SECRETARY'S REPORT. 65 



sustenance just at the time of its grovrtli when it wants the 

 most of it. 



The roots of Indian corn spread to at least the same horizon- 

 tal distance under ground, on an average, that the leaves do 

 above ground, and both should have room enough, but more 

 than enough is waste of ground and crop. 



The seed germinates and the plant appears above ground in 

 from five to eight days after it is planted one or two inches 

 deep, depending on the variety of seed, and the heat and mois- 

 ture of the soil, and its depth and preparation. It ripens fit to 

 be harvested, according to the variety of seed, the cultivation, 

 the aspect and the weather, in from sixty to two hundred and 

 ten days, and yields its increase variously according to climate, 

 soil, cultivation, aspect and kind, from ten to two hundred 

 bushels of shelled corn an acre, the corn varying in weight 

 according to the variety, and some other casual circumstances, 

 from fifty to sixty-five pounds a bushel. 



It will appear from the analysis of Indian corn, that it con- 

 tains not far from 68 per cent, of nutritive matter. The amount 

 from an acre yielding 30 bushels, or 1,800 pounds, is about 100 

 pounds of woody fibre, 1,260 pounds of starch, sugar, &c., 216 

 pounds of gluten, from 90 to 170 pounds of oil or fatty matters, 

 and 27 jwunds of saline matters. According to one analysis, 

 Indian corn meal consists of nine per cent, of oil or fat pro- 

 ducing principles, increasing with the degrees of temperature 

 in which it ripens, twelve per cent, of nitrogenous elements or 

 flesh producing principles, fifty per cent, of non-nitrogenous or 

 heating principles, with the remainder consisting of water, 

 woody fibre and saline matter. 



As compared with wheat for human food, 138 pounds of 

 Indian corn are equal to 100 pounds of good wheat flour, to 

 171 pounds of rice, to 613 pounds of potatoes, to 810 pounds 

 of cabbage, and to 1,335 pounds of turnips. 



The cob, though but slightly nutritive, contains some heat- 

 producing elements and some materials which aid in the forma- 

 tion of flesh and bone. 



The following analyses by Dr. C. T. Jackson, show the nutri- 

 tive matter in cobs of Indian corn, and how much of each 

 mineral salt they had extracted from the soil where they grew in 

 Smithfield, Rhode Island. It was Canada and Red Cap mixed, 



9* 



