SECTION XXII. CORN 



CORN belongs to the grass family. Some of the plants 

 to which it is related are all true grasses, as sugar cane, 

 wheat, oats, rye, barley, and rice. Corn differs from most 

 of its relatives in having both a tassel and an ear, and in 

 having these located on different parts of the plant. 



A corn plant in full tassel gives off a cloud of dust-like 

 particles when shaken. There are estimated to be about 

 18,000,000 tiny pollen grains formed by each tassel. 'Most 

 of these are wasted, but those that fall on the silks are 

 useful. There are as many silks as spaces for grains of 

 corn on the ear. 



Races of corn. There are only a few races of corn, the 

 most important being pop, sweet, dent (or common), and 

 flint corn. In each race there are many varieties. 



Mixing of races of corn. Some ears of popcorn have 

 some kernels like those of field corn. These have been 

 crossed with common corn. Hence popcorn should not 

 be planted near other kinds that will tassel at the same 

 time. If it is impossible to plant it away from all other 

 kinds, arrange the date of planting so as to have it silk 

 and tassel before the other corn, or after the tassels on the 

 common corn have shed their pollen and dried. Sweet 

 corn readily crosses with field corn, and some of its grains 

 are then smooth instead of wrinkled, as dry kernels of 

 sweet corn ought to be. When these races cross, the 



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