66 EMIGRATION, Oil 



in the middle, and the stalks tied into sheaves and again 

 set into shocks, to remain till quite dry before being- 

 stacked for fodder. The ears are picked up in baskets made 

 for the purpose, put into waggons, and drawn to cribs made 

 of small sapling poles, twelve or fourteen feet long, and 

 notched and crossed at the ends by short ones, four or five 

 feet long, laid alternately to the height of six or seven feet, 

 and covered over with slabs rent out of logs, and laid with 

 sufficient inclination one way to shoot off the rain. The corn 

 ears are generally shelled by hand, but a much more expe 

 ditious way is to thrash them on a barn floor, with a flail ; 

 one person will thrash twenty-five bushels in a day, and a 

 thrashing machine 500 or more. There are no thrashing 

 machines in the western part of the province, but I have 

 heard of a few at the east. There are dressing-machines 

 (mills they are here called) in general use. Should emi 

 grants bring out thrashing machines, I would recommend 

 two-horse portable ones, as more adapted to this country 

 than larger; but perhaps miniature models would be better, 

 as castings are easily procured, moderately cheap, and 

 to have the frame-work done on the spot would be a much 

 less expense. I sowed last May about a rood of ground 

 with three pecks of Indian corn as an experiment, to stand 

 for hay, which was cut and carried in July. Cattle are very 

 fond of it, and in seasons when fodder and hay are likely to be 

 scarce, it might be sown to advantage, any time in June ; 

 but the great quantity of saccharine juice the stalks contain, 

 requires considerable time to dry it sufficiently for stack 

 ing, to prevent too much heat, or moulding . The produce 

 would be, on good land, I think, three or four tons per acre : 

 it leaves the ground in excellent order for wheat, and I 

 think it might be sown for that purpose to advantage, or for 

 soiling hogs and cattle, in England. Since my return 

 I have seen some corn that has ripened in England, and 

 though it is small in the ear compared with what it is in 

 America, and evidently will not answer as a seed crop, 

 yet, for the above purpose, and the green ears for boiling-, 

 it will answer very well ; boiled green ears, with butter 

 as a sauce, or with meat, are considered a delicacy by 

 some. Corn is a very useful article, both in the family, and 

 for feeding hogs and oxen, and although it requires con 

 siderable attention and trouble in hoeing, and ploughing 

 between the rows, husking, &c. ; yet these processes leave 



