Four-and-a-Half Months’ Stay in New Harmony
Description of the region – Natural history – Messrs. Say, Lesueur, and Owen – Hunting excursions in Indiana and Illinois – Wabash, Fox River – Illinois prairies – Albion – Black River – Mr. Bodmer’s trip to New Orleans
March 11, 1833
Warm during the morning, slightly overcast sky. At seven thirty, 7°R [47.8°F, 8.8°C]. We worked at home. At twelve o’clock noon, 11 3/4°R [58.4°F, 14.7°C]. Mr. Owen brought me an interesting collection of different varieties of Indian corn, which are enumerated in the following list: a. flour corn; b. hackberry corn (heavy and productive); c. popcorn (small ears, white and bluish black combined)—when it is tossed onto coals, it bursts open and unrolls outward; d. large yellow corn (ripens late, productive but rather chaffy); e, red corn (dark red kernels); f, flesh-colored or stem corn (ripens in September); g. large white corn (ripens late; productive but light); h. small yellow flint corn (strong and round); i. a variety of white corn; [no j;] k. white flint-corn; l. gourd-seed corn (ripens late—heavy and productive); m. Yankee corn (ripens in September—unproductive but very heavy); n. speckled or calico corn (black red and white combined); o. speckled or calico corn (a variety of the red corn—heavy and productive); p. speckled or calico corn (another variety); q. purple corn; r. sweet or sugar corn.
We spent the evening at the home of Mr. Owen and at about ten thirty returned on horseback to Harmony while it was very dark. During the night there was much wind and rain. We heard the first frogs croaking as we rode to Mr. Owen’s.