CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 



IMPORTANCE AND HISTORY. 



fECT 

 1: 



3- 



4- 

 5- 



6. 



7- 

 8. 



' ii. 



12. 



13- 

 14. 



15- 

 16. 



17- 

 18. 



Importance. 



ON 



Importance of the maize crop 



What the American farmer thinks of it 



Maize is the leading product of America 



Amount and value of the United States crop 



American maize is not grown for export 



Maize is a white man's crop 



Maize is the staple crop of South Africa 



Future possibilities of development in South Africa . 



Relative importance of the world's maize and wheat crops 



Origin of maize . 



History 



Introduction into Europe 



Introduction into Africa 



Introduction into Asia 



Meaning and history of the 



The name Maize 



The word Corn 



The word Mielie 



Other vernacular names 



History. 



botanical name 



9 

 11 



12 

 12 



M 

 r6 

 16 

 18 

 18 

 19 



20. 

 21. 

 22. 



23- 



24. 



25- 



26. 



27- 



28. 



29. 

 30. 

 31. 

 32. 



33- 



34- 



CHAPTER II. 



CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS. 



Climate . J 25 



Factors which limit distribution ........ 25 



Altitude 26 



Temperature ........... 2 7 



Night temperature .......... 3° 



Frost 32 



Hail 34 



Soil temperature 36 



Moisture requirements . . . . • ■ • • ■ 36 



Rainfall 37 



Sunshine . . ■ • • • ■ • • ■ 4 2 



Influence of climate upon vegetative characters and time of maturity . 42 



Acclimatization -43 



Influence of climate upon varieties ..... 44 



Influence of climate upon chemical composition . . . 45 



xiii 



