314] The fascination of Flowers 



CORN A SOMEWHAT PUZZLING PLANT 



Even children who do not aspire to raise their own 

 vegetables are likely to be interested in growing corn. Corn is 

 a universal food favorite. Not only that it is something of a 

 symbol of our American heritage of lessons learned from the 

 Indians and the bountiful harvest that inspired our traditional 

 Thanksgiving. 



Corn is in a class by itself and something of a puzzle. What is 

 the silk tassel comparable to on other plants? Are those green 

 husks that encase each ear regular leaves? How do the green 

 husks differ from the long narrow leaves that hang loosely from 

 the stalk? Is each kernel of corn a seed, or is the whole cob a seed? 

 And why do we sometimes find tiny, undeveloped kernels among 

 others that are fully ripe? 



Early Development of the Corn Plant: If a child could observe 

 the progress of a corn plant, he would see that when it first ap- 

 pears above the ground, its leaves are wrapped in a colorless sheath 

 in a pointed roll. These leaves soon spread apart. Growth is slow; 

 but presently the main stalk becomes visible and once above the 

 ground, it stretches up rapidly. 



The main stalk develops more leaves and also ears which are 

 located at the leaf joints, or nodes, where the stalk is hollowed out 

 in order to hold the ear more snugly. The ear is actually on a 

 branch stalk, and the leaves of this stalk are those that are 

 wrapped around the portion we call the ''cob." It is on the cob 

 that the seeds, or kernels, will develop. 



Flowers the kind bearing pistils now appear in pairs along 

 the sides of the cob, and the corn "silk" develops. Each strand of 

 silk is really a pistil, with the stigma at the upper end of a very 

 long style (the prolongation of the ovary) . In order to secure 

 pollen, this silk, or pistil, must extend from each flower to the 

 tip of the cob, and beyond the leaf wrapping. 



How the Corn Plant Is Fertilized: Meanwhile brown tassels have 

 appeared at the top of the main stalk. These are the plant's flowers 

 which bear stamens and produce pollen. The tassel is made up 

 of many florets, each having two anthers hanging from it; half 



