On topping Indian Cor?i, ^c. 111 



and blades of which were quite green. On seven of the said 

 nine hills, (on cutting off the upper part of the stalks,) I 

 left one joint of each stalk next above the most elevated 

 ears : on the other two hills I left no joint above the 

 highest ears ; from one of these hills the blades were en- 

 tirely taken off, except those immediately connected with 

 the ears, and from the other those were also taken oflf. 

 Three hills of the seven were also bladed as above. Con- 

 siderable sap issued from some of the stalks whilst top- 

 ping : it was also remarked, that some of the ears had 

 attained their full size, others nearly so, whereas some 

 others appeared not much more than half grown, but the 

 grains in those the most forward, were in a soft state. 

 The topping and blading my corn generally, was not 

 commenced until the 25th of said ninth month, when the 

 grains of corn had mostly attained their full size, and 

 were tolerably hard. On gathering in my crop of corn, 

 about the middle of the 11 mo. (Nov.) I found the result 

 between the early and late topping and blading, on accu- 

 rately weighing the produce of the same number of hills 

 of each, to be thirty per cent, in favour of the latter. It 

 therefore appears much more proper to delay the opera- 

 tion until the grains have attained their full size, and ge- 

 nerally passed their soft or milky state. As regards the 

 different modes pursued, as above stated, in respect to 

 the nine hills, no difference was observed worthy of being 

 noted. 



Your friend, 



Isaac C. Jones. 



