554 Seed-Breeding * [August, 
ment ; when the leaves were reduced on the plant during 
growth to a large extent, the growth was little vigorous, the 
plant was stunted, and, although there was an appearance 
of earing, there were no ears developed into crop, but all 
were of the class called pig-ears. When the stalks of the 
plant were daily twisted until a snap could be heard, the 
earing was very abundant, far more so than in other plants, 
but all did not develop into crop. When the lower roots 
were all removed from a plant, by digging up the seed soon 
after vegetation had commenced, and cutting off all the 
roots below the seed (removing the radicle), the plant 
showed a character of growth different from that of normal 
plants, throughout the season, and tillered largely ; one hill 
which had the flowering-stalks of the plants broken down 
at the period of bloom gave a better lot of ears, and a 
plumper kernel, than did another hill whose plants had the 
flowering-stalk entirely removed ; but the number of plants 
thus experimented on were too few to offer results to afford 
data for a reliable conclusion. 
We now have indicated, in a general way, how variations 
may be produced, giving data but from experience. We 
might add, from theoretical grounds, the planting of seed 
from peloric ears or tassels, from using mutilated seeds, or 
seed from mutilated plants, from butt kernels or tip kernels, 
from ears in abnormal positions on the stalk, or from kernels 
in irregular positions on the cob. 
Had we no other means of arriving at a conclusion of the 
antiquity of maize as a cultivated plant, this very faCt of 
its pliability towards changed conditions, and the manner 
of its present sportiveness, would be ample. It is indeed 
far removed from a wild state, and has become domesticated, 
if we may use the term in this connection. Its present 
form, in any given case or variety, has been derived from 
the accumulation of tendencies which have been impressed 
on its varied generations by the needs of corn-eating man. 
In those features which have attracted the attention of its 
growers it shows this variability. In those other features 
which have been overlooked, and which, if influenced at all 
by man, have been through correlations, the plant shows a 
degree of stability which it is difficult to overcome. For 
instance, the “ Waushakum ” corn-plant bears its ears on 
the fifth node from the first, and developes embryo ears at 
the five nodes counting from the first which sends forth 
roots. Through no effort of ours have we been able as yet 
to change its nature in this respeCt. We have succeeded 
in causing the ear to be developed on the fourth, or third, or 
