150 



Jin Essay on Indian Corn. 



Vol. II. 



the whole of them on a farm may be de- 

 stroyed in less than half a day, by a single 

 individual. 



The other insects mentioned, I hope at 

 some future day to be able to give a better 

 account of. It seems indeed, an arduous un- 

 dertaking, but if all who are concerned would 

 take a share, the task would become light. 

 May I calculate on the zealous co-operation 

 of every member of the society J But it is said 

 that man is a fallen creature, and doomed 

 "to eat bread in the sweat of his face," and 

 to be annoyed during his pilgrimage here be- 

 low. I fully believe such to be our situation; 

 nevertheless, I have the most perfect reliance 

 that when man faithfully exercises the pow- 

 ers with which be is endowed, he is restored 

 to his pristine state, and that he has as com- 

 plete " dominion over the fish of the sea, and 

 over the fowls of the air, and over every liv- 

 ing thing that moveth upon the earth," now, as 

 he ever had; that he is still lord of this world. 

 All the evils that are upon us are of our own 

 doings, and the moment we turn from the 

 error of our own ways, we shall be blessed 

 with the proper remedy. But we are not to 

 be mere idle spectators, we must devise all 

 possible means of working: we must be up 

 and doing, and there is a part for each one of 

 us to perform — every member of the society 

 can and ought to do something; those vviio 

 do not like to write, let them speak, or take 

 their own way of communicating their know- 

 ledge; and in that way 1 am sure they will 

 be useful. And remember that "your own 

 knowledge is as nothing unless others know 

 you to possess that knowledge ; besides, if 

 you possess knowledge that others need, (and 

 I have no doubt but that every one of you 

 do,) is it not your bounden duty to offer a sup- 

 ply ? And so far from detracting from your 

 own store, the very act of imparting would 

 tend to your improvement. Thus it is, my 

 friends, that I have so freely, on all occasions, 

 tendered my little stock; and although not of 

 much value, yet it has afforded myself both 

 pleasure and profit. 



An Es§ay on IntSiaii Com, 



Delivered by Peter A. Browne, Esq., L. L. 

 D., before ihe Cabinet of Natural Science 

 of Chester county, Fa. 



Continued from page HI. 



IV. The varieties of Indian Corn. 

 Catalogue and description of ihe specimens 



in Peter A. Browne's Cabinet of Indian 



Corn. 



A. Yellow Corn. 



A a. No. 1. The genuine gourd seed Indian 

 corn, so called from the supposed similitude 

 in shape, between its grains and the seeds of 

 the gourd ; the spike contains, when thus un- 



mixed with any other variety, twenty-four 

 rows, which is the highest number of rows on 

 any cob of Indian corn I have ever seen. 1 

 have heard of twenty-six rows. When this 

 corn is mixed with any other variety, its spike 

 gradually diminishes in its number of rows 

 until it arrives at the maximum of the varie- 

 ty with which it is mixed. Examples of 

 these mixtures are seen in 



No. 2, of twenty-two rows ; No. 3, of twen- 

 ty rows; No. 4, of eighteen rows; No. 5, of 

 sixteen rows ; No. 6, of fourteen rows;* and 

 No. 7, of twelve rows. 



A b. No. 8. Is tiie genuine King Philip 

 Indian corn, so called from the celebrated In- 

 dian chief, " Philip king of the Wampanoags." 

 It has eight rows, which is the lowest num- 

 ber of rows on any spike of Indian corn. It 

 is a hardy plant, belonging to a high latitude, 

 the seed was originally obtained from the ab- 

 origines of the north. 



This variety mixes well with the gourd 

 seed, and Nos. 2 to 6 inclusive are the pro- 

 ducts of these essays. No. 7 is a mixture of 

 Nos. 1, 8, and 22. 



A c. No. 9. The Sioux or yellow flint In- 

 dian corn, with twelve rows. The seed was 

 obtainedjfrom the Sioux tribe of Indians, who, 

 at the settlement of Canada, inhabited the 

 north, but who are now residents of tlie west. 



No. 10. The Sioux, grown in Pennsylva- 

 nia. Twelve rows. 



No. 11. The Sioux and gourd-seed, mix- 

 ture. Sixteen rows. 



B. White Indian corn. 



B a. White flint. B b. White flour corn. 

 B c. White Sacharine, or sweet Indian- 

 corn. 

 Ba. No. 12. Genuine white flint. Twelve 

 rows. Virginia. 

 No. 13. White flint. Ten rows. 

 No. 14. Early white flint. Twelve rows. 

 B b. White ^owr corn. 

 No. 1.5. From Peru. Eight rows. 

 No. 16. Pennsylvania. Eight rows. — 

 Called in Maryland, Smith's early white. 

 No. 17. New Jersey. Eight rows. 

 No. 18. New- York. Ten rows. 

 B a. (^' B b. Mandan Indian Corn. 



No 19. A mixture of No. 12 and No. 15. 

 Grovvn in the Indian Village of Mandan. 

 B c. White Sacharine or sugar corn. 

 No. 20. The early Sacharine, twelve 

 rows, grains shrunken. 



C. Haemetite, or blood red Indian corn. 

 No. 21. Common sized hsmetite, with 



12ro\vsand red cob. 

 No. 22. The red cob with white grains. 

 No, 23. The red cob with yellow grains 

 No. 24. The red cob with brown grains. 

 No. 25. The red cob with white gourd 



seed. 



* Called in Maryland ilieDultun Corn. 



