RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 19 May and so recorded in SJL. Enclosure: excerpt of an article on a strain of Italian maize, published in a German-language Swiss journal at the request of the economic society of Bern by its representative, Mr. Morell; the variety must be kept separate from larger strains to prevent crossbreeding; it normally grows two and a half to four feet high and typically produces three or four ears, though sometimes only two; ears are usually two and a half to three inches (French measure) and rarely more than five inches; the seeds are always golden yellow, never reddish; it is planted and harvested within 40 days and is sowed three times on the same land, in March, May, and July; a warm summer followed by a mild autumn always results in a successful last harvest; the corn thrives in hot, humid weather; in dry conditions, seeds should be planted close together; even with irrigation, seeds should grow no more than eight to ten inches apart; the seeds need only be planted one to one and a half inches deep; this corn does not deplete the land like larger varieties; the masculine seeds do not require cutting; the plants can produce lycopodium; the ears can be thrashed by putting them in bags and stomping on them; the kernels come off easily; a first planting near Bern, using three-quarters of a pound of seeds on an open 800-square-foot plot at a density of one seed per foot, produced 16 pounds of seed in unfavorable weather conditions; the second planting, on an open, unfertilized field that was hand sown and tilled, and pruned twice, produced 86 pounds of kernels; the third planting was on a 40,000-square-foot field and produced 8,266 pounds of kernels, despite cool and wet conditions and the ravages of curious visitors, children, birds, and a hail storm; when mixed with rye or wheat, the corn flour produces delicious bread and porridges; Italians use it for dishes such as macaroni and polenta; its most lucrative product is alcohol (MS in same; undated; in Reibelt’s hand, in French).