The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-18
Red and striped Corn.

Correspondence Country Gentleman.
The communication Of Jan. 8. in regard
70 red corn ears. has more than a passing
interest on account Of its close connection
with the fundamental law Of the survival
Of the fttest; this term meaning the natural
ability TO take care of itself Of any plant
or animal. Quite often il is closely related
10 what we call reversion, which is the
repetition in a race OF some popularity
which has existed for some generations in a
dormant condition, but by some freak Of
nature appears after a time once more,
and furnishes new seed for another similar
revival in course OF time.
When this continent was first occupied by
white men, the culture OF maize was one OF
the most important industries OF the abort
gines. and il has been thought by some in
vestiSators that this possession was shared
by the adjacent localities In Asia. Among
the most ancient varieties OF corn known,
all the primary colors existed, these being
yellow, blue and red. And by admixture OF
these by the process of polarization quite q
variety OF mixed shades and stripes have
been produced, which are still preserved,
and even again mixed, until a reasonably
ample collection, such as L have been gain
ering here for about twenty years past,
from among the oldest settlers and the IN
clans, forms a very remarkable and inter
esting source of in regard 10
the effect of cross breeding in plants. But
as the color of a mans skin is only super
fetal, and similar variations occur In other
animals, but these are inherited and trans
mitted by the Iorce OF Inheritance, so we
ind 1t among plants and especially III
maize. And not only I'm the color OF the
grains, but in their shape these interesting
variations occur. The color, however, IS
only skin deep; the kernel is never affected
in any way by the color of the skin. and the
variety of the stripping OF the skin is almost
infinite. And 10 match two grains even, not
to mention whole ears, Is impossible. This
annlipG 70 the small blue or murine NarlGllSS
grown in western Colorado, from imme-
mortal tines, and now found secreted In the
earthenware jars remaining In the caves or
on the walls or the great canyons OF the
wonderfully grand Colorado river.
The color of the corn grain has the three
primary tints, red, blue and yellow. THESE
colOrs are pure, and the only ones which
cannot be decomposed. We find all these in
the grains of corn, but We never find any
of the secondary cOlOrs. green. nurple or
orange; nor any of the other mixed shades:
We may find quite frequently a mixture OF
all these three cOlOrs in the same grains,
but always distinctly separate, as In lines
or patches. L have been growing for a
good many years a variety OF corn, the
seed of which was procured from the Cher-
okee Indians, when. white men first came
into this mountain region; and one quite In,
t~elligent farmer, who had made a special
culture of the corn, has been growing IL
pure ever since the Cherokees were re-
moved to the Indian Territory. | have
offered for some years q standing reward
of 81 for two grains of this corn exactly
alike, without any taker; and l have spent
much time in trying TO match grains, but
all without resulting in finding two even
nearly alike. This infinite diversity of ma
ture seems TO show not repetition, but
mixture and Investigation and that the
widening of the field of work is the law.
1t is thus only a tendency to Improvement
The colOrs are the same; IL is in thick
ness or thinness Of the lines OF the red on
the yellow surface of the grains. the mere
husk of them, for the kernel is OF the snow
lest whiteness. After fifty years of work
by my neighbor 10 reproduce this red
striped corn, and half as many OF my W
there is necessary at the huskings quite a
lot of work in discarding the numerous
solid red ears. And as in every planting
only picked striped grains are selected for
seed, and the red ears are thrown out, the
continuous appearance of them is evidence
still Of the natural force of reversion.