64 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ing and producing other plants ; so that if Indian corn is plucked 

 while "in the milk," it will germinate or sprout and grow the 

 next year almost as well as if it is allowed to ripen, for the 

 germ is the first part of the seed that is distinctly formed. 



If the silk does not receive any, or too little of the pollen at 

 the proper time, or if the silk is destroyed by insects or other 

 injuries, an abortive or rudimentary or nubbin ear is formed if 

 any ; and if such injury happens to single silks the grains to 

 which they are attached will not fill out. That ig the case 

 with the kernels at the top of the ear, where the silks are most 

 exposed and oftenest fail of their pollen, as being late and not 

 grown till most of the pollen has fallen, which therefore appear 

 either diminutive or imperfect. 



It is said that " suckers," or the subordinate stems that often 

 shoot from near the root of the main stalk, are frequently useful 

 to supply the pollen necessary for the growth of the kernel of 

 the silks just mentioned, which start from the upper end of the 

 cob, and are later in forming than the others. If the suckers 

 are left in tassel, those grains will sometimes fill out as large as 

 the others, but the necessity for them occurs, but seldom. 



The seed is covered, when mature, with a thin pericarp, or 

 hull, which originally formed the ovary or fruit. 



The albumen or substance of the seed or grain, is farinaceous 

 or mealy. These seeds are rounded at tiie surface, compressed 

 at the sides, and arranged lengthwise of the ear or cob of the 

 ear of corn which contains about six hundred grains, in from 

 eight to thirty-six rows, but the number of rows is always even ; 

 when there are casually less than eight rows, there is a vacancy 

 on the side of the cob. 



Indian corn is an annual grass, and grows from four to 

 twenty-two feet in height, its stalk having from one to ten cars. 



As soon as the tassels are seen, or a little before, when the 

 height is attained, and the ears begin to grow and the whole 

 plant is heavy, prop roots often grow out in . a complete circle 

 from the joint at the surface or just above the ground, — some- 

 times higher, — to at least a little distance out ; but becoming 

 abortive, hard and woody by exposure to the air, then branching 

 and feeding after reaching the ground so as to be strong and 

 support the large plant, and to assist it in obtaining additional 



