OF AGRICULTURE. 51 



index as to the degree of civilization of a people. So 

 we may judge of the character of an agricultural 

 nation by the amount and use of its muck heaps. These 

 muck piles are the bases of all permanent enterprise 

 in farming; they crown the hills with corn, and the 

 valleys with waving grain ; they clothe the fields 

 with grass and sprinkle the lawn with flowers ; fill 

 yielding branches with tempting fruits, freight ships, 

 load railroad cars, and cover our tables with the rich 

 productions of the earth. 



CHAPTEE VIII, 



THE AGRICULTURAL STAPLES OF THE SOUTH. 



Let us now* take Up the different crops cultivated 

 in the Southern States, and apply to each, separately, 

 the principles, facts, experiments and illustrations set 

 forth in this work. 



IND IAN CORN, 



As the first and most important crop, we take up 

 Indian corn, and discuss it. It may not be uninter- 

 esting to say something of the origin and history of 

 this valuable plant. There has been much written on 

 its Eastern origin. It did not grow in that part of 

 Asia watered by the Indus at the time of the expedi- 

 tion, of Alexander the Great. It is not among the 

 productions of the country mentioned by Nearchus, 

 the commander of the fleet; neither is it noticed by 



