12 INDIAN CORN CULTURE, 
CHAPTER II. 
BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 
Indian corn is known by botanists as Zea 
mays. It belongs to the grass family and is an 
annual plant. It is classed as an endogenous 
plant for the reason that it increases in height 
and diameter of stem by internal growth. 
The root is of two classes, primary and sec- 
ondary. The former is fine and fibrous, and 
in the field the plant produces a large mass of 
these roots. No long tap root is developed; 
consequently, as with the grasses generally, the 
roots branch out in all directions rather near 
the surface. For this reason shallow cultiva- 
tion of the growing crop is advocated, as break- 
ing the roots is deemed an injury to the grow- 
ing plant. 
In interesting experiments conducted by 
Prof. F. H. King at the Wisconsin experiment 
station * upon the development of corn roots 
in natural soils under the conditions of field cul- 
tivation, he washed out plants at different stages 
* Ninth annual report Wisconsin experiment station, 1892, 
Ῥ. 112. 
