MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN. 5OV 



Georgia, The ordinary increase in good ears is from one 

 hundred to one hundred and twenty fold; but by the best 

 ears being selected for seed, and careful attention to the crops, 

 the corn has increased in size and productiveness, so as to yield 

 two hundred and fifty fold. This result was first produced 

 bv a cultivator named Baden ; hence the choice corn obtained 

 by his method is called Baden corn. The common wheat 

 harvest is over in Georgia by the middle of June. The maize is 

 Uien in aflourishing condition, and is gathered some weeks later. 

 The maize harvest is very differently conducted to the 

 wheat harvest. When the corn is ripe, the ears are plucked 

 off and thrown into baskets; these are again emptied into 

 carts, which convey the store at once to the barn. The stalks 

 are left standing some time longer, and being then cut, down 



THE MAIZE HARVEST. 



near the ground, they are tied up in bundles and stacked in a 

 dry place, being used for food for cattle. The ears of corn are 

 preserved in bins or cages, and are not shelled until they are 

 about to be sent to market. Shelling the corn is easily per- 

 formed, but is rather a tedious operation. An old blunt 

 sword or a piece of iron hoop is fixed across the top of a tub, 

 each ear is then taken in both hands and scraped lengthwise 

 smartly across the edge of the iron until all the grains are 



