126 USES OF PLANTS BY INDIANS [::Tn axx. 33 



well wltli ull sorts of Butcher's Meat, either fresh or salt. And whereas the 

 I'oiiiplon Is never eaten till It be ripe, these are never eaten after they are ripe. 



6. The Indians never eat the Gourds, but plant them for other uses . . . 

 ITheyJ use the Shells. Instead of Flagons and Cups. . . . 



7. Tlie Mamiork. which is the Fruit of what we call the Passion-Flower, our 

 Natives did not take the I'ains to plant, having enough of it growing every- 

 where ; tho' they eat it . . . this Fruit is about the Size of a Pullet's Egg. 



Besides all the.se, our Natives had originally amongst them, Indian Com, 

 I'eas, Bean.s, Potatoes, and Tobacco. This Indian Corn was the Staff of Food, 

 upon which the Indians did ever depend. . . . 



There are Four Sorts of Indian Corn: Two of which are early ripe, and Two, 

 late ri]*, all growing in the same manner; every single Grain of this when 

 piantitl, produces a tall, upright Stalk, which has several Ears hanging on the 

 Sides of it, from Six to Ten Inches long. Each Ear is wrapt up in a Cover of 

 many Folds, to protect it from the Injuries of the Weather. In every one of 

 these Ears are several rows of Grain, set close to one another, with no other 

 Partition, hut a very thin Husk. So that oftentimes the Increase of this 

 Grain amounts to above a Thousand for one. 



The T«i) Sorts which are early ripe, are distinguish'd only by the Size, which 

 shows it.self as well in the Grain as in the Ear and the Stalk. There is some 

 lUfference also in the Time of ripening. 



The lesser Size of Early rijie Corn yields an Ear not much larger than the 

 Handle of a Case Knife, and grows upon a Stalk between Three and Four Feet 

 high. Of this are commonly made Two Crops in a Year, and, perhaps, there 

 ndght be Heat enough in England to ripen it. 



The larger Sort differs from the former only in Largeness, the Ear of this 

 being Seven or Eight Inches long, as thick as a Child's Leg, and growing upon 

 a .Stalk Nine or Ten feet high. This is fit for eating about the latter End of 

 Hay. whereas the smaller Sort (generally speaking) affords Ears fit to roast 

 by the middle of May. The grains of both these Sorts are as plump and swell'd 

 as if the Skin were ready to burst. 



The late riiie Corn is diversify'd by the Shape of the Grain only, without any 

 Respect to the accidental Differences in colour, some being blue, some red, 

 some yellow, some white, and some streak'd. That therefore which makes the 

 Kistlnction, is the Plumpness or Shriveling of the Grain; the one looks as 

 smooth, and as full as the early ripe Corn, and this they call Flint-Corn; the 

 other has a larger grain, and looks shrivell'd, with a Dent on the Back of the 

 Grain, as if it had never come to Perfection; and this they call Slie-Cprn. 

 This is esteem'd by the Planters as the best for Increase, and is universally 

 chosen by them for planting; yet I can't see but that this also produces the 

 Flint-Corn, accidentally among the other. 



All these Sorts are planted alike, in Uows, Three, Four or Five Grains in a 

 Hill ; the larger sort at Four or Five feet Distance, the lesser Sort nearer. 

 The Indiana usefl to give It One or Two Weedings, and make a Hill about it, 

 and so the labour was done. They likewise plant a Bean in the same Hill 

 with the Corn, uiwn whose Stalk it sustains itself. 



The Indiana sow'd Poas sometimes in the Intervals of the Rows of Corn, but 

 more generally in a Patch of Ground by themselves. They have an unknown 

 Variety of them (but all of a Kidney-Shape), some of which I have met with 

 Willi; hut whence they had their Indian Corn I can give no Account; for I 

 don't believe that it was spontaneous in those parts. 



Their Potatoes are either red or white, about as long as a Boy's Leg. and 

 sometimes as long and as big as both the Leg and Thigh of a young Child, and 



