THE GROWING OF CORN. 79 



for each color named. We notice some of the cobs are red, 

 others white, irrespective of the color of the kernels. We 

 also make an exhibition of sports which have occurred in one 

 variet}'-, the Waushakum ; not that such are exceptional with 

 this variety, but only that it is from this one variety I have 

 selected. You will notice a variation in the number of 

 rows — six, eight, ten, and twelve rowed — and mixtures 

 of rows, and that with the diminution of the number of rov\^s 

 is an increase of bulk of grain from a given length of cob ; 

 you will notice tassel-corn, branched ears, triple embryos, and 

 unformed structures. 



Notwithstanding what you here see, you can tell nothing 

 from your seeing of the prolificacy of any one of these varie- 

 ties. Some of the largest ears have come from fields which 

 yielded but a small crop ; some of the medium ears arc sam- 

 ples of crops of one hundred bushels per acre, and more. 

 Of the many varieties shown, you might select many fitted 

 for this climate ; and yet no one here could select the variety 

 which would furnish the largest yield. Knowing as I do the 

 history of some of these cars of corn, I could readily select 

 two ears from the number, the seed from which should differ 

 in their future product as two to one, notwithstanding the 

 best of manure and the best of culture for each. This one 

 word, the " history," means much. It means a pedigree ; it 

 means giving the knowledge v/hether our variety will repay 

 a high culture, or not ; it means the knowing the variety, 

 which, with good culture, can be depended upon always for 

 large crops ; it means a method of improvement ; it means a 

 knowledfje Avhich avails to enable the farmer of the East to 

 meet successfully the competition of the West and cheap 

 freights. 



Yes, gentlemen, the barbarian, the rude Indian, was en- 

 abled, either by accident or design, to secure ears of corn 

 which were of fine quality, which belonged to many varie- 

 ties, which repaid the labor which had no settled value in 

 their economy. Of the amount of crop they raised on a 

 given area I can find no mention ; but probably each culti- 

 vator was content with the crop he received, and thought 

 not of comparing results with his neighbor. If manure was 

 needed, it was sought by burning the forest into ashes, or in 

 the form of fish from the nearest stream or the sea. With 



