MAIZE, or Indian corn, is a plant commonly cultivated in the warmer parts of the world, where it answers a purpose similar to that of wheat in more northern countries. It is the Lea Maya of botanists, a moncecious grass, of vigorous growth, with stems not more than two feet high in some varieties, and reaching the height of eight or even ten feet in others. The leaves are broad, and hang down from large rough sheaths which surround the stem. The male flowers grow in loose, terminal, compound racemes, standing clear of the leaves ; the females are arranged in numerous rows on a spike, which.is wrapped round by several folds of sheathing bracts, which press upon the grains and give them the flattened figure they eventually acquire when ripe. Each grain has a long thread-like style, which projects beyond the enveloping sheaths • and as there are some hundreds of them upon each spike, the whole form a long tassel, which looks as if made of silk. The ripe grains are regularly arrayed one over the other in rows, are compressed at the sides, flattened at the apex, and of various colours. Their most common colour is pale yellow ; some are white, soma party-coloured. and there are varieties with blood red and even putple grains. A plant generally Lear. two full ears, the grains of %lath vary greatly in number : *erne of the largest ears in America contain at least SuO grains.
This plant in Its wild state is met with in Paraguay, according to Aerate tie St. Hilaire. It was also found on the oontinent of North America by the Europeans on their arrival them.
It wins that there is a particular line on the continent of Europe north of which the maim does not thrive. To the south of this line, which passe* through Nancy, formerly the capital of Lorraine in France, it has in a great measure superseded wheat and rye as the common produce of the land. The broad made from maize us not so palatable as wheat or rye bread; but, by mixing it in certain proportions with wheat it makes a very pleasant food. In the United States of North America, Indian corn forms almost the only bread eaten by many of the people; and in the slave-states it ie the only bread that the negroes It la not however in the shape of baked bread that maize is most generally used In Europe, but In boiled messes and soups, as peas arc with us : it is not only the ripe grain which is oaten, but the ear In every state, from that of a green vegetable to an unripe corn.,
It is boiled, stewed, and baked : it is a substitute for cabbage or green peas in its early stage; and is used in some way or other to its com plete maturity. Nothing can be better than ripe maize to fatten hogs or poultry with ; and the young stem cut down quite green gives one of the Lost slid moat abundant varieties of green food for cattle.
A plant which gives such a return cannot be expected to ripen its grains in poor laud, or without attentive cultivation. The land must be naturally fertile, or made so by art; it must be well prepared to receive the aced, and sufficient manure mut be given to recruit It. A light, moist, and warm soil suits this plant best. It thrives well on laud broken up from grass, as is the case with most pante. As it is always sown in rows, and the plants thinned to a considerable distance, the intervals may easily be ploughed, or stirred with the horse.hoe, by which means the weeds are kept down, and the earth fertilised by exposure to the air. The seed should be taken from the largest and best forned ears; those at the end should be rejected, as less perfect. They should not be taken off until they are wanted for sowing, and then steeped in water to soften them. If the seed were steeped in brine and dried with quicklime, as is usually done with wheat, it might probably be advantageous, as this grain is subject to smut and brand as well se wheat; but this is not often done. The time for slowing maize In the south of France Is tlusinonth of April; farther north it is sown later for hew of frost, which would entirely destroy the plant on its first appearance above ground : this is one of the reasons why it could nut safely be sown in England before the middle or end of May, and it could scarcely be expected to ripen its seeds before the winter's frost set in.