148 ES8AT (jN INDIAN CORJIf. 



the species of Gramlna, tlie zea mais is probably the most cultivated. 

 It is annual, and the stems, Avhich are cylindrical and closed at the 

 nodes, rise to the height of from four to ten feet. The sheaths of 

 the leaves are split, the flowers are in double rowed imbricated 

 bracts, the male flower being placed at the apex of the,stem. Each 

 grain is furnished with a style, which extends along the inner side 

 of the sheaths, and hangs like a fine silken thread, forming the tas- 

 sel. The stamens are three ; the seeds are rounded on the surface, 

 compressed at the sides, and arranged in rows. They are extremely 

 farinaceous, or mealy, which gives the plant its value. The varie- 

 ties are innumerable. These varieties are owing, in part, to differ- 

 ence of culture, climate and soil. Of these we shall speak more at 

 length hereafter. 



Naturalists have long disputed the origin of maize. The question 

 is one of interest, inasmuch as some claim our own as its native 

 country, while others contend that it came from the East. It is 

 proper to state, briefly, tlie argument as it stands, after which we 

 shall be better able to draw somewhat satisfactory conclusions. 



Bo6k, the first botanist who wrote of it, forty years after the dis- 

 covery of America, asserts that it came from Arabia, and was called 

 wheat of Asia (hie d'' Asm,} rjreat tvheat and great reed .^ But four 

 years after, the same opinion is maintained by Ruellius,^ whose as- 

 sertions are perhaps Avorthy of respect. Fuchsius also declares that 

 it came from Asia to Greece, thence to Germany, and was called 

 wheat of Turkey/, because the Turks at that time possessed all 

 Asia. Many writers have taken the authority of the old map 

 or chart of Incisa, of the thirteenth century, to prove that it came 

 from the East. Of such we may mention Sismondi,! M. Mi- 

 chaud,^ Gregory,** Lonicfer," Amoreux,^ and Reynier,^ Avho was fa- 

 miliar with the history of Agriculture. This chart describes a grain 

 of a golden color, and partly white ; — " granis de colore aureo, et 



1. Hist. Nat. du Mais, p. 11, par M, Bonafous. 



2. De Natura Stirpium, Lib. xi., c. xxix, p. 428, 1536. 



3. DcHistoria Si irpium, pp. 824-25. 1542. 



4. Biog^raphie Universalle, Tom. ixix., p. 542. Note. 



5. }Ti,-5toire des Croisades 4th ed, Paris : 1S26. Tom. lii., pp. 34&-9. 



6. Aunalcs de TAgriculture Francaisc. 



7. Naturalis Historiae opus novum. Frankfort : 1551. 

 B. Memoire »ur le ."Mais. 1784. 



3 Feuille d'Agriciilture du Canton de Vaud T. vii. 



