MAIZE. 



MAIZE. 



is much more hurtful than advantageous, in- 

 juring the growth and developement of the 

 corn, and lessening the produce of both fodder 

 and grain. The truth of these opinions seem 

 to have been confirmed by actual experiments. 

 (See Cultivator, vol. viii. p. 90.) 



Many farmers deem the use of the plough 

 altogether unnecessary and even injurious, and 

 conduct the tillage of the corn crop throughout 

 first with the drag-harrow, and successively 

 with the cultivator, horse-hoe, and hand-hoe. 

 These are kept going very constantly until 

 wheat harvest, after which further culture is 

 suspended, and the corn crop, in common phra- 

 seology, is said to be laid by. The plants have 

 now attained from 2 to 4 or 5 feet in height, and 

 thrown out their side-shoots. These should be 

 left to extend themselves uninterruptedly in all 

 directions, which they will do with great rapi- 

 dity provided the season be favourable and the 

 soil loose and in good tilth. Should they be 

 cut or torn asunder by late and too deep work- 

 ing, the crop must suffer serious injury. 



The progressive growth and developement 

 of Indian corn are well described by Mr. Lo- 

 rain. 



The roots and stem of maize, he says, spring 

 from the heart of the grain ; the former grows 

 from one to two or more inches long before the 

 latter appears, and progresses so very rapidly, 

 that if pulled up from a loose soil, they will 

 measure about 12 inches long when the stem 

 is only about 3 inches high, although their 

 finer fibres must be left in the ground by this 

 rude operation. 



The stem protrudes itself through the soil in 

 the form of a bodkin, and is composed of leaves 

 rolled very compactly together; the first two 

 leaves expand soon after the plant penetrates 

 the soil, and other rolled leaves continue to 

 unfold in succession from the crown of the 

 plant, until the tassel appears wrapped up in 

 its own leaves: these also gradually spread 

 themselves, until the plant is fully formed. 



The leaves increase in width and length 

 from the ground up to where the most perfect 

 ear is formed; after this they decrease in 

 length and width, more rapidly than they in- 

 creased below, and this decrease is regularly 

 maintained even to the uppermost leaf, which 

 forms itself a little below the tassel. 



One leaf grows from every joint in the stalk, 

 but in such a way as to alternate sides ; the 

 first formed leaf, and after this every leaf in 

 regular succession, clasps the stalk closely, 

 until it approaches near to the under side of 

 the leaf above ; after this it grows out from 

 the stalk, and a beautiful fan-like appearance 

 is at length produced, which is not equalled 

 by any other annual plant cultivated for the 

 value of its fruit; especially when the large 

 luxuriant ears display at their points elegant 

 tufts of silky fibres, which vary in colour when 

 mixtures form the seed. 



The height of this plant differs much. The 

 smallest variety that has been noticed by me 

 did not seem to exceed 3 feet in height. The 

 largest plants which I have seen measured 

 but 13 feet. I have, however, heard of some 

 which attained the height of 17 feet. These 



must have been grown on a very rich, as well 

 as a very deep and open, free soil. 



The lateral roots of maize soon spread 

 through the whole soil. The finger-roots, as 

 they are sometimes called, dip much deeper. 

 I have seen them traced two feet below the 

 surface of the soil by a grubbing hoe, in the 

 hands of a rugged workman. How much fur- 

 ther their finer fibres might have gone was not 

 ascertained by me, but this convinced me that 

 the roots of maize were capable of drawing 

 very much moisture and some nutriment from 

 a much greater depth than most of the plants 

 cultivated by us. Also, that these manures 

 and smaller roots were better .calculated to 

 effect this very interesting purpose than they 

 would have been if nature had formed the 

 whole of them into one single taproot, which 

 extended no deeper. This is one cause, among 

 many others, why maize is capable of contend- 

 ing so powerfully with poverty, and notwith- 

 standing severe and continued drought, better 

 than most other cultivated plants. This should 

 convince us that a plant capable of drawing 

 such important supplies from beyond the range 

 of plants in general, will not prove peculiarly 

 exhausting if it be treated fairly, by having as 

 much manure or as good a soil appropriated for 

 it as is commonly used for those plants which 

 farmers in general have not learned to grow- 

 on poor soils without manure. 



The prop roots of maize appear about, or a 

 little before, the tassels may be seen. They 

 proceed from the joint at or near the surface 

 of the soil. They are numerous, and form a 

 circle round the plant. That portion of them 

 which grows outside of the ground is hard and 

 woody, similar to the substance which forms 

 the outside of the stalk ; but so soon as they 

 penetrate the soil they become softer, and 

 spread through it in search of nutriment; this 

 is just at the time the plant requires most of it. 

 The tassel and the top of the plants have after 

 this to attain their full size, and the farina fe- 

 cundans, which impregnates the grain, is to be 

 formed. The ears now begin to shoot, and 

 they are also to be filled and perfected. 



The prop roots are exactly calculated to sup- 

 port the weight of the tassels and ears during 

 high winds, and when the grounds are softened 

 by rain. But farmers too generally thwart 

 this simple but wise arrangement of nature, 

 by hilling or ridging up the plants. These in- 

 considerate operations not only cut and rend 

 the roots, but also compel the plants to grow 

 new sets of prop roots from the joints above. 

 These seldom get sufficiently established in 

 time to support the weight and height of the 

 tassels and ears ; and many of the plants are 

 of consequence blown down, or fall by their 

 own weight, when the grounds have been pre- 

 viously much softened by rain. 



Maize, from its woody texture and com- 

 manding size, might (without straining the 

 point very far), be called an annual bread 

 tree, producing the best of all corns, and at the 

 same time crops which in magnitude far ex- 

 ceed that of any other grain. Also tops, husks, 

 and leaves which can be readily gathered, and 

 furnish abundant fodder for cattle, equal to the 



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