LECTUEES AND ESSAYS BEAD AT INSTITUTES. 353 



country of the world, whose climate will admit of its successful cultivation, 

 and it now constitutes an important factor in the production, either directly 

 or indirectly, of a large proportion of the food of the civilized world. 



It not only graces the tables of the affluent, in some of the most dainty 

 dishes, but it is the main article of food in many a pioneer home. The bare 

 recollection of a bowl of rich golden johnny-cake and milk is enough to tempt 

 one to wish to live over again the days of his childhood. Kot only does it 

 enter into the comijosition of much of the food on the pioneer's table, but it 

 fattens nine-tenths of his pork, beef, mutton, and poultry. 



Its remarkable capability, by the multiplication of distinct varieties, to 

 adapt itself to circumstances of climate, renders it capable of being success- 

 fully grown over a wider geographical range than any other cereal in the 

 world. It can be grown on the American continent from latitude 54° north to 

 40° south, wliile in the eastern hemisphere it is grown from the Azores to the 

 southern part of Europe, and over a considerable portion of Asia, and also to 

 a limited extent in some portions of Africa. 



The first culture of corn by the North American colonists, of which (with 

 the scanty means at my disposal) I can find any record, was by the James 

 river colonists who, learning its value from the Indians and prompted by 

 necessity, commenced its cultivation in 1608, the year following their arrival 

 at Jamestown. Three years later they had under cultivation thirty acres. 



From this small beginning its cultivation has constantly spread until now 

 each season it covers millions of acres of the most fertile land in America, 

 and it overshadows both in acreage and value not only any other cereal, but 

 any other crop of any kind produced on the American continent. 



There were raised in the United States in 1880, 62,317,842 acres of corn, 

 the yield of which was 1,717,434,543 bushels, aggregating in value 8679,714,- 

 499. The value of the wheat crop for the same year was $474,201,880. The 

 value of the cotton crop for the same period was $280,266,242. The value of 

 the oat and hay crops for the same year was respectively $150,243,565 and 

 837], 811,084. 



CORN IS KING. 



Tliese facts and figures may be interesting but are not necessary in the con- 

 sideration of the topic of "corn raising," and I propose, during the short 

 time I shall task your patience, simply to give you my conclusions, drawn from 

 experience with the subject under consideration. I am not vain enough to 

 expect, and neither do I desire that all the ideas I shall advance shall escape 

 criticism. On the contrary, I invite criticism of such thoughts as are not 

 indorsed by all those present. Indeed, criticism is necessary, as it draws out 

 different experiences and results. I only ask those disposed to criticise to con- 

 sider that soils, locations, and surroundings have much to do with results, and 

 in shaping methods. The soil, on which all my experience and most of my 

 observation is based, is a clay loam covered with a rich vegetable mould. It is 

 neither clay nor sand proper, and with good care is loose and mellow. It was 

 originally covered with a heavy growth of beech, maple, rock and red elm, 

 white and blue ash, and basswood, interspersed with whitewood and blackwal- 

 uut, and is well sheltered by the same on the east and west. 



THE GROUND. 



The first requisite for a good crop of corn is a good seed bed. Although 

 there is no crop that will give better returns for careless, slovenly cultivation. 



