DEVELOPMENT AND STRUCTURE. 85 



the corn plant has struggled up from its earthy bed, 

 and approaches the point where germination ceases 

 and vegetation begins, it pushes its bodkin-shaped 

 cylinder of compact foliage through the surface of the 

 earth, changing its color at once from white to green, 

 and opening out its uppermost leaves to enter upon 

 their function of respiration. 



As the growth advances, other rolled-up leaves are 

 successively developed from the crown of the stalk, un- 

 til the tassel is fully formed and the plant assumes its 

 perfect outline. The leaves grow broader and longer as 

 they rise, one above the other, from the base of the stalk 

 more than half way to the summit ; after which they 

 gradually and uniformly diminish in size to the upper- 

 most leaf which is near the tassel. " One leaf grows 

 from every joint in the stalk, but in such a way as to 

 alternate sides. The first formed leaf, and after this 

 every leaf in regular succession, clasps the stalk closely 

 until it approaches near to the under side of the leaf 

 above ; after this it grows out from the stalk, and a beau- 

 tiful fan-like appearance is at length produced which 

 is not equalled by any other annual plant cultivated 

 for the value of its fruit." Farmers Encyclopaedia. 



The stems on which the ears are formed proceed 

 from the joints, commencing usually at the one near- 

 est the ground. The number of ears on a stalk vary 

 from one or two, to five or six, in rare cases reaching 

 as high as seven or eight ; though it is not often that 

 more than two or three ears are matured on the same 

 stalk. The ranks of grain on the ear vary in number 

 from eight to thirty-six, being always an even number, 



