350 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Oct* 
“The Early Mandan Corn.— (Zea mays v. prcecox.)” 
In his “ Genera of North American Plants ,” Prof. 
Nuttall, who visited the Mandans, and named this va¬ 
riety, says: u Stem, very low, spathes arising from the 
base of the culm”—in other words, keeping comparative¬ 
ly close to the ground, in accordance with a principle 
often obtaining amongst other plants that extend into 
severer climates—that of shortening their stems.* He 
adds, “ successful!} 7 cultivated by the aborigenes of the 
Missouri to its sources [?] ripening in a climate where no 
other variety could exist.” 
George Catlin also in his “ Illustrations of the Man¬ 
ners, Customs, and Condition of the North American 
Indians ,” says, u The Mandans raise a very small sort 
of corn, the ears of which are not longer than a man’s 
thumb. This variety is well adapted to their climate, 
as it ripens sooner than the other varieties, which would 
not mature in so cold a latitude.” 
It is generally understood that Indian corn indigenous¬ 
ly is a tropical plant, though the Pilgrims who landed on 
Plymouth Rock found it cultivated by the Indians in 
that vicinity ; but why it has been acclimatized further 
north on the Missouri than in any other region, the fol¬ 
lowing remarks from Catlin’s work, may assist in ex¬ 
plaining. though he has not referred to this subject. 
“ I have descended the Missouri river from the Man- 
dan village to St. Louis, a distance of 1800 miles, and 
have taken pains to examine its shores; and from the 
repeated remains of the ancient locations of the Mandans, 
which I met with on the banks of that river, I am fully 
convinced that I have traced them down nearly to the 
mouth of the Ohio river; and from exactly similar ap¬ 
pearances, which I recollect to have seen several years 
since in several places in the interior of the state of 
Ohio, I am fully convinced that they have formerly oc¬ 
cupied that part of the country, and have from some 
cause or other, been put in motion, and continued to 
make their repeated moves until they arrived at the 
place of their residence at the time of their extinction, 
on the upper Missouri. 
u The marks of the Mandan villages are known by the 
excavations of two feet or more in depth, and thirty or 
forty feet in diameter, of a circular form, made in the 
ground for the foundations of their wigwams, which 
leave a decided remain for centuries, and one that is 
easily detected the moment it is met with. After leav¬ 
ing the Mandan village, I found the marks of their form¬ 
er residence about sixty miles below where they were 
then living, and from which they removed (from their 
own account) about sixty or eighty years since. Near 
the mouth of the big Shienne river, 200 miles below 
their last location, I found still more ancient remains; 
and in as many as six or seven other places between that 
* Thus the lay-berry or wax myrtle, grows two or three times as 
high in South Carolina, as it does in Western New-York; and the 
gigantic live oak of Florida dwindles to a shrub on the eastern shore 
of Virginia. 
In regard to Indian corn extending into higher latitudes—the ear¬ 
liest ears will be the most perfect, and the later be cut off by the frost. 
So in selecting seeds for the kitchen garden, the finest and earliest 
specimens are generally preferred; and though the change from year 
to year may be slight, yet the accumulation of changes in the course 
of an age, may be very considerable. 
and the mouth of the Ohio, and each one, as I visited 
them, appearing more and more ancient,—convincing 
me that these people have gradually made their moves 
up the banks of the Missouri.” 
George Catlin further remarks that after the season 
for green corn is over, “ the remainder is gathered and 
dried on the cob before it has ripened, and packed away 
in caches (as the French term them)—holes dug in the 
ground some six or seven feet deep, the insides of which 
are in the form of a jug, and tightly closed at the top. 
Now it is remarkable that “ the Pilgrims” found Indian 
corn buried in the same manner, soon after their arrival 
at Plymouth; and Catlin might have found in this cir¬ 
cumstance an argument in favor of his theory; for two 
tribes living 3,000 miles apart, in all probability derived 
this singular custom from the same source. D. T. 
Fotato Disease. 
The Legislature of Massachusetts, in the year 1851, 
offered a prize of $10,000 to any one who should satisfy 
the Governor and Council that, by a test of at least five 
successive years, he had discovered a sure remedy for 
the potato rot. Several communications have been re¬ 
ceived on this subject, which are published by the au¬ 
thority of the legislature, of which we publish the fol¬ 
lowing summary by Hon. Asiasa Walker, Secretary 
of State*. 
Although these communications may not furnish any 
perfect cure or preventive of the potato disease, yet they 
agree, in so many important points, and offer so many 
valuable hints, relating to the nature, cultivation, preser¬ 
vation, ahd improvement of the potato, that they can¬ 
not fail to be of great public utility. The similarity of 
views expressed by the most intelligent and experienced 
writers, relating to the nature, cultivation, disease, and 
cure of the potato, is truly remarkable, and we think 
auspicious. Among the principal points, relating to 
which there is a general concurrence, are the following: 
Soundness and vitality of the Seed. —Renewing the 
seed from the ball of healthy vigorous plants every few 
years, even resorting to the native place in South Ameri¬ 
ca, and taking the seed from the wild potato, is con¬ 
sidered important. When potatoes are to be raised from 
the tuber, sound, healthy, whole potatoes are recom¬ 
mended for planting. Cutting potatoes is decidedly con¬ 
demned. Anything which impairs the vitality of the 
seed increases the liability to disease. 
Quality or kind of Soil.—A dry, light, loose, warm 
soil, is considered necessary to the soundness and health 
of the vegetable, as well as to its richness and flavor, the 
latter depending quite as much on the quality of soil as 
on the variety of seed. A wet, heavy, compact soil, 
directly promotes the disorder. Far up on the side of a 
mountain or hill is a favorable location for the growth of 
the potato; and new land contains more of the qualities 
requisite for its nourishment and health, than old or worn 
out soils. 
Influence of atmosphere. —Potatoes should be as little 
exposed to the air as conveniently may be. Their natural 
place is under ground. By too much exposure they be¬ 
come poisoned, and turn green. Some recommend de¬ 
positing them for the winter in holes under ground in a 
dry soil; or if kept in a cellar, to preserve them dry, in 
small quantities, in sand; and to keep them cool. Keep¬ 
ing large quantities in a body in the cellar is by some sup¬ 
posed to promote heat and putrefaction. Planting in 
the fall is recommended by some, as potatoes left in the 
field, over winter, are observed to come forward earlier 
in the spring, to grow more vigorously, to get ripe ear¬ 
lier and before the blighting rains in August, and to be 
more sound, fair, and healthy. 
Manures. —All antiputrescents, such as lime, wood- 
