MAIZE. 103 



the central parts of America ; and there can be no 

 doubt of its being a native of those regions. In fa- 

 vourable situations it has a very considerable growth, 

 attaining to the height of from seven to ten feet ; 

 in some cases it has acquired the gigantic height 

 of fourteen feet, without in any way impairing 

 its productive power. Its spike, or ear, is eight or 

 ten inches in length, and five or six inches in cir- 

 cumference. The plant generally sends out one, two, 

 or more suckers from the bottom of the stalk, but 

 these it is advisable to remove, not only as they 

 draw away part of the nourishment which should go 

 to support the main stalk, but because the ears which 

 the suckers bear ripen at later periods than the 

 others, and the harvest could not all be simultane- 

 ously secured in the properest state of maturity. 



This variety will rarely come to maturity in north- 

 ern climates, and could never be securely relied 

 on for a crop in any part of Europe. In the Mexi- 

 can states, where this grain is known by the name of 

 Tlaouili, there are few parts of either the lower dis- 

 tricts tierra caliente or of the table-land, whereon 

 it is not successfully cultivated. In the former dis- 

 tricts its growth is naturally more luxuriant than in 

 the latter ; but even at an elevation of six or seven 

 thousand feet above the level of the sea, its pro- 

 ductiveness is calculated to excite wonder, if not 

 to provoke incredulity on the part of European 

 agriculturists. Some particularly favoured spots have 

 been known to yield an increase of eight hundred for 

 one ; and it is perfectly common in situations where 

 artificial irrigation is practised, to gather from three 

 hundred and fifty to four hundred measures of grain 

 for every one measure that has ibeen sown. In other 

 places, where reliance is placed only on the natural 

 supply of moisture to the sovl from the periodical 

 rains, such an abundant return is not expected ; 



