INDIAN CORN FOR FODDER. 175 



having others under his Influence as a landlord, should 

 acquire a proportionate increase of individual political 

 power. Hence, If a man does not wish to cultivate any 

 part of his land, or cannot do so, he sells it, and invests 

 the proceeds at 7 per cent, which is readily obtained. 

 He Is, then, whatever his wealth may be, no longer 

 exposed to odium or dislike. 



I went into a fine field of Indian corn on Mr Geddes's 

 farm, upon which his men were at work reaping. 

 The stalks are grasped in the left hand, and cut down 

 near the ground by means of a heavy sharp hook, 

 resembling a bill-hook. They are then tied together in 

 sheaves and set up to dry ; after which the sheaves are 

 carried to the barn, and the head of corn separated by 

 the hand. The corn-sheller then quickly separates the 

 grain from the cob or internal head-stalk. 



The very wasteful practice exists in many parts of 

 North America of reaping the Indian corn very high, so 

 as to leave as much as two feet of the stalks in the 

 ground ; and In others, of altogether rejecting the stalks 

 wdien reaped, using them neither for food nor In making 

 manure. But cattle eat the corn-stalks very willingly : 

 they are said by some to be equal to the best hay In 

 feeding, and to produce more milk than hay does. Thus, 

 in addition to the grain, an acre of land yields three tons 

 of fodder, which saves much other food ; and when cut 

 by means of a chaff-cutter, may be made the means of 

 procuring a large supply of manure. Wherever the 

 exhausting system has nearly done its work, and the 

 value of manure has begun at last to be appreciated, 

 attention will, by degrees, as is now in some measure the 

 case in New England and New York, be drawn to the 

 great value of the hitherto neglected corn-stalk. Of 

 course, the degree of ripeness to which the corn is 

 allowed to attain, the variety sown, the soil on which it 

 grows, the fierceness of the sun beneath which It ripens. 



