Phoenix tribune., 1919-01-25

piration. AS rule, the larger the
total leaf surface of a plant the larger
is the Transportation. AS the corn plant
has many long, large leaves, the tot
al leaf surface is quite large, and
therefore, large quantity of water
is required to supply the needs OF
Transportation.
Note These Ear Facts
Q-Exactly where do the ears be.
gin to develop on the stalk?
An addition to the leaf, a tiny
ear of corn begins to develop on the
grove side of each node Most of
them never develop to mature state.
These tender embryonic ears may be
seen by pealing off the sheaths of the
leaves from mature stalk Of corn
below the large, fully developed ear
or ears.
Q.-Why not grow several ears OF
corn on each stalk of corn?
A.-Some varieties of corn grow
two or three ears to maturity, but
occasionally more than this number
are matured. 1t is highly desirable
to produce several good mature ears
on single stalk, and some progress
is being made in this direction with
some varieties.
Q.-How may I increase the num-
Der of ears on the stalks of my corn?
A.-By practicing field selection of
your seed corn. Before harvesting the
corn crop, go through the field and
mark all the stalks from which you
| desire to save seed. Select well de-
veloped stalks that have three or
more good ears fully matured The
selections may be made at huskiDg
time, if preferred. Keep up this prac-
tice for several years, and the efforts
and time will pay good dividends. If
you do not have variety that tends
to develop more than one ear get
another variety that does, and make
your seed selection from that.
Q.-Efow is the ear fastened to the
stalk?
A.-The ear is fastened to the stalk
by means of short stem called the
shank, which also has nodes and in
ternodes just like the stalk. From the
nodes of the shank, modified leaves
grow, called husks, which form a COW
ering for the ear of corn.
Q.-Where do the silks grow from?
A.-The silks grow from the en-
bryo, or germ, Of each grain of corn,
and extend along the length of the
ear, till the ends extend beyond the
husks and dangle in the air.
Q.-What is the use of the silks?
A.-The silks form a passageway
for the opllen grains from their ex-
terror ends to the embryo of the ker-
nels. The dangling ends of the silks
catch the pollen grains as they fall
upon them from the tassels above.
The ear is the female portion of the
plant a4 n.
Q.-What is the use of the tassel?
A.-The tassel is the male portion
of the plant and grows at the top of
the stalk. 1t produces myrids of
grains of pollen which when mature,
are loosened from their pods end
carried away by the wind Is dust.
Many of them perish, but a few fall
upon the exposed ends of the silks.
Q.-Exactly how does the feriliza
ton take place?
A.-When pollen grain falls up
on the exposed end of a silk it i'm
mediately begins to sprout, and grows
down the inside of the silk till it
reaches the germ of the grain from
which the silk comes, when the grain
becomes fertilized and the basis laid
for new plant.
A Grain of Corn
Cor what is a grain of corn
composed?
A.-There are three parts to grain
of corn; namely, the germ, or EN-
bryo, the endosperm, and the hull
The embryo contains the living part
the embryonic stalk, which is called
the plumble, and the root, which is
/ technically known as the hypocotyl
The germ contains high percentage
of fat, or carbonaceous substance.
The hui covers the grain, and is vari-
ously colored. Between the hull and
the embryo, lies the endosperm,
which composes the largest part of
the grain and is made up of sub
stance high in starch content, and al
so contains some gluten.