The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-04-16


Starch l'ed Of corn 10 the acre.
In the ceneus of 1850, the four most impor-
tant crops are valued as follows:-
Indian Corn, 1896, 900
Hay, 1873 OOD. 900
Wheat, 10000, OOO
Cotton, $1,000. 900
There must have been large increase in
these productions since 1850, and their
relative values may have varied since that
time, but the above figures show the very
great value Of the corn crop to these United
States.
Mr.. John Jay, of this city, in a recent
lecture before the Geographical and Statistical
Society, stated that in 1910 the corn crop
amounted to 400 600 600 bushels. in 1850
to 800 900 600 buShe Is; and in 1856, to at
least SOO,0u0,OO0 bushels. BY this it would
appear that it had doubled in sixteen years,
and that for the last six years the increase
had been 33i per cent, or 81 per cent, an
nuatly. At the same rate ofincrease it would
amount to about 900 OG0, 900 in 1860.
Land equal to the production of at least
100000, 600 bushels, in case of an ordinary
favorable season, will be planted with corn
IN tie next few weeks. 1t appears by the
census reports for 1850 that the yield of that
year was 5y2 OIL .u00.bushels, from 3 / .00O 900
acres, averaging fraction ovcl 10 bushels an
acre, and WORTH at so cents IL bushel, S296 =
OO0,OOO. Should the crop this year be 9UO,-
900 900 bushels an acre, it would require for
its growth $4,000 GOO acrcs-abuut an acre
and fifth to each person, or six acres to
every five persons. Whether precisely 3d.
OO0,00O acres will be planted, is Of little
consequence. twill be more likely to exceed
than to fall below that number; and the crop,
should the season be favorable, will go beyond
rather than fall short of 800 900 900 bushels.
That Indian corn is a native of this CONT
ncnt, that America gave it to Europe to
America, has been disputed, but the question
may now be regarded as pretty nearly set
tied in favor of the New World. Baron
humboldt says: "It is no longer doubted
among botanists that maize, or Turkish corn,
is tue American grain, and that the old
continent received it from the ncw.''
Indian corn seems destined, either directly
or by its conversion into meats and dairy
products, to furnish large proportion of our
food. The starch for Our manufactures aud
laundries is now made largely from corn.-
Instead Of importing starch as formerly, we
are now exporting it largely. The Mrssrs.
Duryea, at Glen Cove, near this city, have a
starch manuiactOry, capable of producing
eighteen tons Of starch daily, from about twice
that weight Of corn; and we learn that a con-
siderable portion Of this goes to Europe
Other establishments are turning out similar
article; and there can he hardly doubt, that
corn, either kiln dried for the purpose, or re-
duccd to corn starch, will hereafter be among
our most important exports.
4 kind Of corn starch, manufactured in a
way.to retain the heterogeneous elements Of the
grain, under the names of :" iarina, y
'maizena," &c, is becoming common
article Of food both for home consumption and
for expectation; and whatever view we take
of the subj ct the value and importance Of
the corn crop are made to appear.
1t is worthy of remark, that corn, although
tropical plant, requiring great heat, is also
a rapidly growing and quickly maturing plant,
wherever heat is supplied and will flourish,
therefore, in any country where there are three
or four warm months with a dry atmospheric
This regularity fits it for wide range and
adapts 1t especially to our country, where the
summers are warmer and dryer than in coun-
tries of equal average temperature on the
eastern continent.
TO the northern countries of Europe the
turnip crop is of immense value, England
could hardly exist without it. The cultivation
OF this and other root crops, particularly the
carrot, may become increasingly important
TO our country. We incline to the opinion
that twill. Old preiudcrs are wearing away,
and the value Of roots as succulent food for
cattle, and especially of carrots for horses
and for mich cows is becoming better under
stood. But root culture cannot become as
important to us, as to England, for the reason
that our climate is admirably adapted to the
more valuable crop, Indian corn, which hers
utterly refuses to grow. The increasing cul-
tvation Of the corn crop renders it vastly i'm
portant that the best procedures should be
adopted. We have seen that in 1850 the
average yield for the whole country was but
u tribe above 10 bushels. Perhaps twenty
five bushels an acre is as much as will be re-
aliSed the coming season. 1t ought to be
fifty. If the point of maximum profit were
attained, the yield would in no case be less
than fifteen bushels, in many it would come
up to a hundred and fifteen; and the average
would bc fifty at least.
We shall probably DC blamed for naming
fifteen bushels to the acre, as yield with
which any one should be contented even on
the pooreS: land. We will defend our position
IN another place and in doing so We will moi
be guilty Of encouraging nor even OF APOLOGIZE
| ing for low. SHINING process, nor will We
say word inconsistent with our oft repeated
and urgent calls upon the farmer, to aim at q
higher cultivation and larger crops than have
| been usual.
| What should be aimed at in farming, is. tc
put every acre to the best use, in view Of its
| quality. its location, the facility for applying
| fertilizers and score Of circumstances known
only to the owner. Farmers Magasine.