The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-11-04
FREAK CORN IN INDIANA.
Growing on Trees and Raised from
Seed Maybe 5000 Years Old.

Growing Trees and Raised from
Seed Maybe 5000 Years Old.
Dempsy Waggy, a 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 hieroglyphics of
an extinct race. The small village is
surrounded by many mounds of re-
markable sSakelille contour. During
| their stay some northern scientists Wis
tied the mounds and began eXplora-
tiOns, finding many trinkets. Gong
deeper they found bones of humans and
| trinkets which had been buried with
| them. In one of the herme tically sealed
receptacles, which was evidently the,
! last resting place of one of the rulers,
the explorers found ornaments, the
| skeletons of a dog and of human be-
ing and also some Theoretically sealed.
| Jars. Both jars were alright, and when
opened were found to contain corn. 1t
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
il UP in a 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 at least
1000 years and probably as long as
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 mans
wrist at the ground. Three feet from
the ground they shoot out three long,
palmlike leaves. The leaves are heavy
| and very solid resembling a cactus leaf.
Some of them are five feet long from
tip 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 a firm, yellow-grained
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.
Waggy will save all of the yield this
: year and plant 80 or 60 acres next year.
/ He has some of the stalks and corn on
I exhibition and they are attracting much
t attention.
II. j. Blacklidge, of Anderson, who
5 owns several farms north of that city,
I | also exhibits a freak in corn. veal
> ago a friend in Russia sent him a pack
.. age of seed and told him to plant it
. The seeds were very nice and solid and
e. seemed to be superior to the average
? Indian corn. 1t was planted in good
;. lowland section, and it OutgreW all OF
0 the surrounding corn. 1t was about the
7 same height as the other corn, but was
I A little heavier in the stalk. The ears
;, ! began to form and silk and every evo-
luton was about in line with that Of
the other corn which surrounded the
small patch, except that there were
two ears on the new stalks to one on the
Old.
L One day when the strange corn haC
/ almost matured Blacklidge went out tc
# gather a little of it, He took hold Of {
y weli-formed ear and threw back the
e husks He was surprised to find instead
+ Of yellow grains Of corn series o
n smaller husks where every grtNh should
be. He opened one of these and founC
e it to be properly silked. Underneath i
l. lay second husk, also properly silked
n and under ii was the grain of corn
q Blaclllidge figures that the new corr
I will Weld 1926 bushels to the acre, an(
$ that it is superior in dent to the othe
{ corn, but he does not know how to han
5 die it. Probably it will be fed through
II shelter and then subjected to a fan
i ming process. He announces that h
will plant several acres of it next year
u lie Cannot classify it with any of tn
> known varieties.
! A Scottsburg (Ind.) farmer who ha
- been experimenting for the last feN
wears claims to have secured corn tina
:, will run $50 bushels to the acre on tn
= Indiana knobs in the southern par
4 of the state. If it will grow to that eX
tent in that locality, it will run almos
double the number of bushels in tn
: better corn lands of the central an
&c northern parts of the state.-Chicag
a Record.
wishing on Falling Stars.
Would YOU know the origin of the Gus
T, tom of making wish when star falls
| oil tIn "a