Mar 4:28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Alternative: For the earth bears fruit automatically, first the leaves, than the head, after that the mature grain on the head.

It always hits me as strange that the KJV uses the term "corn" for grain. "Corn" wasn't known in Europe, Asia, and Africa until after the discovery of the new world in the fifteenth century. Prior to that, many different grains were cultivated, but the most popular were wheat and barley.

Here, we have Christ's symbol for emotional connection, the earth, repeated again, as it has been throughout this section, starting with the parable of the sower. It is this connection that makes the idea productive. If that emotional connection exists, this conversion of the idea, the good news, is automatic.

However, notice that Christ makes a point of telling us that this magic does not happen all at once. It happens in stages. The three stages here mirror the three stages of growth in the parable of the sower. In that parable, the seed on the wayside doesn't get started, but the seed on the rocky ground sprouts before it dies and the seed among the weeds grows up. One the seed on the good ground produces fruit.

"Earth" is from gê (ge), which means "the element of earth," "land (country)," "arable land," "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky.

"Brings forth fruit" is from karpophoreô (karpophoreo), which means "to bear fruit."

"Of herself" is from automatos (automatos), which means "of one's own will," "spontaneously," "happening of themselves," "without visible cause," and "accidental."

"Blade" is from chortos (chortos ), which means "fodder," "provender," or a "green crop.

"Ear" is from stachus (stachus ), which means "scion," "progeny," "part of the crop that is reaped," and "the head of the grain."

"Corn" is from sitos (sitos), which means "grain," "wheat," "barley," "food made from grain," "bread," and, most generally, "food."