16 MEMOIR ON 



culture, rather than to any original differences. The 

 plant is described by botanists, as a strong, reedy, 

 jointed stalk, provided with large alternate leaves, 

 almost like flags, springing from every joint. The top 

 produces a bunch of male flowers, of various colours, 

 which is called the tassel. Each plant bears, likewise, 

 one or more spikes or ears, seldom so fjw as one, and 

 rarely more than four or five, the most usual number 

 being three ; as many as seven have boon seen occa- 

 sionally on one stalk. These ears proceed from the 

 stalk at various distances from the ground, and are 

 closely enveloped by several thin leaves, forming a 

 sheath, which is called the husk. The ears consist of a 

 cylindrical substance, of the nature of a pith, which is 

 called the co6, over the entire surface of which the 

 seeds are ranged, and fixed in eight or more straight 

 rows, each row having generally as many as thirty or 

 more seeds. The eyes, or germs of the seeds, are in 

 nearly radial lines from the centre of the cylinder ; from 

 these eyes proceed individual filaments of a silky ap- 

 pearance, and of a blight-green colour ; the aggregate of 

 these hang out from the point of the husk, in a thick 

 cluster, and in this state are called the silk. It is the 

 office of these filaments, which are the stigmata, to 

 receive the farina, which chops from the flowers on the 

 top or tassel, and without which the ears would pro- 

 duce no seed, a fact which has been established by 

 cutting off the top previous to the development of its 

 flowers, when the ears proved wholly barren. So soon 

 as their omce has been thus performed, both the tassel 

 and the silk dry up, and put on a withered appearance. 



The grains of maize are of different colours, the pre- 

 vailing hue being yellow of various shades, sometimes 

 approaching to white, and at other times deepening to 

 red. Some are of a deep chocolate-colour, others green- 

 ish or olive-coloured, and even the same ears will some- 

 times contain grains of different colours. 



Geography and History. Indian Corn, when due 

 regard is paid to the selection of varieties, may be 

 accounted as a sure crop, in almost every portion of the 



