CHAPTER I 



Brief History of the Corn Plant . . 1-4 



Its antiquity — Original form of the species 

 not yet identified — Early names given it by 

 Indians. 



CHAPTER II 



Botany and Varieties 5-36 



Outline of species groups, flint corns, soft 

 corns, sweet corns, pop corns, etc — Development 

 of the various strains — Varieties of dent corn 

 carefully described — History of famous and 

 well known kinds — Their characteristics de- 

 scribed in detail. 



CHAPTER III 



Plant Food 37-56 



Necessary conditions for best plant growth — 

 Forms of atmospheric food — Root system de- 

 scribed and illustrated — Methods of obtaining 

 nitrogen— Seeding clover with and without nurse 

 crops— Other leguminous crops, including best 

 varieties of cowpeas. 



CHAPTER IV 



Breeding and Selection of Seed Corn . . 57-74 



Corn breeding a specialized industry — Its field 

 very great — Approved methods of breeding — 

 Influence of soil on development — The breeding 

 field— Cross-pollinated corn — Best storehouse 

 for seed corn — Selection of seed corn — Conven- 

 ient methods of shipping — Testing seed — Sorting 

 and preparing seed corn for the planter. 



iii 



