418 



Kheree in 30° N.L. : Phoenix humilis, Eoyle ; — from 

 Dekan: Bentinchia Coddapanna, Berry, at an elevation of 

 4000 feet. 



Miquel mentions as Palms of Japan (entirely extra-tropical) : 

 Bhajpis flabelliformis, Aiton ; B. humilis, Blume ; Chamaerops 

 excelsa, Thunb. ; Livistona Chinensis, Br. and Arenga 

 saccharifera, La Bill, or a species closely allied to that 

 Palm. 



Zea Mays, L.* 



The Maize or Indian-Corn. Indigenous to the warmer parts 

 of South America. St. Hilaire mentions as its native 

 country Paraguay. Found in Central America already 

 by Columbus. This conspicuous though annual cereal 

 grass interests us on this occasion as being applicable here 

 to far more uses than those, for which it has hitherto been 

 employed. In North America, for instance, Maize is con- 

 verted into a variety of dishes for the daily table, being thus 

 boiled in an immature state as " green corn." Mixed with 

 other flour it furnishes good bread. For some kind of cakes 

 it is solely used, also for Maizena, Maccaroni and Polenta. 

 Several varieties exist ; the Inca-maize of Peru being re- 

 markable for its gigantic size and large grains. Maize is 

 not readily subject to the ordinary corn diseases ; but to 

 prosper it requires fair access to potash and lime. Good 

 writing and printing papers can be prepared from Maize- 

 straw. Meyen calculated, that the return from Maize under 

 most favorable circumstances in tropical countries would 

 be 800-fold, and under almost any circumstance it is the 

 largest yielder among cereals in warm countries. As a fat- 

 tening saccharine green-fodder Maize is justly appreciated. 

 Any Ergot from it is used, like that of Bye, for medicinal 

 purposes. Maize-Corn contains about 75 per cent, of 

 starch. Dierbach recommends Mellago or Treacle from 

 Maize, instead of that prepared from the roots os Triiicum 

 repens, L., and the molasses, so obtained, serve also culinary 

 uses. 



