IROQUOIS USES OF MAIZE 33 



in the left hand, ear butt downward, the point of the husker thrust 

 into the nose of the ear and under the husk, by a sidewise shuttle 

 motion, the thumb closes quickly over the pin and tightly against the 



Fig. 3 Seneca husking pin (specimen is 4^ inches in length) 



husk, and a pull of the arm downward and toward the body tears 

 away the husk. Many of the ancient bone awls found in refuse pits 

 may be husking pins as well as leather awls. 



a Abnormal ears. When harvesters find a red ear all the har- 

 vesters give the finder for his or her own use two ears of corn with 

 the husk pulled back ready for braiding. The red ear is called the 

 " King ear " or Hosan'nowa'ne^'. 



When one finds an ear with only two diametrically placed rows 

 filled out the finder receives as a reward an ear of corn ready for 

 braiding from each harvester. This ear is called oa'de meaning the 

 roadway. The unfilled space is " caused by the devil who has licked 

 the cob with his tongue ! " 



When a large ear is found on which no kernels have grown or on 

 which they are undeveloped, it is called gage^'tci, it is an old one. 

 The finder is rewarded by the gift of a single ear of normal corn 

 with the husk pulled back ready for braiding. The finding of one 

 of these abnormal ears is the cause of much merriment. The 

 gage^'tci ear is short and of unusual diameter, — "it is all gone to 

 cob." Sometimes these ears are collected and braided in strings for 

 decorative purposes. 



When the husk is pulled back for braiding the ear is called ganoii- 

 yon or onofi'yo". If men, boys, girls and women engage in this 

 work the process is called hadi'nonyonta'. If only women are work- 

 ing the work is called wa'dinonnyofita'. 



When the ears are entirely stripped of husks the ear is called 

 ganowiya"go". The work of husking by a mixed company is called 

 ha'dinowiyas, or if by women alone, wadi'nowiyas. 



Corn smut is called odji"gwe"sho' (syphilis). The smut-blighted 

 ear is termed odji"gwes o'nisda''ge.^ The blighted cornstalk and 

 its fruit is not used but cast aside and burned. 



1 The pink azaleas, Rhododendron nudiflorum, are known as 

 odji'gwe^^da'we^o', syphilitic, flowers. 



