118 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



at the same time. I ought to observe, that if you 

 do not destroy the tassels of the variety that has the 

 objectionable grain, the crossing will not be so per- 

 fect, because the impregnation will be from two 

 males instead of one, and, const juently, the grains 

 produced will be various. The crossing is equally 

 important in making the large late kinds small and 

 early. You can get the tall Virginia corn (that is, 

 the grain of it) upon the early dwarf stalks. Indeed, 

 you may vary it almost at pleasure. As you will 

 perceive above, it requires three years to accomplish 

 the object perfectly. The first year effects the 

 crossing ; the second year certain characteristics re- 

 turn to their original elements, such as the colour, 

 and somewhat of the flinty quality ; the third year 

 the new variety is produced perfect and will re- 

 main so, so long as it shall be kept distinct from 

 other varieties. 



Another experiment was combined by me with 

 the above, viz. : the first matured ears of good form 

 and size were always selected for seed. By this 

 process I was able, in five years, to make my new 

 variety from 15 to 20 days earlier than the Sioux, or 

 any other variety. I had green corn on my table 

 for some years, two weeks earlier than the hotels 

 which were supplied with early corn from Norfolk. 

 I beg to observe, that the Smith's early white has 

 but eight rows, and the Sioux (the female parent) 

 twelve : now to account for this. After I had pro- 

 duced the variety, I was still desirous of putting it 

 upon a smaller cob ; hence I planted it with the su- 

 gar-corn, using the latter as the female. The result 

 was the eight rows. I also once took a notion to 

 give it a red cob, and had no difficulty in doing so, 

 by using the red cob sugar-corn as the female ; but 

 I recrossed and got rid of the red cob again, because 

 it stained the lips and fingers while eating it. 



GIDEON 15. SUITII 



