Chap. Iir. O F M A I Z. 283 



of grain will not do well, unlefs they are Town very thin. I 

 am perfuaded, adds he, that for want of this precaution, a 

 great deal of grain is often loft, and the crops are confiderably , 

 diminilTied. 



We are favour'd with the following account of the culture of 

 maiz in North- America, by a very worthy and ingenious gentleman 

 of that country. 



" The Englifh, fays he, in North-America, plow the ground 

 ♦' thoroughly before the grain is planted. They feldom, if ever, dung 

 ** the whole face of the field, but fometimes put a little dung in each 

 " hill of corn, if they think the ground requires it. Where fifli 

 *' are plenty, in the planting feafon, they put two or three fmall 

 •' fifli into each hill, with the grain. 



" In order to plant the corn, they make trenches or furrows, 

 *' with the plough, acrofs the field, at certain diftances from each 

 *' other, and crofs thefe with others of the fame diftance, which 

 ** divide the field into fquares ; and where the trenches interfed:, 

 ** the grain is put in, and covered. Three or four grains are com- 

 *' monly planted for each hill. The intermediate ground is after- 

 " wards plowed at leifure, as the plants grow, and want more loofe 

 *' earth for the roots to fpread in. The hUls are made at the time 

 ** of weeding, fome loofe earth being then hoed up over the roots, 

 *• and round the ftems or ilalks of the corn. 



" The corn is planted at difi^erent diftances in different places. 

 " In the northern colonies, the Indian corn grows low, feldom ex- 

 *' ceeding four or five feet in height : and the leaves being propor- 

 *' tionably fmall, the plants do not require fo much ground as in 

 ** the fouthern colonies, where they frequently rife to fourteen or 

 ** fifteen feet. The fpace generally allowed for the loweft plants, 

 *' is three feet, and for the higheft, five or fix. This diftance may 

 *' be more neceffary in our manner of cultivating this cornj more 

 " ground being required to nourifli three or four plants, than one ; . 

 *' for I do not know that we ever pluck up any of the plants. 

 ** An advantage attending this method is, that the labour is lefs 

 " in hilling ; three or four plants being earthed up in the fame time 

 " as one : and there is more room for palling between the rows 

 •** when the corn is to be weeded. ,■ 



** At the fame time that the corn is weeded, the ground is Icofened 

 " round the plants, with a hoe, and the hills are raifed and enlarged 

 " from time to time, by adding more earth. The morning, before 



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