MAIZE. 



MAIZE. 



also, become larger and rounder, until the 

 harder corns get the ascendancy. After this, 

 the outside ends of the grains become thicker 

 and more circular. They also grow wider, 

 and the fluted appearance between the rows 

 increases. The indentures also decrease in 

 size until they disappear, and the yellow, flinty 

 variety is formed. But, as I believe, not so 

 fully but that the latent remains of mixture will 

 forever subject it to more or less change. 



It is more difficult to determine the quantity 

 of big and little yellow corns, which may hap- 

 pen to be mixed with the gourdseed ; and at 

 the same time with each other. However, by 

 attention, a tolerably correct opinion of this 

 may be formed. The grain of the big yellow 

 is much wider, and nothing like so deep as 

 that of the gourdseed; and although the grain 

 of the little yellow is not so wide and deep as 

 that of the big, still it is wider than the gourd- 

 seed ; and its colour is deeper than that of the 

 big yellow, and its cobs are much slimmer, as 

 well as shorter. 



When a mixture with the big yellow and 

 gourdseed is desirable, care should be taken, 

 in growing out the little yellow, to preserve as 

 much as possible of the deep yellow tinge and 

 solidity communicated to the grain by this va- 

 riety, and also of its property to ripen early. 



The soft, open texture of the gourdseed ren- 

 ders it unfit for exportation, unless it be kiln- 

 dried. This has given rise to an unfounded 

 prejudice among the shippers of this grain, in 

 favour of the yellow corns, although they are 

 not more solid than the white, flinty varieties. 

 However, while this prejudice continues, it is 

 best for those who depend on selling it for 

 shipping, to mix the gourdseed with the yellow 

 flints, and for those who consume the produce 

 on their own farms, or can readily sell the white 

 corns, to form mixtures with them and the 

 gourdseed. It is thought that the white corns 

 are the most productive, and ripen earlier than 

 the yellow ; but of this I know nothing certain, 

 having generally grown the yellow. There can, 

 however, be no question but that the white 

 furnishes much handsomer meal for culinary 

 purposes. It is also free from that strong taste 

 so readily distinguished by those who have been 

 accustomed to use the white ; but as most of 

 the Pennsylvania farmers, and cultivators still 

 further north, have been used to eat the yellow, 

 and habit causes most kinds of food to become 

 agreeable, they seem generally to prefer the 

 strong taste of this variety to the much milder 

 and pleasanter taste of the white. However, 

 in the countries where neither is grown, and to 

 which it is often exported, there can be but lit- 

 tle doubt that the white would find a readier 

 market, and that the demand for this very nu- 

 tritious grain would greatly increase, if none 

 but the white were exported : especially, if 

 laws were passed prohibiting the exportation 

 of maize until it had been kiln-dried. 



I believe there is no grain that will keep 

 longer or safer than corn, if it be kept on the 

 cob in open dry cribs, and the climate also 

 be dry, unless the weevil be introduced by not 

 carefully cleaning the cribs of every vestige 

 of the grain and vegetable matters introduced 

 with it. 



746 



Flinty corns, after they have been well dried 

 in such cribs, may be shipped in tight, dry 

 vessels, with tolerable safety, to the West In- 

 dies : but longer voyages subject this grain to 

 greater injuries, although it may arrive in port 

 in tolerable safety ; a little damp communicates 

 a musty taste to maize, and if this does not 

 happen, it is often spoiled by lying in bulk 

 after it arrives, and will be considered much 

 less valuable on this account. 



Either the big yellow or white should be 

 mixed with the gourdseed, for planting in every 

 climate where this mixture will certainly ripen. 

 Their cobs being very long, and the grain so 

 much wider and deeper than those of the little 

 yellow or white, the mixture with them will be 

 much more productive. It is also thought, that 

 the length of the ear communicated by the big 

 yellow or white will fully compensate for the 

 shortening the grains of the gourdseed: there- 

 fore, if the mixture be properly formed, its pro- 

 duct may even exceed that of the original 

 gourdseed corn ; I have measured the product 

 from ears of this mixture, which, when shelled, 

 yielded a full pint of corn, after they had lain 

 twelve months in a very dry place, although 

 the mixture had not been well improved. 



The little yellow and white, being earlier 

 than the big, they should form mixtures with 

 the gourdseed corn for being grown in climates 

 more unfavourable for maize. But whoever 

 may form either of those mixtures, will find, 

 that he must grow out either the big or little 

 flinty corns, with many others, as they are 

 more or less mixed. 



The speediest and best way to form either 

 of those mixtures, is to select one ear that may 

 possess most of the desirable properties united 

 in it, and to plant the seed where the farina 

 fecundans from the general crop cannot readily 

 obtain access. If it happen to the cultivators, 

 as it has done with me, he will certainly find 

 from the growth of this seed many ears in his 

 patch, very much like the ear that grew the 

 seed, and many very unlike it ; however, it may 

 be that he will find some ears approaching 

 nearer to the variety which he wishes to form 

 than the original ear; if so, he will of course 

 select the best, and go on in the same way, until 

 he has full enough for planting his general 

 crop. After this, he should aim at an increased 

 improvement, by carefully selecting his seed 

 annually for the ensuing crop. (Practical Hus- 

 bandry.} 



Of these numerous varieties some are best 

 adapted to the Southern States the white and 

 yellow gourdseeds: others to the Middle States 

 the gourdseed and flint varieties, pure or 

 mixed; whilst the heavy flinty grained kinds 

 are almost exclusively cultivated in the North- 

 ern and Eastern States to which they are 

 specially adapted by their disposition to grow 

 and mature with great rapidity, and thus ac- 

 comodate themselves to the shortness of north- 

 ern summers. Like all early maturing corn, 

 they are dwarfish, though very productive. The 

 | effect of the longer and warmer summers in 

 more southerly situations is to favour greatly 

 the growth of the stalk, which frequently attains 

 10 or 12 feet in height; but such luxuriance, 

 however splendid in appearance, is by no meaus 



