I%ize has never been found BToxdng wild and its origin is 
unknown. Ko vdld species is at all like it, and it is vjholly unadapted 
to maintaining itself without cultivation. Maize is the most hi,Ji3y 
^ecializad grass in the world, and it was the American Indian, who, 
by artificial selection through thousands of years before the coming 
of the -white man, produced this raarvel of plant breeding. 
^.11 the grains, to iihieh man owes his civilization, are annuaE. 
grasses, that is the plant bears one crop of seed and dies. Mi annual 
that failed to bear good seed would becoae extinct. Primitive man. 
or woman, rather, gathering seeds of grasses to add to tha food supply, 
naturally took those of amuals, which were larger and more abundant* 
Annuals, being shorl;«lived, produce -seed x^ithin a few raonths after 
^ -^l-nting, while perennials' seldom bear seed the first year. ITaturally, 
then, it was annuals that ?^ere chosen for oultivation. 
Sugar 
P'^Sj^has Been bred for artificial sterility^ 
for the sweet juice in me stem frcxn v^hioh sugar is made would be 
used by the plant itself if it produced a ^pod cron of seed. 
Beside 
from 
meat and daij 
prin 
t our 
es indirectly in >Mt they are the 
Grpses supply/in infinite TaViety a/ our daily needs besides 
food-ybrcoms, st4w liats, pape Vpulp, /^erfuines, citronella flydope, a>^^ 
all ^nner of /rtiolas made c/bamboo^ Itilze, besides sivine u 
o 
corfoieel, cy^^nstarch, homij^^ corn ySyrup, m.zola and other foods, 
yi/elds a i/ast number of :^roductsy The gum on postage stamps, the 
red rubber erasers, ho^ water bottles, Mngs for ssAlaceg^ jars, rubber 
