122 INDIAN CORN. 



awnless, obtuse ; the pistillate or fertile spikelets 

 two-flowered, with the lower one abortive ; glumes 2, 

 obiuse ; pales awnless ; fruit compressed. Flint. 



Indian Corn, although one of the ceralia (or grasses 

 cultivated for their seed), is a true grass, and culti- 

 vated both for summer soiling and winter fodder. 

 For either purpose it should be got in as early in the 

 spring as the season will permit. There are various 

 methods adopted in the cultivation and curing of this 

 crop. 



On a small scale, I tried three-quarters of an acre 

 last year (1874) for experiment ; ploughed the ground 

 early in May ; harrowed and opened drills with a 

 one-horse plough, three and a half feet apart ; man- 

 ured as heavily as I would for potatoes, and sowed 

 seed on manure, at the rate of two bushels per acre, 

 and covered lightly with hoe (on a large scale, I cover 

 lightly with one-horse plough), as soon as it made 

 its appearance in the rows, kept the cultivator at 

 work until it was no longer necessary to do so ; 

 commenced cutting for cattle the end of July, and 

 about the 20tli August had the balance cut and put 

 up in small stacks, and allowed to remain in field 

 until wanted. 



An excellent plan, and well worthy of a trial, is 

 one recommended in Country Gentleman^ viz, : Place 

 three rails or poles, upright, within a foot, or less, 

 of each other, touching at the top, or with a small 

 block placed between them. They should be set in 

 the ground far enough to stand well, with a band 

 around the upper end to hold them together ; or, if 

 they are merely poles, the lower ends may be sharp- 

 ened and more easily set in crowbar holes. The 

 stalks are now stacked around the poles, which form 



