28o OF THE CULTURE Part II. 



All thefe leaves and ears are given as fodder to oxen ; and what 

 is remarkable is, that thofe creatures are fonder of the fmutty ears, 

 than of all the reft. 



The time for reaping maiz is towards the end of September : the 

 ears are then gathered by hand, and put into bafkets, in which they 

 are carried and laid in heaps from fpace to fpace in the field ; after 

 which they are loaded in carts, carried home, and fpread upon an 

 even floor prepared for that purpofe. They are then taken out of 

 their flieath or hood, and dried in the fun before they are laid up in 

 the granary ; or elfe the grain is taken out at that time. 



There are two ways of taking out the grain. The firft is, by 

 threfhing it with a flail : this method is the moft expeditious ; but 

 it breaks and bruifes much of the corn. The fecond, which is moft 

 ufed, is, by rubbing the ears hard againft the edge of a flat piece 

 of iron : this eafily feparates the grains from the huflis, without nurt- 

 ing them. Theie hufks are good food for oxen. 



As foon as the ears are gathered, the llalks remaining in the 

 ground are plucked up, and laid by for winter fodder for oxen. The 

 field is afterwards plowed up as foon as poflible : it being the p-e- 

 neral opinion of farmers that the roots of the maiz would othei- 

 "wife continue to fuck up the rich particles of the earth. Whether 

 this be true or not, their notion is, that if this plowing fhould be 

 deferred, the next year's crop would certainly fuffer by it : which is 

 highly probable, becaufe the winter plowing is very beneficial to the 

 next crop. 



When the maiz has been well dried in the fun, it will keep fe- 

 veral years, and not be the lefs fit for fowing. It keeps better in 

 grain, than in the ear. 



It has been obferved, that the weevil is much more apt to attack 

 the grains of maiz while they are left in the ear, than when they 

 are ieparatcd from it. Perhaps the fweet juice of the ftalk may at- 

 tradi them, more than the grain itfelf. 



Lailly, the grain is laid up in a dry granary, and care is taken 

 to turn it every three months ; which prevents its growing mufl-y, 

 or being attacked by infers. 



In many places, the country people mix a certain quantity of this 

 corn with the wheat or rye of which they make their bread. Far 

 from hurting, it gives it a favoury tafl:e. The general proportion is, 

 an eighth part, and fometimci more, of this corn, to feven parts 

 of wheat, , 



Bread 



