Indian Corn, or Maize 103 



The ears have somewhat the appearance of flint corn, except 

 for the size of the kernel. Corn of this type is grown more 

 largely in South America, Central America, and Mexico than 

 in the United States and Canada. The plants are usually 

 tall-growing and, with the exception of a few varieties, require 

 a long season for maturity. 



Pod corn. Each kernel in pod corn is inclosed in a husk. 

 Corn of this type is of no commercial importance and is grown 

 as a curiosity. 



48. Uses of corn. The principal use of corn is for stock 

 feed. The grain itself, either whole or ground, is fed to all 

 kinds of live-stock ; the stalks are used as fodder, and the whole 

 plant, stalk and ears, is the best material available for silage. 

 Many by-products from the manufactured products of corn 

 are important stock foods. Among the manufactured products 

 from corn are hominy, cerealine, breakfast foods, corn-starch, 

 corn-sirup, corn-sugar, alcohol, paper, corn-oil, and corn-rubber. 

 The use of sweet corn, pop-corn, and corn-meal for human foods 

 is too well known to require further comment. 



49. Selection of variety of corn for planting. One of the im- 

 portant factors in profitable corn culture is the selection of the 

 right variety for planting. Each corn-growing region has varie- 

 ties best adapted to its particular climatic and soil condition. 

 If matured ears are desired, corn is a crop that requires perfect 

 acclimation in order to yield profitable returns. The farmer 

 should, therefore, plant only those varieties that do well in his 

 locality and should use seed that has been grown in his vicinity. 

 New varieties can be acclimated, but only a relatively small 

 quantity should be planted the first year. If some of the 

 plants mature, from these a small quantity of seed can be se- 

 lected for planting the next year, and the same plan followed 

 for the succeeding years. By taking two or three years, a 

 variety that has become acclimated to the region can be pro- 

 duced. 



When corn is to be used for silage, it is not necessary that it 



