August I, 1890.] 
Supplement to the '■‘■Tvopical Agnculturist. 
>9 
151 
and commendable means of improving poor soils to 
have land under a crop-fallow of this plant and use 
the crop as green manure. Tire leaf of tlie jDlant 
is sometimes made into a curry by the natives. 
A good many goiyas attribute their unfortun- 
ate condition to coffee-cultivation for more than 
one reason. They depended too much on coffee 
in its good days, and neglected their paddy-flelds, 
and now that they are obliged to return to paddy 
cultivation, they find that owing to the destruc- 
tion of forests (the influence of which they are in- 
telligent enough to recognise) the streams which 
once fed their Mas have dried up, and tliey are 
unable to get a sufficient supply of water to irri- 
gate their fields at the proper season. 
At the time of the native Rajas, they say that 
a man who possessed a very small area of paddy 
land — even a p&le sowing-extent — had his vi- 
atuwa or paddy-barn for storing the grain. At 
that time, too, his wants were few, and he lived, 
what seemed to him, in affluence. Now, however', 
owing both to small returns and the compara- 
tively expensive habits of life he acquired in 
the prosperous days of coffee, he finds it a diffi- 
cult problem to make both ends meet. Once a 
palm-leaf was a sufficient protection from the 
sun, now he must have his umlmella and such 
articles of apparel to which his so-called civiliza- 
tion has introduced him. The apathy generated 
by the luxurious life of the past clings to him 
still, and while he can, if he is industrious, 
make a comfortable living out of arecanut, pepper 
or cotton, he is unequal to the effort. 
INDIAN CORN. 
Zea Mays of the natural order Graminacece. 
It is also called maize and Turkey corn. The 
male and female flowers are found on the same 
plant (hence monoecious). The male blossoms 
are ju'oduced in elegant loose wavy spikes at 
the summits of the stems, some of a cream 
colour, other varieties with a limit of red. 
The fertile flowers are produced from a com- 
pound sheath arising from the bosoms of the 
leaves, deep set in their axils ; they are two, 
three or more in number on each plant. The 
corn is arranged in upright or spiral ranks, firmly 
embedded in a receptacle which is termed tlie cob. 
This is sufficient to convey some idea of the 
botanical character of this truly interesting and 
l)eautiful plant ; and as it has lately been spoken 
of and noticed as worthy of attention, I am 
impelled to take up this subject with which I 
am familiar. As His Excellency the Governor 
desired the people of Matale to grow Indian 
corn, and the season of the year is somewhat 
favourable to the setting apart and ])reparation 
of an experimental plot, I think it advisable 
to adduce so much of my own e.xperience as 
may enable tliose who are interested in the 
attempt to make a trial of a method which 
cannot mislead. 
1 . Select the best and softest loam of the garden. 
Such a .soil is always fertile if duly tilled, and 
to none is it hotter suited than to maize, 
]>articnlarly if the site lie open and fully ox- 
liosed to the sun. 
•2. At any favourable jicriod during the early 
part of the year, make trenches three or four 
feet asunder, taking out six inches of the earth, 
and digging into the trench a good three inch 
layer of rotten manure. Let the trenches point 
south and north, or nearly so as possible, and 
leave the work to settle for a few weeks, being 
guided herein by the warm and dry state of 
the weather, because a cold rainy season would 
be just as inimical to Indian corn as to cotton 
crops. 
Taking the 1st of July as a suitable time, fill 
the trenches with fine soil to within three inches 
of the previous level, stretch a rope and dot in 
three seeds in a triangle, five or six inches 
apart, at every foot throughout the length of 
the rows. Cover them with an inch of eartli. 
and press firmly. If the weather become very 
dry it will be advisable to soak the soil with 
water two or three times till the plants germi- 
nate, and to cover the trenches with mats or 
leaves during the heat of the sun. Most of the 
seeds will germinate, but they are liable to acci- 
dents, and are often devoured ; and as every foot 
should contain one plant at least, the precaution 
should be taken to sow a few dozens of seeds in 
small ]Dots, so that a blank may always be 
filled up when it has become evident that the 
seed sown has been destroyed. 
When growth apjDears to be fully established 
and the plants stand at regular distances, a 
light hoeing must be made along the trenches ; 
and at the same time the practice of the Peru- 
vians may be safely imitated, particularly in dry 
seasons, by forming a small ring or basin round 
the stem of each, sprinkling a little manure in 
the cavity so as not to touch the stem, and 
flooding the ground with water. 
3. After a time, when the plants obtain a foot in 
height, three inches of the earth removed from 
the trenches should be returned, so as nearly 
to level the ground. In a short time the re- 
maining earth should lie brought against the 
stems, to protect them from the foi’ce of high wind, 
4. When the male spikes are formed at the 
summits, it will be beneficial to cover the sur- 
face between the rows with an inch of manure 
or to sprinkle a little liquid manure. 
Whatever be the dressing, it should be dug 
in with the fork, care being taken not to injure 
the roots and stems. This manuring will cause 
the foliage to assure a dark rich green, which 
it will retain during the hottest and driest season. 
When the farina from the male spikes shall 
cease to be discharged, the plants can safely 
be cut back to within two leaves of the upper 
ear, and the corn will equally advance to maturity. 
My experience proves that as an average 
December is the harvest month. The plants begin 
to ripen by losing the green colour, and assuming 
a pale brown tint ; and then the seeds acquire 
their gloosy yellow-cream colour, or pale brown. 
Birds are very fond of the seed and will pene- 
trate husks till they reach the cob ; therefore 
it is desirable to jinll off every one as it becomes 
ripe. 
Whether Indian corn can be profitably 
introduced, is somewhat questionable. One 
objection is Ihe lateness of the ripening 
season and the irregular maturing of the 
ears. Tlie cultivator will find in the above 
directions which will guide him in undsrtaking 
