1/ 



136 THE SOILS AND CROPS OF THE FARM. 



the cereal grains in the former countries are called 



corn, and Indian corn is called maize. 



/^ The records of the early voyagers prove that In- 



i dian corn was' cultivated on the American continent 



1 from Maine to Chili at the time of its discovery. It 



\ was then the great bread plant of the New World. 



j Numerous varieties of corn have been found in the 



/ ancient tombs of Mexico, Peru and New Mexico. 



/ These monuments are supposed to be two thousand 



years old. As there were many varieties at this time, 



\ the cultivation of corn must have been considerably 



\ more ancient, although not necessarily so ancient as 



\ that of wheat. There was a semi-civilized' race of 



I people in Peru, Mexico and even in New Mexico, who 



/ made considerable use of Indian corn, using it boiled 



j and roasted when green, and grinding it and making 



\ it into bread when ripe. 



^ Indian corn was the salvation of many of the early 

 colonies, preventing the colonists and their stock from 

 starving. The tame grasses had not been introduced, 

 so that besides corn stover their stock had nothing 

 but salt marsh hay. 



The early settlers learned the cultivation of corn 

 from the Indians. The James River settlers, under 

 the tuition of the Indians, began to raise corn in 1608, 

 and within three years they appeared to have as many 

 as thirty acres under cultivation. The pilgrims 

 found it in cultivation by the Indians on their arrival 

 at Plymouth, and began its cultivation in 1621, ma- 

 nuring as the Indians did with ii.sh. 



"According to the manner of the Indians we ma- 

 nured our ground with herrings, or rather shads, 



