green and healthy
Naqgy will save all OF the yield this
year and plant so or 60 acres next year
He has some of the stalks and corn on
4 exhibition and they are attracting much
attention.
H. J. Blacklidgc, OF Anderson, who
| owns several farms north OF that clty
also exhibits a freak in corn. A yeal
ago a friend in Russia sent him pack
age of seed and told him to plant 1t
The seeds were very nice and solid and
seemed to be superior to the average
Indian corn. It was planted in gooe
lowland section, and It outgrew all Of
the surrounding corn. twas about the
same height As the other corn, but wa'
| a little heavier in the stalk. The ears
began to form and silk and every evo
luton was about in line with that o.
the other corn which surrounded th'
small patch, except that there were
two ears on the new stalks to one on the
old.
| One day when the strange corn hae
almost matured Blacklidge went out t
gather q little Of it. He took hold OF
well-formed ear and threw back thu
husks. He was surprised to find insteae
| of yellow grains of corn series Q
smaller husks where every grain shouls
be. He opened one Of these and fount
lit to be properly silked. Underneath
lay a second husk, also properly silked
and under it was the grain OF corn
Blacklidge figures that the new corr
will Weld l25 bushels to the acre, ant
that it Is superior in dent to the othe
corn. but he does not know how to han
die it. Probably 1t viii be fed througl
a shelter and then subjected to tan
ming process. He announces that h
will plant several acres OF it next year
He cannot classify 1t with any OF tn
known varieties.
A Scottsburg (Ind.) farmer who ha
been experimenting for the last fev
wears claims to have secured q corn tha
win run $50 bushels to the acre on tn
Indiana knobs in the southern par
of the state. If 1t win grow to that ex
tent in that locality, 1t viii run almos
double the number OF bushels IN In
. better corn lands Of the central an
] northern parts OF the state.-Chisae'
/ Record.
rhe Klcnaike - P1aes e Live II.
Dawson City Is nearly ten degree
: further "a the south than the ancier
: Norwegian town Of HammeT9es
: where men make shift to live comfof
Il L "a 49,