339 
extended cultivation were requisite for their differentiation. ee: 
various reasons I am disposed to consider Zea everta, of our culti- 
vated species, the nearest to the primitive form, and Zea amylacea 
as the furthest remove from the primitive form; the Cuzco corn 
of Peru and Chili the most. improved class of variety. The next 
most highly developed varieties seem to be the horse-tooth softs 
of Chili. The largest number of species represented in any one 
Indian collection is four, in fifteen varieties, from the San Padro 
Indians of Mexico, seventeen ears which excelled in perfection of 
form any like number collected from any one locality or from 
seedsmen. The next largest number of species is the three, in 
cight varieties, from the Tarahumarer Indians of Mexico, “the 
timid Tarahumari,” as Harshberger quotes, “a savage race, living 
Mostly on the cliffs, and planting a little corn without cultivation 
On the steep hillsides, and not otherwise tillers of the soil.” It is 
unfortunate chat our collections from South America are so lim- 
ited, as Peru excels in species and varieties noted in the table 
gleaned from our readings. 
If we look upon agriculture as a pursuit which yields a food 
Supply requisite for the maintenance of a population, then the 
American Indian was an agriculturist wherever with suitable cli- 
mate tribal strength or location availed to protect his crops. 
When Gen. Sullivan, in 1779, made his invasion into the Indian 
country of Central New York, the Indians were subdued through 
the destruction of their food supplies rather than through their 
losses in battle. In perusing the journals of this expedition we 
find continual mention of the seizure of corn, of large fields, of 
abundance of corn, and at the present Genesee the destruction of 
20,000 bushels. In the earlier invasion of this region by De Nou- 
ville, in 1687, some 1,200,000 bushels of corn are said to have been 
destroyed, and in 1696 Frontenac, in the country of the Onondagas, 
“mployed his army for-three August days in destroying the grow- 
ing corn, which extended from a league and a half to two leagues 
from the fort. In the Pequot war, in 1636, the English destroyed 
200 acres of corn on Block Island, R. L., alone ; and in the King 
Philip war, in 1675, the Puritans harvested a thousand acres as 
Spoils, 3 | : EL OA ae 
When Cartier reached Hochelega, the present Montreal, in ce : : 
ey aa! 
ee iehel 
