3 1 2 MAIZE 



CHAP. 7 inches ; grain, medium wedge, crease-dented, rough. Intro- 



V 1 T l 



duced by the writer in 1904 from F. L. C. Shepheard and Son, 

 Sydney, N.S.W. Proved particularly useful on the eastern 

 High-veld. 



Learning is one of the most extensively grown breeds of 

 maize in the United States, and is said to have the most uni- 

 form characteristics of any yellow maize grown. It there 

 proves adaptable, by selection, to widely different conditions 

 of soil and climate. It was originated in 1826 from a common 

 yellow sort growing on the bottom lands of the Little Miami 

 River, Hamilton County, Ohio, by Mr. J. S. Learning, and was 

 selected by him towards a standard type for a period o> fifty- 

 six years. It is supposed to be the type from which many 

 breeds of yellow maize have been developed, as most of the 

 yellow breeds show some of its characteristics, and many of 

 them can be actually traced back to Learning. 



The general characteristics of the Learning group are : Ear 

 tapering, 9^ inches long, 7 inches circumference; butt rounding 

 or moderately rounding, more or less compressed, with tendency 

 to expand ; rows in distinct pairs but mixed at tip, 16 to 24, 

 with a tendency to reduction about the middle of the ear ; sulci 

 medium. Grains generally firm (sometimes loose) and mostly 

 upright ; generally wedge-shape with square-cut summits and 

 nearly straight edges, long dimple to pinch-dented, horn-orange 

 with yellow cap. Cob red, medium. Shank medium to large. 



Sturtevant recognized five strains of Learning, viz.: (1) Early 

 Learning (Illinois) ; (2) Improved Learning ; {^Learning Yellow 

 (Ohio); (4) Missouri Learning ; (5) Star Learning (Ohio). Of 

 these Early Learning, Improved Learning, and Star Learning 

 have been tested at the Government Experiment Farm at 

 Potchefstroom, but have now been discarded in favour of 

 better yielding breeds. They were also distributed among 

 farmers on the High-veld, where they have done well in some 

 cases. 



257. Golden Eagle. — Fig. 118. Class: late yellow dent; 

 rows, 16 to 20 ; length, 10 to 1 1 inches ; circumference, 7 inches ; 

 grain, broad wedge, dimple-dented, rough to very rough (or 

 medium smooth, Fig. 1181s). 



Introduced from the United States, where it was originated 

 by Mr. H. B. Perry of Illinois in 1871. 



