No 144.1 131 



for discussion this morning. Indian Corn (Tea Maize, from Tao, 

 to live,) is a native of our country, and one of our noblest pro- 

 ductions. It is the universal head food of the wliole continent, 

 is not indigenous in any part of Europe, and is used perhaps as 

 extensively as rice, which latter is insufficient to sustain the body 

 on account of the small percentage of gluten contained in it, 

 which accounts for the inordinate quantity eaten by the Eastern 

 nations. Carolina has the honor of producing the best rice in 

 the world. Indian corn yields a larger return of farinaceous food 

 from a given quantity of land than any other cereal, and is re- 

 markable for its fattening qualities when fed to hogs, cattle and 

 poultry. It contains about eight pounds of fatty substance to the 

 hundred. I believe from sundry experiments that the quantity 

 of gluten in corn may be much increased by the use of rich nitro- 

 genized manures. The people who live on this grain, and the 

 cattle, horses and other domestic animals fed upon it, are strong, 

 healthy, and capable of enduring much fatigue. What is more 

 delicious to the palate of an American than the young and tender 

 ears, when in the milky state, boiled, and eaten with salt and 

 butter ? 



Corn is a sure crop, if taken proper care of after it comes up ; 

 when four feet high its broad leaves obtain their chief support 

 from the atmosphere. A clover or timothy sward should be ma- 

 nured heavily — say fifty wagon loads of barnyard compost to the 

 acre. In the month of November plow this in, followed by the 

 subsoil, and let it remain until sufficiently dry to cultivate in the 

 spring, then cross-plow, roll it twice, and harrow until pulver- 

 ized. At any time during the month of May mark rows three 

 feet apart, both ways, with a corn plow, and plant five kernels ; 

 after having soaked them twenty-four hours in saltpetre water, 

 cover immediately witl^i a hoe. And if you would Iai^e one hun- 

 dred bushels to the acre, place the component parts of the corn in 

 the form of a compost in tlie crop, and plant upon it. When the 

 corn is fpur inches high run the cultivator twice each wny through 

 the rows, as near the corn as possible ; when this is finished, com- 

 mence across the rows, ash and plaster, -or use Professor Mape's 

 phosphate of lime, and follow with hoes, cut out the weeds and 



