ANALYSES OF MAIZE. 



255 



greatly increased in consequence of its annual growth, and its requiring only a season to 

 perfect its grain. 



Another fact equally strong in itself, is its disposition to form varieties, which adapt 

 themselves to the climate or the length of the season. In this constitutional power, it 

 exceeds I believe all the other cereals. It has been observed that from 75 to 100 varieties 

 are known. Some of these varieties attain maturity with great rapidity ; others more 

 slowly, in which case they usually attain a great height, sometimes that of small trees. 

 The growth of the latter is as rapid as the former, but their size is not completed till after 

 the lapse of ninety days. 



Of the comparative value of maize. In estimating the value of an article of food, it is 

 essential that we take into account the amount produced on a given surface, and the 

 extent to which it exhausts the soil, I will attempt to ascertain these amounts in this place, 

 inasmuch as they are both important and valuable elements with which the farmer should 

 become familiar. 



Amount obtained in an ordinary crop of maize. As all parts of the plant are more or less 

 valuable, and inasmuch too as they take from the soil valuable elements, it will be in- 

 structive to state how much is thus removed in the crop, in the leaves, stalks, silks, tassels, 

 husks, cobs and grains. An acre of land may be estimated as producing 4900 hills, with 

 three perfect plants, or stalks as they are usually called. They may be supposed to stand 

 in rows three feet apart, and to range in true lines in two directions. Taking the White- 

 flint corn for our estimate, it will be found by reference to page 167, that a plant of this 

 variety gives the following weights of its several parts : 



Tassels 



Stalks 



Leaves 



Sheaths 



Husks 



Silks 



Cobs 



Kernels 



22007-6 



4022-9 



243-88 



In a single plant there are 40^3 grains of dry matter, in which there is dissolved 243 • 88 

 grains of inorganic matter, consisting, as will be observed in the analyses, of phosphates, 

 soluble silica, potash, soda, etc. A field of an acre contains, as has been indicated, 

 14700 of such plants, weighing probably some more and some less, but whose average 

 amounts will not differ materially from the weight of the plants already determined and 

 referred to. So it is probable that more than three plants will be found in a hill ; but 

 assuming this as the number, it will be easy for any one to compute the variations which 

 may arise from a greater or less number of plants in the field. 



