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best, but these introduced into India degenerate into the 

 local Indian types in the course of a few generations. 

 Improvement on the lines of cultivating the best Indian 

 maizes only, seems to be the most practical way of dealing with 

 the question. Originally maize must have come from America 

 to India, but there are now regular Indian types. The three 

 recognised Indian classes are: (i) large-cobbed dry grain 

 producing class, usually yellow ; (2) the class that produces 

 sweet and large green cobbs, usually white, for roasting or 

 boiling purposes, and (3) the class that gives the best pop- 

 corn which is usually a many, but small-cobbed, class. The 

 first is rich in starch and the second in glucose. White, 

 yellow, red and black varieties are also distinguished, and 

 then there is the further distinction between kharif and rabi 

 maize, also between those which take only 2 or 3 months grow- 

 ing and those which take as many as six. The stalks of 

 maize being very tough and free from siliceous matter, is 

 used in Germany for making high class paper. Bank-notes 

 are made from maize-stalk pulp. Attempt may be made to 

 grow maize largely in the vicinity of Indian paper mills and 

 induce the paper manufacturers to use maize stalks. 



330. Maize grain, both green and dry, cooked and un- 

 cooked, is somewhat difficult to digest. But made into meal 

 and cooked, it is easily digested. Cornflour is manufactured 

 by first steeping the maize in hot water and then grinding it 

 between large millstones. The pulp is then passed through 

 sieves into huge vats where the corn flour settles, the gluten 

 remaining in the sieves. Maize diet gives the tendency to 

 accumulate internal fat which is injurious to working animals 

 like bullocks and horses. If cattle are fed with maize it 

 should be given mixed with other food, such as straw, grass 

 and oil-cake. It should not be used at all in the hot weather. 

 Too much maize produces acute indigestion, colic, impaction 

 of the rumen, swelled legs, &c. But climate and habit have 

 a great deal to do with the question of diet. Bhutia ponies 



