72 ON INDIAN CORN. 



made in the culture of this crop. High manuring is necessary. 

 I think my ears are as large as usual and many of them at husk- 

 ing will give two gills." 



Such results as these are certainly extraordinary ; but I cannot 

 see why they may not be realized or at least very nearly approxi- 

 mated by the Essex farmers, much of whose land is favorable to 

 the growth of Indian corn ; and though, in many cases, hard to 

 till, yet generally sure to make an ample return to the skilful, 

 frugal and industrious cultivator. 



In the cultivation of this crop, it is in the first place important 

 to procure an early kind, as the best security against backward 

 springs and early frosts. A field of corn in Lexington, planted 



on the 21st June, belonging to Mr. Chandler, yielded an 



ample crop and was perfectly ripened. The seed was of the 

 twelve-rowed kind, much esteemed there, and easily procured. 

 The kernel is small, but it yields as much to the acre, and weighs 

 more by the bushel than the eight-rowed kind with a larger 

 kernel. Now a kind of corn of this description, which will ripen 

 in nine or ten weeks, in so unpropitious a season as the last, when 

 there were few warm nights, which are generally considered most 

 important to the forwarding of this crop, is certainly a great 

 acquisition. It will be well to remark here that it is not only 

 important to procure an early kind ; but it will require particular 

 attention to keep it so. Plants like animals have a constant 

 tendency to become accommodated to the place and season in 

 which they grow. Indian corn brought from the north to the 

 south will become later and require a longer season for its ripen- 

 ing, unless particular care is taken in the selection of the earliest 

 ripe ears for planting. Another consideration deserves attention 

 to the selection of the seed for planting ; which is, that high 

 manuring has a tendency, by rendering the growth of a plant 

 more luxuriant and succulent, to retard its ripening and so to 

 lengthen its season. 



We are satisfied from long observation and experiment, that 

 the early planting of corn is generally and strongly to be recom- 

 mended. The last season it is true formed an exception to this 

 rule ; but it was a rare case. Now a kind of corn, which by 



