The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-10-18

Maize or Indian Corn

States, the maize or Indian corn takes the
precedence in the scale Of crops. =. it is best
adapted to the soil and climate. and furnishes
the largest amount of nutritive food. When
regard is paid TO the selsctisn OF varieties and
cultivated in proper soil. it may be accounted
as sure crop in almost any portion Of the hab
liable globe, between the forty fourth degree
of north latitude and . corresponding parallel
south. Besides its produc.ion--in this com
try its principal cultures limited to Mexico.
the West Indies, most Of the States Of South
America, France. Spain, Portugal, Lombardy,
and Southern and Central Europe generally.
1t is also cultivated with success in northern.
southern and western Africa. India, China.
Japan, Australia and the Sandwich Islands,
the groups of Azores, the Aadeiras, the Ca
naries. and numerous other ocean isles.
Although there has been much written on
the eastern origin Of this grain, il did not
grow on that part Of the Asia wn.ered by the
Indus at the time Of Alexander the Greats
expedition, As it is among the productions Of
The country mentioned by Nearchus, the
commander Of the feet; neither is it noticed
by Arian. Diodorus, Columells. nor any 9TH
er ancient author; and even as late 149l,
the year before Columbus discovered Amer
lea. Joan di Cuba, in his "Ortus Sanitati..
makes no mention Of IT, It has never been
pyramid, nor has it ever been represented
any ancien. painting. sculpture, or work Of
art except in America. But in this country,
according to Garcilaso de la Vega, of the
ancient Peruvian historians, the palace gar
dens of the lncas, in Peru. were ornam ented
with maize in gold and silver. with all the
grains, spikes, stalks and leaves; and in one
instance in the garden OF gold and silver
there was entire cornield, Of considerable
size, representing the maze IN its exact and
natural shape; proof 70 les. of the wealth
Of tho Incas than their veneraticn for this
important grain.
In further proof Of the American origin. it
may be stated that this plant is still found
growing in wild state from the Rocky
Mountains. in North America, to the humid
forests of Paraguay, where instead Of having
each grain naked. as is always the case after
long cultivation. it is completely covered with
glumes or husk. 1t is furthermore . well
authenticated fact that maize found in
state of cultivation by the aborgines, in the
Island Of Cuba on it's discovery by Column
bus. well as in most other places in Ameri
ca. first explored by Americans
The Ggst successful attempt 10 cultivate this
grain in North America, by the English, oc
CURED on James River. in Virginia. IN 1903.
1t was undertaken by the colonists sent
by the London Company, who adopted the
mode then prsctieed by the natives, which,
with some modification has been pursued
throughout the country every since. The
Weld Al ,hat time is represented TO have been
from Two hundred to more than q thousand
fold The same increase was noted by the
ariy settlers of Illinois. The present yield,
ea,t OF the 3cky Mountains. when udicious-
" cultivated, varies from 90 TO 1875 bushels to
an acre.
The varieties of Indian corn very
merous. exhibiting every grade of size. color
and conformation, betw the chubby red"
that grows the shores of Lake Superior
the gigantic stalks of the ONO VaIev-the
tiny ears, with fiat. close, clinging grains of
Canada--the brilliant rounded pesrl-the
bright red grains and white cob of the eight .
rowed hemalite-the swelling Of the
big white and yellow gourd seed Of the South
From the fexibility of this plant. it may be
scclimatsd. by gradual cultivation, from Tex
AS to Maine. or from Canada to Brazil; but its
character in either is somewhat changed.
and often new varieties the result. The
blades of the plant are of great value as food
for stock and is an article but rarely estimated
sufficiently. when considering of the agricul
lura products of the Southern and Western
States especially.
The increase of production from 1910 TO
1850 was 1900, 600 bushels equal to fifty
tx per cent. Es
The produce Of New England has advanced
rom 6,993. 600 to 10, 377 900 bushels. nearly
30 per cent; New FORK, New Jersey, Penn
'ylyania, Delaware and Maryland increased
20, 912, 900 bushels, more than 50 per cent.
IN the production of this crop no State has
etrograded. Ohio which in 1910 occupied
he fourth place as corn producing State,
his I'll y.rat -.
illinois third and Tennessee fourth. The crop
f Illinois has increased from 100000 10
). 800, 600 bushels, or at the rate Of 100 psy
ent. in ten years.
OF the numerous varieties some are best
dapted to the Southern States. while others
re better suited for the Northern and East
IN. Those generally cultivated in the former
re the Southern big and small yellow. the
outhern big and small white flint the vel.
Nv Peruvian, and Virginia white gourd seed
n the more northerly and easterly States, they
ultivate the golden Sioux or Northern yellow
int, the King Philip or eight-rowed yellow,
le Canadian early white. the Tuscarcra,
le white flower, and the Rhode Island " hi,e
int.
The extended cultivation of this grain is
hiefy confined to the Eastern, Middle and
Western States, though much more success
orted from South Carolina in 1853. was
2 sos bushels; from North Carolina in 1853
| $50 bushels; from Georgia in 1875, 600
lshels; from Virginia fer several years pre-
ding the Revolution. annually. 100000
lsheis; from Philadelphia in 1866, TO, eos
ishels, in It'll, S59. AL bushels.
The total smount exported from this coun-
Y an 1870, was 578.249 bushels; In 1871.
O6+ $50 bushels, o5l 6a5 of which were
dian meal: 500, e.oS2. $50 bushels. $685.
s of which were in meal: in 1910, l.l4o,-
70 bushels. 86. 744 of which were in meal
ISG0-oI there were exported 607 Ell