ON CORN 



zation, after I had succeeded in making the plant 

 flower at the right season. 



Left to itself, the plant in this part of California 

 does not bloom until after even the latest varieties 

 of corn are through blooming. It will produce 

 seed only in the southern part of Florida, except 

 the new varieties lately sent me from the high 

 mountains of Mexico, where it necessarily had to 

 adapt itself to a shorter season. I was able, how- 

 ever, by starting the teosinte in the greenhouse, 

 and thus securing fine, large plants to set out in 

 May, and by placing these in the hottest possible 

 positions and fertilizing them heavily, to cause the 

 plant to bloom much earlier. 



This was further facilitated by removing all 

 side shoots, so that the energies of the plant could 

 be centered on the production of pollen. 



My hybridizing experiments demonstrated 

 clearly enough the affinity of the teosinte with the 

 cultivated corn plant. They also convinced me 

 that this is without question the parent of the 

 cultivated plant. 



Tracing Ancestral Forms and Habits 



The experiments that seemed demonstrative as 

 to this were made partly with the aid of a primitive 

 form of corn known as the single-husked corn, 

 Zea iunicata, of which I received specimens from 

 Mexico. This I believe to be the true primitive 



[13] 



