Part 2

When the Stalke beginneth to grow high, they draw (at the second weeding) a little Earth about it, and afterwards, as it groweth higher, and puteth forth the Eare, they draw so much Earth about these Stalkes, that maketh a little hill like hopp hills, using the same manner, as they do hopp grounds with broad Howes. After this they have no other business about it till Harvest, when they gather it, which doth not require great haste, (if it be secured from cattle) when it is gathered it must be as soon as may be stripped from the Huskes, except it be laid very thin, otherwise it will heate and grow mouldy, and sometimes sprout in the huskes: where they have Roome enough to spread the Eares thin, and keepe them dry, they onely pull off the huske, and lay the Eares thin in their Chambers and Garretts, but the Common way is to weave it together in long traices by some parts of the husks left upon the Eare (this worke they call traicing) and these traices they hang upon Stayes or other bearers without doors, or within, for it will keepe good and sweete hung in that manner all the Winter after, though it be in all weather without. The Natives commonly thresh it out as they gather it, and dry it well upon Matts in the Sun, and then bestow in holes in the Ground (which are their Barnes) well lined with withered Grass, and with Matts, and then covered with the like and over that covered with Earth, and so it keepes very well till they use it, this was the way of planting used by the Natives, and English also. But now the English have found out an Easier way of raising Quantity of that Corne by the helpe of the Plough, which is performed in this manner. In the planting time there are single furrowes ploughed through the whole field, about Six foote asunder more or less, as they will plant in distance, then they plow such like furrowes Cross at the same distance, and where the Cross furrowes meete there they throw in the Corne as before mentioned, and cover it with an How, or with Running an other Furrow by the Plow, and that’s all till the Weeds begin to overtop the Corne, then they plough over the rest of the field betweene these furrowes where they planted, and so turne in the Weeds, and this is done only a second time about the time of the Summer, they used to begin to hill the Corne with the How, and so the Ground is better loosened then with the How, and the Rootes of the Corne have more Liberty to Spread. So as there is not so much need of that kind of hilling, as is described before, yet they do cast up the Earth about the Corne as well as they can with the Plow, and some will after helpe it a little with the Plow neere the Hill, though others do not regard that way, where any Weeds escape the Plow, a little worke of the how will mend that defect. Where the Ground is not very good, or hath beene long planted and worne out, the Indians used to put two or three of those forementioned Fishes under each place upon which they planted their Corne, or if they had not time before planting, then they would put them afterwards into the Earth by the sides of those Corne hills, and by these meanes had far greater Crops then that ground would otherwise produce, many times more then double, the English have learned this good husbandry of the Indians, and do still use it in places, where those Mooses come up in greate plenty, or where they are neere the fishing Stages, haveing there the heads and Gurbage of Codfish in greate plenty at no charge, but the fetching. Some also have tried the Dung of their Cattle well Rotted, and putting a little under every place, or hill, and covered it with earth, and the Corne throwne in upon it, have had very good advantage in their Cropps by it; the Fields thus plowed for this Corne after the Cropp is off, are almost as well fitted for English Corne, specially Summer graine (As Peas or Summer Wheate) as if lying fallow they had an ordinary Summer tilth: The Indians and some English also (Especially in good ground or where it is well fished as before) at every hill of Corne will plant a kind of Beans with the Corne (they are like those here called French Beans or turky Beans) and in the Vacant places and betweene the Hills, they will plant Squashes and pumpions, loading the Ground with as much as it will beare; The Stalkes of the Corne serveing in stead of poles for the Beans to Climb up, which otherwise must have poles to hang upon. Many English also after the last Weeding their Ground sprinkle Turnep-seed between the hills, and so have after Harvest a good crop of turneps in the same Field.

The Stalke of this Corne cut up in due time (before too much dried) and stacked up or laid up in a Barne drie, are good Winter Fodder for Cattle but they usually leave them upon the Ground, where the Cattle in the Winter will feed upon them, and leave onely the hardest part of the Stalkes next the Ground; which are pulled up by hand before the Land be againe planted or sowed: Those Stalkes which are about the Eare, are also good Fodder for Cattle given them for Change sometimes after Hay. The Indian Women make Basketts with them, splitting them into narrow parts, weaveing them artificially into severall fashioned Basketts.

This Corne the Indians dress it in severall manner for their food sometimes they boyle it whole, till it swell, and breake, and become tender, and then eate it with their Fish, or Venison in stead of Breade, or onely that without other foode, sometimes they bruise it in a Morter, and then boyle it and make good food of it, bakeing it under the Embers etc, but a very Common way of dressing of it is by parching it among the Ashes, which they do so artificially, by putting it amongst the hott Embers, and continually stirring of it that it wilbe thoroughly parched without any burneing, but be very tender, and turned almost quite the inside outward, which wilbe almost white and flowry, this they sift very cleane from the Ashes, and then beate it in their wooden Morters with a long Stone for a pestle, into fine meale, which is a constant food amongst them, both at home, and especially when they travell, being putt up into a Bagg for their Journey, being at all times ready, and may be Eaten either drie, or mixed with water; they find it a strengthening and wholesome diet, and is not apt to breed wormes in their Children or others, this is the food which their souldiers Carry with them in time of Warr. The English sometimes for Novelty will procure some of this to be made by the Indian Women, and adding Milke, or Sugar, and Water, will make it much more pleasant to be taken.

The English make very good Breade of the Meale, or flower of it being Ground in Mills, as other Corne, but to make good bread of it there is a different way of ordering of it, from what is used about the Bread of other Graine, for if it be mixed into stiff past, it will not be good as when it is made into a thinner mixture a little stiffer then the Battar for Pancakes, or puddings, and then baked in a very hott oven, standing all day or all Night therein, therefore some use to bake it in panns like puddings. But the most ordinary way is this, the Oven being very hott they have a great Wooden Dish fastened to a long staff, which may hold the Quantity of a Pottle, and that being filled, they empty it on an heape in the Oven, upon the bare floore thereof cleane Swept, and so fill the Oven, and usually lay a second laying upon the top of the first, because the first will otherwise be too thinn for the proportion of a Loafe because it will spread in the oven at the first pouring of it in: if they make it not too thinn it will ly in distance like Loaves, onely in some parts where they touch one another will stick together but are easily parted but some will fill the whole floore of the Oven as one intire Body and must then cut it out in greate peices; In just such manner handled it wilbe (if baked enough) of a good darke yellow Colour, but otherwise white which is not so wholesome nor pleasant, as when well baked of a deeper Colour. There is also very good Bread made of it, by mixing half, or a third parte, more or less of Ry or Wheate-Meale, or Flower amongst it, and then they make it up into Loaves, adding Leaven or yeast to it to make it Rise, which may be also added to that other thinner sorte beforementioned.

There is also another sort of Bread, which they used to make before they had Mills, which was in this manner, they beate the Corne in Morters of Wood, first watering of it a little that the huskes may come cleane off by the beateing. When it is beaten they sift the Meale out, and then they Winnow the Course parte, Seperating the loose hulls by the Wind, this Course parte which is seperated from the finer Meale, they boyle it till it be thick like batter, and then Cooleing of it, mix so much of the finer Meale, which was sifted out, as might make it into a past, of which they make Loaves, and bake them as other Bread. This kind of Bread is very well tasted and wholesome, but the best sort of Food which the English make of this Corne is that they call Sampe, which is made in this manner. They first Water the Corne, if with Colde Water a little longer, if with Water a little warmed a shorter time about halfe an hower more or less, as they find it needfull, according to the driness of the Corne, then they either beate it in a Morter as beforementioned but not so small, as for that use of makeing bread of it, but to be about the Biggness of Rice, though some will be a little smaller, and some a little greater, or Grind it gross as neere as they can about the bigness of Rice in handmills or other Mills, out of which they sift the Flower, or Meale very cleane (for whether they beate it or Grinde it there wilbe some little Quantity of Meale amongst it) then they winnow it in the wind, and so seperate the hulls from the rest this is to be boyled or Stued with a gentle Fire, till it be tender, of a fitt consistence, as of Rice so boyled, into which if Milke, or butter be put either with Sugar or without, it is a food very pleasant and wholesome, being easy of Digestion, and is of a nature Divertical and Clensing and hath no Quality of binding the Body, as the Herball supposeth, but rather to keepe it in a fitt temperature, but it must be observed, that it be very well boyled, the longer the better, some will let it be stuing the whole day: after it is Cold it groweth thicker, and it is Eaten commonly by mixing a good Quantity of Milke amongst it. This was the most common diet of the planters, at the first beginning of planting in these parts and is still in use amongst them, and may be taken as well in Sickness as in health, even in feavers and other acute Diseases. A learned Physician that not long since lived in London (Doctor Wilson) had every yeare some Quantity brought over ready beaten, and fitt to be boyled, and did order it to such Patients as he saw cause for it. It was observed that at the beginnings of the Plantations, where this foode was most in use it was very rare that any were troubled with the Stone, and amongst the Indians that Eate no other sorte of Corne but that. The English that have beene most acquainted with them, have beene informed by them, that the disease of the stone is very seldome knowne amongst them. It is accounted also a good meanes against the Scurvie.

The Indians have another sort of Provision out of this Corne, which they call Pondomenast—the English call it sweete Corne, which they prepare in this manner: When the Corne in the Eare is full, whiles it is yet greene it hath then a very sweete tast, this they gather and boyle a convenient time, and then they drie it, and put it up into Baggs or Basketts, for their store, and so use it as they have occasion boyleing of it againe either by it selfe, or amongst their Fish or Venison or Beavers Flesh, or such as they have, and this they account a principall Dish, either at their ordinary Meales or Feastivall times, they boyle it whole, or beaten Gross, as was formerly mentioned conserning their other Corne. These Eares while they are greene and sweete they roast before the fire, or covered with Embers, and so Eate the Corne, picking it off the roasted Eares as they Eate it, therefore at that time of the yeare, when this Corne beginneth to be thus full in the Eare, they have sufficient supply of Food, though there store be done, and their Soldiers doe then most commonly goe out against their Enemyes, because they have this supply both in their Marches if it be in places inhabited, and also in the Fields of those Enemyes against whom they make Warr, but this is observable amongst them, that they do not Cutt downe, or spoile their Enemies Corne more then they gather to Eat.

The English have found out a way to make very good Beere of this Graine which they doe either out of Bread made of it, or by Maulting of it, that way of makeing Beere, of Bread, is onely by makeing the Bread in the manner as before described, and then breake it or Cutt it into greate Lumps, as bigg as a mans Fist or bigger (for it must not be broken small) then they Mash it and proceed every way about brewing of it, as is used in Brewing Beere of Mault, adding hopps to it as to make Beere.

In makeing Mault of it to make it good there is a singular way must be used. The Maulters that make Mault of Barly have used all their skill to make Mault also of this Corne, but cannot bring it the ordinary way to such a perfecion that the whole Graine is Maulted, and tender, and Flowry, as other Mault; Nor will the Beere made of it be well Coloured, but witish, the reason that it doth not come to the perfection of good Mault in that way of Maulting as of other Graine, is this. It is found by experience, that this Corne before it be fully changed into the nature of Mault, must sprout out both wayes a great length the length of a Finger at least, but if more its better, so as it must put out the Roote as well as the upper sprout, and that it may so do, it is necessary that it be laide upon an heape a convenient time till it doth so sprout, but if it lieth of a sufficient thickness for this purpose, it will quickly heate and moulde, if it be stirred and opened to prevent the too much heating of it, those Sprouts that are begun to shoote out (if spread thin) cease growing, and consequently the Corne ceaseth to be promoted to that mellowness of Mault. If left thick till they grow any length they are so intangled one in the other and so very tender that the least stirring and opening of the heape breaketh those axells of, and every Graine that hath the sprout, so broken ceaseth to grow to any further degree towards the nature of Mault, and soone groweth mouldy if not often stirred and spread thinn. To avoid all these difficulties, and to bring every sound Graine to the full perfection of good Mault, this way was tried, and found a sure and perfect way to it. In a Field or Garden or any where that there is loose Earth, take away the top of that Earth two or three Inches for so great a space as may be proportionable to the Quantity of Corne intended to be made into Mault, the Earth may be throwne up halfe one way, and halfe the other, for the more facility of that, and the following labour. Then upon the even Bed, or Floore of Earth where the upper part is so taken off, there lay the Corne intended to be maulted all over, that it may fully cover the Ground, then cover it over with the same Earth, that was taken thence, and then you have no more to doe, till you see all that plott of Ground like a greene Field covered over with the sprouts of the Corne, which within tenn dayes, or a Fortnight, more or less according to the time of yeare wilbe growne greene upwards, and Rooted downwards, and then there is no more to be done but to take it up and shake the Earth from it and drie it. It will by the Insnarlements of the Rootes one with another be like a Matt and hang so together that it may be raised in greate peices and the Earth shaken off from it (which is best to be done in a dry time) and then to make it very cleane, it may be washed and presently dried upon a Hill or in the Sun, or in that Countrey it selfe, spread thinn on a Chamber floore. This way every Graine that was sound, and good will grow and consequently become Mault, and no part of the Graine remains steely (as is alwayes in the other wayes of maulting it) but be mellow, and Flowry and very sweete, and the Beere that is made of this Mault wilbe of a very good browne Colour, and be a pleasant, and wholesome drinke. But because the other way of makeing Beere out of the Bread, as before sett downe, is found to be as well Coloured, and pleasant, and every way as good and very wholesome without any windy Quality, and keepeth better from Sowring then any other Beere of that Corne, therefore that way of Brewing is most in use in that Countrey, that way of Maulting being also yet little knowne.

Footnotes

Ephraim Lipson, Economic History of England (London, 1931). II, 373.

Dictionary of National Biography (London, 1891), XXV, 73.

Economic History Review (London), IV, I (October, 1932): R. Lennard, “English Agriculture under Charles II: The Evidence of the Royal Societies’ ‘Enquiries.’” 23-45.

Philosophical Transactions (London), II (April 2, 1666), 186.

Philosophical Transactions (April 2. 1666), 188.

Thomas Birch, History of the Royal Society (London, 1756), I, 68.

Royal Society, London: Boyle Manuscripts, BI. V, 197.

John Gerard, The Herball or Generall Historie of Plants ... Enlarged and Amended by Thomas Johnson (London, 1636), 82.

Gerard, Herball, 83.

John Parkinson, Theatricum Botanicum (London, 1640), 1138-1139.

Philosophical Transactions, 142 (1678), 1065-1069.

Royal Society, London: Catalogued as BI. V. 199.

A reference to the edition of 1636.

Alewives. Winthrop’s use of “aloofes” supplied the editor of the New English Dictionary, I (1888), 215, with the earliest use of this rare word.

Perhaps to be identified as Edmund Wilson, of Oxford and Padua, Fellow of the College of Physicians, Censor and Harveian Orator, who died in 1657. William Munk, The Roll of the Royal College of Physicians of London (London, 1878), I, 246.

Transcriber’s Notes

John Winthrop Jr.’s paper was originally published in 1676.

Original spelling and punctuation have been maintained as printed.

Footnotes have been moved to the end of the text.