222 Of Arbor efcent Plants. Part II. 
This being, as is likely, an Annual Plant, and therefore 
having a large Pith, and very open Net-work, , is a confpi- 
cuous example of the like W6rkX though more or lefs open, 
yet ) obfervable in the woody part of all other Plants what- 
(a) See the foever. (a) 
Anatom of Several SPIKES or Heads of MAYZ or Indian- Wheat 5 
pumsjChJ. with the Grains, as is not unufual, of three or four colours. 
& 3- The Defcription of the Plant, with a large Account of its 
Culture , and Ufe, were communicated by Mr. Wi?ithro]) 
fometime fince Governour of Co?ine£licut in New England: 
and by me lately publifhed , in a fuccinct but 
(b) Phil, full Relation, (b) with fome alteration of the Method. 
Tranf.N.1^2 j] ie pi ant g ro ws to the height of fix or eight feet 5 
and is joynted like a Cane. 'Tis alfo full of a fweet juyce 
like that of the Sugar-Cane. On the Spike grow feveral 
ftrong thick Husks, which, before it is ripe, fhut it clofe up 
round about. Thereby defending it, not only from all 
Weathers, but alfo the Ravine of Birds, to which, the Corn, 
while tender, is a fweet and enticing food. 
The Stalks of this Corn, are good Fodder for Catteh 
As are alfo the Husks about the Spike. The Indian Women 
flit the Husks , and weave them into Baskets of feveral 
falhions. Of the Juyce above-faid may be made a Syrup 
as fweet as Sugar : which probably , may alfo be made 
of it, by the ufual method. The Indians eat the ripe 
Corn either boil'd 5 or more ufually parched 5 of it felf, or, 
as Bread, with Flelh. The green Corn alfo, which, as is 
faid, hath a fweet Taft, being boil'd, dry'd, and kept in 
Bags, and when they eat it, boil'd again, they account a 
principal Difh. The Englijh, of the ripe Corn, make very 
good Bread : but it muft be mixed nothing near fo raff as 
our Wheat-Meal. But the beft fort of Food made hereof, 
they call Samp. Having water'd, and ground it to the big- 
nefs of Rice, and winnow'd or fifted the Hulls from it, 
they boil it tender, and fo with Milk, or with Butyr and 
Sugar, make it a very pleafant Difh. 'Twas often prelcribed 
by Dr. Wilfon to his Patients here in London. The Indians 
that live much upon it, feldom troubled with the Stone. 
The Englijh alfo make very good Beer, both of the Bread, 
and of the Malt, made of this Corn. But it will not make 
good Malt the ordinary way, becaufe,not without fproutmg 
both 
