404 REVIEW QUESTIONS 



CHAPTER III 



I. What evidences have we that corn is a native of the western 

 hemisphere? 



II. How does the corn plant differ from and what characters 

 has it in common with the other cereals ? To what great family 

 of plants does it belong ? 



III. What is the function of the three groups of roots possessed 

 by the corn plant ? At what time in the life of the plant is each 

 of them most useful? What factors influence the extent of the 

 root system ? Does deep planting insure a deep root system ? 



IV. What factors influence the growth of the stem? Is 

 the height of the stem constant for a variety or type of corn ? 



V. How many growing leaves does one find on a medium-size 

 plant ? What percentage of the total dry weight at maturity 

 is leaf ? 



VI. How do the flowers of the corn plant differ from those of 

 wheat and barley? Describe the flowers of corn, as to their 

 structure and position. What are the silks, and what functions 

 do they perform ? Why are there always an even number of 

 rows on an ear? In what part of the ear are the first kernels 

 formed? What is meant by the term "cross-pollination"? 

 What provision has been made to render self-pollination difficult 

 in the corn plant ? What weather conditions may influence 

 pollination ? 



VII. How many ears are normallj' produced on a stalk of corn 

 in your section ? When two ears are produced, which one 

 develops first ? What factors may influence the number of ears 

 produced on a stalk ? 



VIII. What are the stages in the development of the kernel? 

 Draw on the blackboard a cross section of a corn kernel showing 

 the arrangement and the relative proportion of parts. What 

 are the common colors of corn kernels ? Where is the color 

 pigment located ? 



IX. What can you say of the ancestry of the corn plant ? 

 What signiflcanee has the occasional variation one finds in the 

 com flelds ? Can you secure a number of variations and explain 

 their probable significance ? 



X. Draw on the board a cross section of a kernel of each type 



