gz March 1749. 



which come up very early ; but fuch a meal 

 frequently proves fatal to them. Sheep and 

 geefe have likewife often been killed with 

 it. By means of its root, the maize is pre- 

 ferved from the greedinefs of voracious birds, 

 in the following manner : The roots are 

 boiled in water, into which the maize is 

 put as foon as the water is quite cool j the 

 maize muft ly all night in it, and is then 

 planted as ufual. When the maize-thieves, 

 crows, or other birds, pick up or pluck out 

 the grains of maize, their heads grow deliri- 

 ous, and they fall, which fo frightens the 

 reft that they never venture on the field 

 again ; when thofe which have tafted the 

 grains recover, they leave the field, and are 

 no more tempted to vifit it again. By thus 

 preparing maize, one muft be very careful 

 that no other creatures touch it ; for when 

 ducks or fowls eat a grain or two of the 

 maize which is thus fteeped, they become 

 very fick ; but if they fwallow a confidera- 

 ble quantity they die. When the root is 

 thrown away raw, no animal eats it ; but 

 when it is put out boiled, its fweet tafte 

 tempts the beafts to eat it. Dogs have been 

 feen to eat a little of it, and have been very 

 fick after it ; hov/ever they have recovered 

 after a vomit, for when animals cannot 

 free themfelves of it by this means, they 

 often die. Some people boil the root, and 



