The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-01-24


was Of opinion that Indian corn was
Indigenous both In China and IN south
western South America. The prehis-
lorio evidence afforded by comparative
phllology. establishes the fact that
wheat and barley were cultivated by
race dwelling somewhere on the plains
Of Central Asia. az a time so remote
that out Of their language a. the
mother tongue. gFcr. 10 the course Of
many centuries tho Latin. the Greek
and the sanscrit. and the whole tribe
Of lndo-European speeches. And the
same kind Of testimony. gathered from
geological investigation IN South
America. and from ancient tombs,
shows oonclnsiyely that Indian corn
was there cultivated az q period long
anterior to the dynasty OF the lncas,
which commenced IN the twelfth CEN
fury However. Humboldt. the uni
versai layant says there Is no doubt
In the minds Of boianists. that Indian
corn is a truly American plant, and
that the new world gave Il 70 the old.
Those who ace Of his opinion say Il
Eas on bis return from his frst yoy-
age. IN the year 1898. that Columbus
brought 10 Europe the frst grains OF
indian corn, and thence rs cultivation
spread into Portugal and the south Of
Europe. The Portuguese. who were At
that time the great naylgatora o; the
world. having doubled Cape Horn pre-
viously, and discovered Java In 1926,
introduced II along the African coast
and into Java: and thence lts cultlya-
ton spread into India and China. and
Indian corn was correctly figured In a
Chinese work on agriculture az early
. aa 1862.
The weight Of Humholdts testimony
Is enormous on any such question ~
. his; but then Is e net quite as ren'
ionable TO believe that indian corr
may have been indigenous 10 China
b lad have been long cultivated there
b a. 10 suppose that In the comparative
I. o. brief space OF little more than hall
3 century. Il should have been transfer
u red from America % Europe. thence q
!. lava. thence to China. and have heel
3 80 generally adopted and cultivated b,
q that cautious and slow moving peopls
4 "a 10 have been figured In a book =
/. short a time after 10 introduction I
y the country? The arguments derive
|, from vegetable physiology. strongl
!, favor It's eastern origin: because. Will
farther India and China contain man
native plants Of related genera. ~
sorghum and millei. very little. u an
thing OF the kind. is 10 be found amor
the botanical productions o. Sou
4 America. by the barest possiblllt
Indian Corn may have been Introduce
" into some portions Of North Amerl'
!. By the Chinese. some Centuries az
\ And the present remote probahllil
/, may become n reasonable one. n mo-
crn antiQuarians succeed IN establish
ing the fact OF the discovery
:, America BY the Chinese. az least
- thousand years before rs discovery I
y Columbus triumph Of skiliful an
successful research which may not
p Gar OF. but whatever the origin
y Indian corn may have been. whethl
On the slopes Of the Andes or In n
fertile valleys OF the mountains
China. modern botanlsts and natura
N lists are pretty well agreed that the o
iginal Indian corn belonged 20 q
= species known as Zea Tunica.
In clothed Indian corn. each kernel
" The ear being cnvcioped IN a separa
IN ,unic or husk. the grains Of which mi
al be Of various shapes, and colored y,
\, low, white or red. Descending and q
II parting from this species. the varlell
I. OF Indian corr have become innums
h. able. each country and climate. eve
IA soil. situation. and parallel. having o
!. or more especially suited 10 the G
= cumstances: 20 that an extensive q
lection OF the varieties Of Indian co
would contain specimens from
inches high to as many feet. with e
~ ranging In size from that OF a lad
ginger TO that Of the fortarm OF
strong man. No cereal accepts
m0dlncatlons OF soil and climate.
me- easily and quickly a. Indian corn; ]
ZEE even the cuourbl,loca cross each Oh
IN with greater facility. Few plants d
he 40 other cereal succeed equally v
see from the equator to 90 degrees no
ar and south latitude. and no one Of a
~ Is more easily and readily prescrl
Al. through an seasons and for a cons
M. cradle time: and therefore while
a. preservation Of varieties 's an exec
,o,. ngly difficult matter, Il IS OF little
~. 10 matter whether they are prcler'
-, or not. In a broad and general scr
!, every soil. situation aud climate ,
49, duces a certain normal developm
NJ, OF stalk and ear. and though cult
-. ton aud enriching the soil may
~ crease the results. q does so elm
" by practically changing soil and
mate bc'h.
Apple Tree rruneq.
Hma "A "a.