Indian Corn LbNA #45290

NOTE: March 31, 2015. This box, which was unavailable for the past few days due to need for maintenance, has been returned to its hiding place,

This box is in honor of Indian Corn. From humble beginnings it has become a staple in almost every area of our lives.
While the experts don't all agree on the exact origins of maize, it is generally accepted that it was domesticated from the wild grass teosinte from 6,000 to 9,000 years age in Mexico and over time was selectively cultivated to become the product we know as corn.
In some other countries the word corn can indicate grain in general. In England it refers to wheat. In Ireland and Scotland oats are called corn. In the United States, Canada and Australia "corn" applies particularly to maize.
Maize has long been recognized as a primary food crop of the early Americas. Today corn touches almost every part of our lives. Of course it is a food in many forms, fresh corn, corn flakes, hominy, pop corn, corn meal, corn starch, corn syrup, corn sugar, and corn oil and corn cob jelly and tamale wrappers to name just a few. The list goes on and on. It's used to make grain alcohol for liquors such as bourbon whiskey. In it's various forms corn is found in products as diverse as ice cream, glycerin, cosmetics, explosives, rubber substitutes and fireworks.
It's used as feed for livestock as fodder, silage or grain and is used in some commercial animal food products
Starch from maize is used in making plastics, fabrics, adhesives and many other chemical products. In the biochemical industry and research, a culture medium made from corn is used to grow microorganisms.
Biofuel is used increasingly for heating - in corn cob stoves or processed in to pellets or as a biomass fuel such as ethanol.
Corn has long been used for other purposes, in arts and crafts, corn husk dolls, costumes, decorations for home and table, corn cob pipes, woven mats and shoe soles, for corn mazes .... you can probably think of more. Each year in Mitchell, South Dakota, the corn palace is covered with ears of corn in many colors to make a design. In many cultures maize is at the center of many religious rituals and lore.

So, lets offer up a cheer for maize, whatever its origins. What would we do without it?

This is a simple substitution cipher. If E substitutes for X in the cipher, it will always be X in the translation. However, this is a random substitution, using no specific numerical shift. Clue: U = P.

Whose woods these are I do not know, so please be stealthy and please be sure that the box is completely hidden before you leave. There is an easy fence to climb in one place. It shouldn't be a problem as long as you are stealthy. Be warned that there is more than a little brush in the summer.

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Notice uprooted stump lying on the side of the heap just west of a standing tree. From stump, go about 12 paces east to part of a rotting fallen log. On the east side of the log, go about 4 or 5 paces north to several downed logs with small leaning trees behind them. In the middle of the logs, look for a formation that resembles a bird skull with a long beak. VERY Carefully, tilt the “head” backward to see some flat bark pieces under it. The box in under the bark. Please try to replace all as you found it to preserve the hiding place.
Please let me know how the box is doing and if it needs maintenance. I appreciate your comments as well.