44 MAIZE 



CHAP, strains of the same breed are supposed to be developed ; they 

 are said to become adapted to different conditions. The 

 amount of such change, if it does occur, must be limited, 

 however ; within these limits it could be made use of in the 

 acclimatization of new breeds, but it would not enable us to 

 take a very late maturing sort suddenly from a tropical climate 

 to a much higher altitude and colder latitude, and acclimatize 

 it successfully ; this would have to be done gradually and by 

 intermediate steps, and with some breeds might not be suc- 

 cessful even then. Little is known, at present, of the actual 

 effect of climate upon the maize crop. If the facts are such 

 as have been indicated, farmers would do well to make use of 

 them, or at least to keep them in mind when purchasing 

 seed-maize. 



It appears clear that seed-maize from one climate takes 

 some time to become acclimatized to another, and in the 

 United States it has not been found desirable to take seed- 

 maize from the rich alluvial plains of the Mississippi to the 

 poorer soils of Virginia. For these reasons it is not desirable 

 to buy bulk seed from hot, humid regions, at low altitudes, 

 for cultivation in cooler and drier conditions at high altitudes. 

 Nor is it desirable to obtain seed from deep, fertile soils for 

 growth on thin, poor soils ; one of the chief reasons that 

 Hickory King has become such a favourite in South Africa is 

 its ability to thrive on relatively poor soils and with rough 

 treatment. But the converse may perhaps also be true, that it 

 is not desirable to obtain bulk seed-maize from colder and drier 

 climates and poorer soils for growth in hotter and more 

 humid climates and on richer soils, because the quicker 

 maturing habit will have been formed and the plant will not 

 be able immediately to take advantage of the longer growing 

 season and greater amount of plant food, and the resulting 

 crop may be less than would have been the case with a breed 

 already acclimatized to those conditions. 



33. Influence of Climate upon Varieties. — The origin of the 

 different varieties of maize is unknown, through lack of 

 historical records, but it seems probable that there is some 

 relation between climate and existing varieties. It is notice- 

 able that those breeds grown in the most northerly parts of 

 the United States and in Canada are mainly flints, while 



