CHAPTER I. 



HISTORY OF THE CORN PLANT 



The word "Corn" has been in use from earliest times. At first it 

 signified a grain as we use the term today when speaking of a single 

 kernel, seed or particle. Later the name was applied to all cereal crops 

 in general, and in Europe this custom still prevails. It was not until 

 during the early colonization of America that the name "Corn" was 

 legally accepted in its present application. In one of the counties of 

 Pennsylvania a man had been indicted for stealing so many bushels of 

 corn, and in course of the conflict his counsel took exception to the 

 word as it was used, on the ground that this was not the perfect 

 description of Indian corn. The exception, however, was overruled 

 by court, who thus decided that corn was the established name for 

 Indian corn. The old name Maize is still used to some extent. It is 

 a later construction from ma-hiz, a Haytian word. We also find the 

 term "Indian Corn" used considerably even in the present day. 



Some authorities claim that corn is of Eastern origin, and to sub- 

 stantiate this statement they have attempted to show that the cereal 

 was mentioned in ancient Chinese literature before Columbus dis- 

 covered America. Some of our most eminent botanists, however, such 

 as Humboldt and Sturtevant, have very successfully refuted this argu- 

 ment, and they have been able to show conclusively that America is 

 the original home of corn. Traditions have it that as early as the year 

 1002 A. D. Karlsefn, and again in 1006, Thorfin, both Norsemen, each 

 saw and brought in their ships ears of corn from what is now Massa- 

 chiisetts. But stronger evidence is presented in the ears of corn which 

 have been found with mummies of Mexico and Peru. We know, too, 

 that Columbus discovered corn when he first landed on American soil. 



As to the distribution of corn in Europe, it is claimed by good 

 authority that Columbus took it back to Spain with him, on the return 

 from his great voyage. From Spain it was taken into France and Italy, 

 although we know that its spread must have been very slow, for it was 

 nearly a hundred years after the discovery of America before we find 

 any mention made of corn in France. From Italy corn was taken into 



