94 FORAGE CROPS 



TEOSINTE (Fig. 15) 



This plant is similar in general habit to millet," 

 but differs in its tendency to stool. It belongs to a 

 wholly different species (Euchlana, or Beana, luxu- 

 rians) from the other crops discussed in this chap- 

 ter, but it is so much like millet in its cultural 

 requirements and in its uses that it may be dis- 

 cussed with them. By some it is suggested as the 

 original of Indian corn. A single plant of teosinte 

 will branch and make a very large number of dif- 

 ferent plants. So far as plant -food is concerned, 

 teosinte makes the same requirements as the other 

 very rapid- growing summer plants. Teosinte 

 should be planted in rows about three feet apart, 

 and tilled. Three pounds of seed per acre is suffi- 

 cient. It is adapted only to the far South. 



Yields as high as twenty- four tons per acre have 

 been secured, although, because of the low content 

 of dry matter, the yield of actual nutriment is very 

 much less than from ten tons of corn. 



