Chap, v.] Transplanting Indian Corn. 139 



223. If any one choose to try this method of cultivat- 

 ing Corn, let him bear in mind, that the plants ought to 

 be strong, and nearly two feet high. The leaves should 

 be shortened by all means ; for, they mnst perish at the 

 tops before the new flow of sap can reach them. I have 

 heard people say, that they have tried transplanting 

 Corn very often, but have never found it to ansMer. 

 But how have they tried it f AVhy, when the grub has 

 destroyed a hill, they have taken from other hills the 

 superabundant plants and filled up the vacancy. In 

 the first place, they have done this when the plants 

 were small: that is not my plan. Then they have put 

 the plants in stale hard grotmd: that is not my plan. 

 Then they have put them into ground where prosperous 

 neighbours had the start of them : that is not my plan. 

 I am not at all surprised, that they have not found 

 their plan to a?jsifer; but, that is no reason that mine 

 should not answer. The best way will be to try three 

 rotvs in any field, and see which method requires the 

 least labour and produces the largest crop. 



224. At any rate, the facts, which I have stated upon 

 this subject are curious in themselves ; they are useful, 

 as they show what we may venture to do in the remov- 

 ing of plants ; and they show most clearly how im- 

 founded are the fears of those, who imagine, that Corn 

 is injured by ploughing between it and breaking its 

 roots. My plants owed their vigour and their fruit to 

 their removal into fresh pastuie ; and, the otlener the 

 land is ploughed between growing crops of any sort 

 (allowing the roots to shoot between the ploughings) 

 the better it is. I remember that Lord R.anel.\gh 

 showed me in 1806, in his garden at Fulham, a peach 

 tree, which he had removed in full bloom, and that must 

 have been in March, and which bore a good crop of 

 fine fruit the same year. If a tree can be thus dealt 

 with, why need we fear to transplant stich tilings as 

 Indian Com ? 



