186 HANDBOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



dace two germ-leaves, like the bean, are catted dicotyledonous. 

 Cotyledon means a germ-leaf. What becomes of the cotyle- 

 dons of the bean ? How can you distinguish monocotyl and 

 dicotyl by their leaves ? Hold them up against the light 

 and notice the venation. 



In our next lesson we shall study what is perhaps the most 

 important American grain, Indian com or maize. 



25. Indian Corn or Maize. 



MATERIAL : Corn just sprouted and corn plants a few weeks old ; 

 similar material of small grains and beans for comparison ; stalks with 

 roots, tassel, and silk; ear with corn in the milk; different varieties 

 of ripe corn on the ear. 



This plant is one of the most recent additions to the list 

 of our cultivated plants. Maize, often simply called corn in 

 this country, was cultivated in Peru, in Mexico, and to some 

 extent by the Indians in the United States, when white 

 men first came in contact with the natives of these several 

 regions. Kernels of maize have been found in ancient 

 Peruvian and Mexican graves, which fact proves that, at 

 the time alluded to above, the cultivation of maize was not 

 only known over a vast territory, but was also very old. 

 The original home of the plant is probably in tropical South 

 America. 



The introduction of maize into all mild and semitropical 

 regions has proved a boon to humanity. About the year 

 1500 it was introduced in Europe, and is now extensively 

 cultivated in all southern Europe and in Asia Minor. For 

 the United States it is the most important of all cereals, 

 much larger quantities of it being raised than of wheat. 



OUTLINE FOR LESSON 



1. Compare seedlings of small grain with seedlings of 

 corn. 



Observations. What other mammals are found in cultivated fields? 



