74 ' THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



are talking of varieties of the latter with high or low starch and 

 oil content, but up to the present, the growers have been so much 

 interested in the size of their crops that they have given little 

 thought to the quality of their product. Those who have much 

 to do with corn bread, mush and Johnny-cake, know, and 

 those who may be obliged to use these high-priced substitutes 

 for wheat will discover, that there is a great deal of difference 

 in the flavor of various varieties of corn. Meal made from the 

 white varieties has a much more delicate flavor than meal 

 made from the others. Some forms of the white meal when 

 properly cooked can scarcely be distinguished from similar 

 foods made from wheat. When differences of this kind exist 

 without the assistance of the plant breeder it is apparant that 

 intelligent direction would still further improve the quality. 

 Without question, forms could be produced which would yield 

 a flour scarcely to be distinguished from wheat flour. When 

 the agronomist has reached the limit O'f mere production it is 

 possible that he may turn his attention to improving the flavor 

 of his product. Until that time comes, however, we shall 

 probably have to get along with the kind of corn the hogs find 

 palatable. 



BOOKS AND WRITERS 



There continues to be a pretty brisk demand for weed-books, 

 possibly because the subject of war gardens and conservation 

 of food is uppermost in the public mind at present. Weeds 

 deprive the crops of moisture, light, air and minerals and so 

 reduce the food supply. Fighting our enemies by fighting the 

 weeds is a form of war service in which even the most ram- 

 pageous pacifist need not hesitate to engage. It has been some 

 five years since W. S. Blatchley issued his "Indiana Weed 

 Hook,*' but a weed rarely changes its disposition, therefore the 

 directions for eradicating the entire pestiferous brotherhood. 



