. Field crops for the cotton-belt. Agriculture. MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN 159 very close together. The' number of nodes in the ear- ^hank is the same as in the main-stem above the ear.^ At each node on the ear-shank a leaf is produced. These leaves are modified to form the husk or covering of the ear (Fig. 22). Corn ears vary in size from one inch in length in some of the varieties of pop-corn, to sixteen inches in some of the flint varieties. The number of rows of kernels on an ear may vary from 4 to 48. The most common varia- tion is from 4 to 12 inches in length and from 8 to 24 rows of kernels.
. Field crops for the cotton-belt. Agriculture. MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN 159 very close together. The' number of nodes in the ear- ^hank is the same as in the main-stem above the ear.^ At each node on the ear-shank a leaf is produced. These leaves are modified to form the husk or covering of the ear (Fig. 22). Corn ears vary in size from one inch in length in some of the varieties of pop-corn, to sixteen inches in some of the flint varieties. The number of rows of kernels on an ear may vary from 4 to 48. The most common varia- tion is from 4 to 12 inches in length and from 8 to 24 rows of kernels. The number of ears to the plant varies with the variety and with seasonal conditions. With most varieties one or two ears to the plant are produced, although the tendency to produce several ears to the plant is quite marked in some of the varieties of pop-cqrn and sweet corn. The development of the ear is discussed in the next chapter. 201. The kernels. — The corn kernel is characterized by its large size as compared with the kernels of other cereals. It also possesses a 'very characteristic shape, being flattened, usually triangular, and having no crease or furrow on the side opposite the embryo. The most common colors exhibited by corn kernels are white and yellow, though red, blue, and mixed white and red (strawberry) colored kernels are rather common The corn kernel is composed of the embryo, the endo- sperm, the aleurone layer, and the hull (Fig. 23). The em- bryo contains the young plant which is made up of the rad- 1 Montgomery, E. G., " The Com Crops," p. Fig. 23. — Botanical parts of the corn kernel and its integuments: a, embryo; b, mature ovary; c, second glume; d, first glume; e, palea;/, lemma; g, ster- ile Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Morgan, James
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