80 CHAPTER VI 



rows more numerous — 8 to 24 — the grain is deeper, less flinty 

 and more angular in shape than that found in the flint group. 

 The dent varieties constitute the bulk of the maize grown in 

 the Union. 



Zea Mays indurata.—l^lint or Eound Maize. — The kernel 

 is round, hard and shallow. The corneous starch surrounds the 

 white starch. In some varieties the former may be very thin, 

 in which case a slight indentation may be found. The cobs 

 are usually slender — 8 to 14 inches — and have from 6 to 16 

 rows. Flint varieties are generally of a shorter maturity and 

 more drought resistant than those belonging to the former 

 group. 



Zea Mays amlyacea. — Bread, Soft or Flour Maize. — The 

 kernel is identified by the absence of corneous endosperm and 

 the presence of white starch only. In shape it resembles flint 

 maize, and as the kernel shrinks evenly on maturity, usually 

 no indentation is found. The rows vary from 8 to 14 in 

 number and the length 9 to 12 inches. It is grown in small 

 quantities on many farms in South Africa, chiefly for green 

 mielies for table use, and also for maize flour for porridge. 

 Varieties of bread maize are as a rule comparatively poor yield- 

 ing and very subject to weevil infestation. 



Zea Mays sacxharata. — Sugar, Sweet or Table Maize. — A 

 well-defined group of maize recognised by the translucent, 

 horny, shrivelled appearance of the kernel. " Shrinking is 

 probably due to the conversion of starch into glucose. Accord- 

 ing to East, sweet corns are either dent or flint corns that have 

 failed to convert their sugars into starch." Varieties of this 

 group are grown essentially for culinary purposes, and it is sur- 

 prising that its superior qualities for table use have not earned 

 for it a greater popularity in South Africa. 



Zea Mays everta. — Pop, Kip or Spring Maize. — In these 

 species the ears as well as the grain are small, and the latter 

 contains an abnormal percentage of horny endosperm. When 

 the grain is heated, the moisture contained in the endosperm 

 on expansion causes an explosion which completely everts the 

 kernel, hence the American name, " Pop corn." The ear 

 varies from 2 to 9 inches, and 8 to 16 rows are found. The rice 

 types have sharply pointed kernels, and the pearl is rounded in 

 the manner of flint maize. Profuse stooling is found in this 

 agricultural species and generally a large number of ears are 

 borne by each plant. Little demand for this class of maize is 

 found in South Africa, and consequently very little is grown. 



