Of Food. 449 



The culture of it requires more labour than most 

 other kinds of grain ; but, on the other hand, the prod- 

 uce is very abundant, and it is always much cheaper 

 than either wheat or rye. The price of it in the Caro- 

 linas, and in Georgia, has often been as low as eigh- 

 teen pence, and sometimes as one shilling sterling, per 

 bushel ; but the Indian corn which is grown in those 

 southern states is much inferior, both in weight and 

 in its qualities, to that which is the produce of colder 

 climates. Indian corn of the growth of Canada and 

 the New England states, which is generally thought 

 to be worth twenty /^r cent more per bushel than that 

 which is grown in the southern states, may commonly be 

 bought for two and sixpence or three shillings a bushel. 



It is now three shillings and sixpence a bushel at 

 Boston ; but the prices of provisions of all kinds have 

 been much raised of late in all parts of America, owing 

 to the uncommonly high prices which are paid for them 

 in the European markets since the commencement of 

 the present war. 



Indian corn and rye are very nearly of the same 

 weight, but the former gives rather more flour, when 

 ground and sifted, than the latter. I find by a report 

 of the Board of Agriculture, of the loth of November, 

 1795, that three bushels of Indian corn weighed i cwt. 

 I qr. 18 lbs. (or 53 lbs. each bushel), and gave i cwt. 20 

 lbs. of flour and 26 lbs. of bran ; while three bushels of 

 rye, weighing i cwt. i qr. 22 lbs. (or 54 lbs. the bushel); 

 gave only i cwt. 17 lbs. of flour and 28 lbs. of bran. 

 But I much suspect that the Indian corn used in these 

 experiments was not of the best quality.* 



* Farther inquiries which have since been made have proved that these 

 suspicions were not without foundation. 

 VOL. IV. 29 



