Experiments with Indian Corn. 63 



Art. XIX. The Result of some Experiments with Ten Varieties 

 of Indian Corn, tvith a comparative Estimate of the Merits of 

 this Corn, as compared with those Corns commonly grown by the 

 Farmers of Britain. By G. C. 



Sir, 

 As you have requested me to report on the culture of In- 

 dian corn in the neighbourhood of London, as an article of 

 garden and field produce, I have devoted some time to the 

 enquiry. I find that as yet no conclusive result can be safely 

 arrived at. In the first place, but few varieties, and those not the 

 best, have been selected for trial ; secondly, I have not heard 

 of any extensive breadth, except Mr. Cobbett's at Barn Elms, 

 to which I have not had an opportunity of paying any atten- 

 tion. Mr. Poynter of Waltham Green has cultivated ten 

 varieties, of which he has furnished me with the following par- 

 ticulars. I find the varieties were supplied to him by Mr. 

 W. Cobbett, jun. 



No. 1 . Sweet corn ... Useless to attempt growing. 



2. Maize quarantaine (ripening in forty > ■»»■ , . ~ 



davs^ - - - ( av succee " ln nne seasons. 



3. Early golden corn - - \ Ma ^ ^ do wdl in warm 



J I summers. 



4. Large yellow corn, from Pennsyl- ) TT , 



vania - - - $ Useless - 



5. Large red _ . _ The same. 



6. Large yellow flint - - The same. 



7. Large white flint ... The same. 



8. Pearl corn - - - 5 °^7 now ( 0ctober 31 ifl 



£ bloom. 



9. Egyptian or chicken corn TMais a ) TT , • ,,. . , _ 



Jr i . i i .-. . i i / ( Very early, rises well, but 



poulet, le plus petit et le plus pre- > ll 



coce, of Vilmorin's catalogue] - ) 



10. Cobbett's early corn - - J Equally good, but not quite 



J ) so early. 



I shall first state the course of culture pursued, and then 

 proceed to comment on the result. The seed was planted on 

 the 8th of May last on a slight heat, protected by a frame and 

 sash, which sash was removed in fine weather. On the 19th 

 the plants were placed in a compartment which had been pre- 

 viously sown with radishes, but the crop gathered. The rows 

 were 2^ ft. apart, and the plants about 1 ft. from each other ; 

 a row of Cos lettuces were then planted between them. From 

 the extreme wetness of the season, the ground, instead of 

 being hoed and drawn to the plants in the rows, was simply 

 dug twice, and kept as clean as possible. The result as above. 



The following particulars are only matter of calculation : — 

 On thirty rods of Cobbett's corn, fifty-seven rows, each row 



