MEDICINAL PLANTS OP JAMAICA. ^2*1 



}{(!. ZBA Maiz.— Indian Coin or Maise. 



Indian corn, or maise, is cultivated in America as an article 

 of food ; as it is also in Jamaica. The maise of North Ame- 

 rica is white, flat, spongy, and of the si/e of a dried Turkey 

 bean. The maise of Jamaica is much smaller, reddish, and 

 compact. The grains are fastened to a light spongy substance, 

 called the husk, or corn stick, in longitudinal rows, about 

 twelve in number, round, and containing thirty grains in each. 

 For the most part, there are two or three such heads on every 

 stalk. The increase is prodigious. 



Guinea corn, or Indian millet, is also cultivated to a great 

 extent in Jamaica. These corns do not constitute a great 

 part of the support of the inhabitants of Jamaica ; but are 

 chiefly used to rear poultry, to feed horses, and to fatten pigs, 

 goats, or sheep. 



(The stalks grow from four to ten feet high ; are jointed 

 like wheat, at each of which joints grows a long flag leaf. On 

 the top is a cluster of blossoms like rye, the farina of which 

 falling, impregnates the pistilla towards the middle and foot 

 of the stalk. 



The stigmata shoot out in a bearded form, are red, four 

 inches long, and are so many tubes to convey the farina or pol- 

 len to the germen. 



In five months after sowing this corn, the ears will be dry 

 enough to be gathered in. They are a span long, of a coni- 

 cal shape, and have from eight to ten rows of yellow grains, 

 each of which rows contains from fifteen to thirty. I have seen 

 four such ears on one stalk. 



Indian corn ought to be planted four feet asunder, careful- 

 ly weeded and moulded round the roots. When the farina 

 ripens, the tops and blades may be cut off as food for horses 

 and cattle. 



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