248 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Corn that may do well and yield a large crop in Illinois might not 

 do as well in Indiana. We should bear in mind that corn can not be 

 taken too far from its habitat; that it often takes it two or three years 

 to become acclimated, and if we do secure a good seed corn from a dis- 

 tance and try to grow it, you will be only experimenting and need not 

 expect a large yield the first year or so. As a rule it is better to get the 

 very best seed corn that can be secured in the neighborhood where it is 

 to be planted, and the results will be more satisfactory. 



If you desire to raise seed corn of the highest vitality you want to 

 cut off the tassel of all the weak stalks. 



It is wonderful how the corn plant will respond to an intelligent sys- 

 tem of breeding and selection. The corn that will yield the most is the 

 corn that we want to grow. 



Mr. Hostetter closed his remarks by relating an old Indian legend 

 of a beautiful maiden, the corn and the bean, and by quoting Longfel- 

 low in "Hiawatha Blessing the Cornfields." 



"Sing the blessing of the cornfields! 

 Buried was the bloody hatchet. 

 Buried was the dreadful war-club. 

 Buried were all war-like weapons, 

 And the war cry was forgotten. 

 There was peace among the nations; 

 Unmolested roved the hunters, 

 Built their birch-canoe for sailing, 

 Caught the fish in lake and river. 

 Shot the deer and trapped the beaver; 

 Unmolested worked the women, 

 Made their sugar from the maple, 

 Gathered wild rice in the meadows. 

 Dressed the skins of deer and beaver. 

 All around the happy village 

 Stood the maize-fields green and shining, 

 Waved the green plumes of Mondamin, 

 Waved his soft and sunny tresses, 

 Filling all the land with plenty. 

 'Twas the women who in spring time 

 Planted the broad fields and fruitful, 

 Biu'ied in the earth Mondamin; 

 'Twas the women who in Autumn 

 Stinpped the yellow husks of harvest. 

 Stripped the garments from Mondamin, 

 Even as Hiawatha taught them. 

 Once when all the maize was planted, 

 Hiawatha, wise and thoughtful. 



