214 On Orchards, 



rd in one more genial and temperate. General Lincoln 

 gave me a very mean ear of indian corn, brought from 

 !5ome place far north; I think, beyond Michilimachi^ 

 nac. I had, from this seed, ameliorated young corn 

 on my table, before it appeared in the market of Phi- 

 ladelphia; where it is brought very early. Plants or 

 trees raised in a good soil, will thrive better on one worse 

 or bad, if transplanted, than those of its own produce; 

 if the soils are not too widely different in quality. But 

 the reverse of this practice is the most certain. The 

 corn I mention (and in other similar instances) conti- 

 nued to come early, for two or three years. It mended 

 progressively in size, and finally became naturalized; 

 and mixed with my field crops. I have experienced 

 this, with several other grains and seeds. My friend 

 Colonel Johnston, w4io was a commissioner of this state 

 to negotiate with the northern Indians in 1784, reminds 

 me of his having furnished to me, in that year, a curious 

 car of indian corn, brought from the north west of De- 

 troit: It was cojiical, and the rows 2\\ spiral, running 

 thus from the bottom to the tip of the cob. It was an 

 early corn for several years ; encreased from a small to 

 a full and large grain ; but gradually ceased to come ear= 

 ly, though always planted distant from other corn. It 

 became a field corn, and continued spiral, in some de- 

 gree, for several years ; till it gradually mixed with the 

 common corn ; and the distinct species was lost. 



Last season I obtained five grains of corn ; brought 

 by Captain Lewis, from the borders of the Pacific ocean, 

 I forgot to plant it in time ; so that it was not put in the 

 ground till the last of June. I had seven complete ears, 

 the grain was much more plump and larger than that 



