American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-03-08


first row. They had grown almost half
an inch and were nearly touching the
dirt he had pulled toward them.
He discovered another function these
above ground rOots possessed. The
broad leaves Of the corn would catch
the heavy dew each night OF some
slight shower. and the moisture would
condense and roll down the broad
leaves until It reached the main stalk;
then It would trickie down the stem
until It reached this circle OF roots,
then down them 10 the soil IN a perfect
circle Of moisture about the plant .
assist IN its growth.
Joe was we'll tired out when he got
through fixing the cosn and hired Link
to plow out the Mexican June corn.
give the cotton a dose OF fertilizer and
throw some more dirt toward it and 10
assist In cutting OF a lot Of sweet po-
tatO vines. which we're hauled 10 the
pig lot to give Nike and John L. some
green food. The rest OF the vines were
thrown back without cutting on top OF
their rows and a final blowing and hill
ing given the potatoes.
In about a week the tiny ears OF corn
on the stalks IN the prize acre began TO
show. The additional roots were now
striking into the fertilizer One could
almost see the corn growing. and on a
still. quiet night a person could actual.
" hear IL a faint. gentle whispering
rustic as the leaves gradually unfolded
Here and there the tassels began to
show. and the pink and white silk OF
the young ears was growing longer.
The time to use the nitrate Of soda
had arrived. and It was applied pre-
cisely as the fertilizer had been. except
that Joe took a rake and merely abrad-
ed the crust OF ground on the hills so
the nitrate could be absorbed more rap
idly. In addition. this working would
not tear and break natures arrange
ment OF rootlets as a deep blowing or
hoelng would do. Four days after the
nitrate was applied the field was In full
tasseL
Joe admired the beautiful pink SIX
OF the ends OF the corn ears greatly.
One day he vas looking at a tassel on
top OF the stalk when one OF the many
honeybees scrambling busily around
few. and the motion and air from the
wings Of the insect caused a faint pun
Of very fine yellow powder to DROP
from the tassel and float downward u
the still air.
He looked the matter up IN his book
that night and found that the rea.
blossom OF the corn Is the tassel; thai
the tassel IS composed OF hundreds Of
oblong little cups open at the outel
end. the other being attached to the
rib. or stem which In turn grew from
the main stem OF the tassel.
He found tsat this yellow powdel
vas the pollen This was shaken on
Of the blooms by the wind, by bee.
and other insects and fell OF its owl
weight until some of 1t was caught b,
the waving silk. which was slightly
damp and gummy TO make Il stick
Each strand OF silk be found con
nected with a grain OF the embryr
or tiny corn. Each strand Of silk wa
a sort OF above ground root formed 70
the express purpose OF catching a bi
of the pollen powder. When the pre-
ciOus grains fell upon abe silk It wa
absorbed. transmitted TO the tiny grain
which then grew into a perfect one.
In this way the grain Of corn wa
p~ollinated, one Of those mysteriou
and wonderful requirements OF natur
the exact secret OF which and precis
reasons for have never yet been re
vealed TO man. Certain il is, however
that If the pollen with its hidden an