102 THE FARMER AT HOME. 



it is not mentioned by the earlier travellers who visited China. India, 

 and other parts of Asia and Africa, and were very minute in describ- 

 ing the productions of the countries they visited. Others, again, have 

 attributed its origin to the western coast of Africa. 



There are many varieties of Indian corn known, of w'Uch. the 

 most prominent are those distinguished by color, as the yellow corn, 

 white, red, and blue ; those that have different numbers of rows au 

 the eight, ten, twelve, sixteen, and twenty-four rowed kinds ; those 

 that differ in taste, as the common and sweet kinds ; and those that 

 have peculiarities in the shape of the kernels, as the common round 

 corn, the gourd-seed corn, the rice corn, and the Texas corn, each 

 kernel of which has a separate husk or envelope. Dr. Brown of Penn- 

 sylvania, in his excellent treatise on corn, enumerates thirty-five of 

 these varieties, and several have since with propriety been added to 

 his catalogue. Indeed, there seems no reason to doubt that this 

 plant, like the potato, may be greatly improved by cultivation, and 

 that varieties may be multiplied to any extent by judicious selection 

 of kinds, and crossing by careful impregnations. 



The value of the corn crop is so great as to justify all judicious 

 efforts to augment its culture. The crop of 1848 is estimated at 

 471,000,000 bushels; that is, over one hundred and fifty bushels for 

 each family. This, at the low price of sixty-five cents to the bushel, 

 amounts to more than three hundred millions of dollars ; from a sin- 

 gle branch of agricultural investment and industry in a single year. 

 However, its culture is so well understood, that it is superflous to 

 enter into discussion of it. If a farmer desire to raise a large crop 

 instead of a small one, let him learn the secret of doing it from his 

 neighbors who are setting him the example. Give the land good 

 tillage and ample supplies of manure, and the object will be reached. 



CORN-COBS. There is a difference of opinion as to the value 

 of corn-cobs for fodder. A correspondent of the American Agricul- 

 turist is accustomed to put his cobs into a large half hogshead tub, 

 and cover them with a solution of salt in water. Here they remain 

 till they have imbibed enough of the fluid to make them soft. In 

 this condition they are fed out to the stock at the rate of a peck a 

 day to a full-grown cow or ox. He says that all his animals are fond 

 of them, that they eat much less hay tiian before, and that they are 

 in excellent condition. He is also accustomed to have them ground 

 with the corn, and the corn and cob-meal makes the best food foi 

 horses, being, he is well satisfied, nutritive as well as keeping the 

 animal loose in the bowels. He has followed the practice fifteen 

 years ; and, although his neighbors first ridiculed the idea, yet they 

 became so well satisfied with it, most of them now follow his exam- 

 ple. 



CORN-STALKS. Most farmers do not seem aware of the value 

 of corn-stalks for fodder. So it might be supposed from the manner 



