Ch. XVII.] 



ON INDIAN CORN. 



229 



of the thumb-nail ; and is performed by cutting off tlie top with a sharp 

 knife, at perhaps two-thirds of its height, or some short distance above tlie 

 lateral cobs which spring from the stem. The workman then strips off 

 the blades as near the stem as he can — thus leaving the cobs to ripen 

 divested of leaves — and lays the whole down in convenient little parcels 

 between the rows, where they are left for a few days to dry, and are then 

 tied up into small sheaves, and stacked in the usual manner. 



These tops and blades will, of course, be of greater or less value, accord- 

 ing to the weather in which tliey have been harvested ; but are not liable 

 to any inconvenience to which hay is not subject. Mr. Cobbett estimates 

 them higher than he does hay ; for he says " that an acre of tops and 

 blades will give more nutriment ; that they are excellent when cut into 

 chaff, and are even given to race-horses, and other highly-prized cattle." 

 That they are nutritious we doubt not, for we know that they are greatly 

 relished by all kinds of stock when in a green state ; but we cannot admit 

 that they afford equal nutriment to hay, when dried, and we have never seen 

 them given in that state to horses in any part of the European continent. 



The harvesting of the ears does not take place until some time in Novem- 

 ber, when the grain is quite hard ; and there is no occasion for hurry, as 

 the cob being enveloped by its husk, the corn is secure both from the effects 

 of rain and shedding by being over-ripe, and dry weather may be waited 

 for, even should it not occur until later in the year. The operation is per- 

 formed by passing along the rows and stripping the cobs by the hand down- 

 wards oft" the stems, instead of twisting them oft"; then throwing them either 

 into an accompanying waggon, or carrying them off in panniers to the 

 barn-floor, where they are husked : the stems when thus stripped being 

 pulled out of the ground. 



The operation of husking may be done by women and children — who 

 are seated round a large heap with a basket before them, stripping off the 

 husks, which they throw behind them, and throwing the ears into the basket; 

 but in America, it is performed by the neighbouring families, who assemble 

 together at each other's houses to enjoy a " husking frolic," of which Mr. 

 Cobbett gives a very humorous description. The cobs are then sorted, 

 and put away into the " corn-crib," which is a little granary, formed of 

 open rails and fixed upon staddles, two or three feet broad at the bottom, 

 but projecting upwards and outwards until it reaches the height of perhaps 

 seven or eight feet : something- in this form — 



