'.( - J ?8 ) 
Art, and even Force in that Cafej whereas in ours, 
there was nothing but pure Nature and Accident. 
Our Indian Com is the moil Prolifick Grain that 
we have, and commonly produces twelve hundred, and 
often two thoufand Grains from one but the faireft 
Computation is thus ; fix Quarts of this Grain will 
plant an Acre of Ground, and it is not unufual for an 
Acre of good Ground to produce fifty Bufhels of Corn. 
The Mention of Indian Corn obliges me to take notice 
of an extraordinary Hhanomenon in the Vegetation of 
that Grain, viz*, the interchanging, or mixing, of Co- 
lours after the Corn is planted. For your better un- 
derftanding this Matter, 1 mu ft obferve r that our In- 
dian Corn is of feveral Colours, as blue, white, red, 
and yellow ; and if they are planted feparately, or by 
themfelves, fo that no other Sort be near them, they 
will keep to their own Colour, i. e. the blue, will pro- 
duce blue, the white, white, &c. But if in the fame 
Field, you plant the blue Corn in one Row of Hills (as 
we term them) and the white, or yellow, in the next 
Row, they will mix and interchange their Colours j 
that is, fome of the Ears of Corn, in the blue Corn 
Rows, {hall be white, or yellow ; and fome again, in 
the white or yellow Rows, lhall be of a blue Colour. 
Our Hills of Indian Corn are generally about four ‘Foot 
afunder, and fo continued in a (freight Line, as far as the 
Field will allow ^ and then a fecond Line, or Row of 
Hille, and'fo on ; and yet this mixing and interchanging 
of Colours has been obferved, when the Diflance be- 
tween the Rows of Hills, has been feveral Yards •" and 
a worthy Clergyman, of an 111 and in this Province, * 
allures me, that the blue Corn has thus communicated, 
or exchanged, even at the Difknce of four or live Rods- 
— - 
* The Reverend Mr . May hew, of Martha’* Vineyard. 
