162 CHIEF NUTRITIVE PLANTS OF THE TORRID ZONE 



Another great advantage attending tlie cultivation of maize is, 

 that of all the cereals it is the least subject to disease. Blight, 

 mildew, or rust are unknown to it. . It is never liable to be 

 beaten down by rain, or by the most violent storms of wind, 

 and in climates and seasons which are favourable to its gi'owth, 

 the only enemies which the maize-farmer has to dread are 

 insects in the early stages, and birds in the later periods, of 

 its cultivation. In mountainous countries, and the farther it 

 advances beyond the tropics, maize — a child of the sun — 

 naturally suffers from the ungenial influence of a cold and wet 

 summer, which not only prevents the ripening of the grain, but 

 also developes a poisonous ergot in its ears, similar to that 

 which an inclement sky is apt to engender in our rye. 



Through the length and breadth of the field which he destines 

 for the raising of a maize-crop, the American farmer draws his 

 furrows three or four feet apart, and thus divides it in small 

 regular squares. At every period of intersection, he sows three 

 or four grains and covers them about three inches deep with 

 earth. A few wrecks after the tender light-green shoots have 

 sprouted forth, and once more at a later period, he drives a 

 small plough between their rows, for the purpose of loosening 

 the soil around the roots and of cutting up the weeds. At the 

 same time he takes care to remove the suckers that spring from 

 the bottom of the plant, 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 simultaneously H 

 secured in the fittest state of maturity. In order to admit the i 

 sun as much as possible to the plant, and to afford more nutriment 

 to the grain, he also usually removes the blades, together with | 

 the top and tassel, as soon as its office of dropping its fecundating \ 

 farina upon the ears has been fully accomplished, which is known 

 by its putting on a withered appearance. In the northern i 

 states maize is not sown before May, to prevent the blighting! 

 influence of the night-frosts, and the harvest takes place inj 

 October, a few weeks later than that of wheat — a great advantage . 

 to the farmer, who, in a country where wages are so high, would i 

 otherwise find it difficult and costly to garner the abundance of 

 his fields. The stripped stalks are allowed to stand some time 

 longer, after which they are cut off close to the ground, and! 



