Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1848-08-31
INDIAN CORN.

INDIAN CORN.
Indian Corn is an ancient, well-known
and indispensable production Of our grea
Mother. 1t is universally cultivated, uni
versally esteemed, and everywhere eaten
in every shape and variety of ways. Tc
talk learnedlv Of the MAIZE would be tc
make fool of ones self-yet to refresh on,
memory with the date of its use and origin
and so-forth, cannot be much amiss. A
bard describes it as
The fruitful Maize in verdant vistas reared
1tsspire majesty to the playful breeze,
Spreading its loosely waving panicles; whilelow
The purple anthers, bending DER to kiss.
The silken tasseled styles, delight the eye
OF watchful Ceres.
The generic name Tea, is derived from a
Greek word ( Zao) signifying "to 1ive"-
from the nntritive properties Of some Gre
clan or Archipelagan grain. Indian Corn
consists of number of varieties, which are
thought to owe their distinctive characters
to the accidental notifications of climate,
soil and culture, rather than TO any original
differences. When due regard is paid to
the selection of varieties, it may be consid-
cred sure crop in almost every portion
of the habitable globe, between the lat
itude Of 430 North, and corresponding pa
raIlel South. Its principal culture is con-
fined to the United States, Mexico, the West
Indies and most of the States ofSouth Amer
lea. 1t is also cultivated with success in
Southern Europe generally. 1t is likewise
found to thrive in India, China, Japan, Aus
lralia, the Sandwich. Islands, groups of the
Azores, Madeiras, the Canaries, as well as
other ocean isles, Roulin, Humboldt, Bon
pland and others, have noticed the plant in
its indigenous state in America, and hence
have concluded that it was first derived from
this country. All the early historians, both
of North and Soutl, America, give the stron-
gest testimony that this grain is of American
origin, and speak of it as having constituted
a great part of the food Of the Indians, from
time immemorlal. Mr.. Schoolcrafl in late
report, says it is conceded on all hands that
it is tropical, or at least, Southern plant
He remarks that it was not known in Europe
before the discovery of .his country, and
that zoe learned the mode of cultivation from
The Indians, and no! they from US. 1t was
cultivated by the Iroquois in fields sufficien-
1ly large to emile them to the name Of agri
cul,uris,s and was undoubtedly highly priz-
ed by them as an essential article of sup
port. -. Mr. Schoolcraft states that the
warriors of the Six Nations were in the ha-
bit of undertaking journeys of thousands of
miles in extent, carrying no other food
than little meal from parched and pound
ed corn, relying on the forest game for
meat -. One tablespoonful Of this meal
mixed with little sugar and water, will sus-
tain warrior for twentv-four hours, with
out meat -. Maize contains less nutr-
tive matter than wheat, barley or oats, but
more than either rice or potatoes. In fact.
it has about three and half times the guam
,ity of nutrive matter found in potatoes, a
much large proportion of starch, and less
water. -. The proportion of OIL found in
corn, as lar as it.has been examined, varies,
from an entire absence TO / per cent. &C
cording to The varieties employed =. Oily
Corn makes dry kind of bread, and is not
sufficiently adhesive to rise we'll without an
adnixlure of rye or other -four.
The varieties of Indian Corn are very
numerous, exhibiting every grade of size,
color and conformation, between the shrub
by reed that grows on the shores of Lake
Superior to the gigantic stalks of the Ohio
Valley; the tiny ears with fiat close cling
ing grains of Canada; the brilliant, round
ed little Pearl, or the bright red grains and
white cob Of the eight-rowed hamati,e, to
the swelling ears Of the large white and yell
low Gourd-seed of the South. There are
something like II principal varieties cult
waited in the United States, which may be
distinguished by the number of rows Of
grains on the cob, and the color, shape or
size of The kernels.
CuANcr OF EaprI1Nr The xuidnw