Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-11-16
THE VALUE OF INDIAN CORN.

Ihb v hLOE Or lNDlAN OOhN,
By those who do not know, or are too
scientific to profit by the experience of ma
tions of men and herds Of fat cattle--In-
dian corn, rice, buckwheat, &c. are only
considered good fodder Liebig states
that if we were subject to the same degree
of cold as the Somieles, we would be able
TO consume the half Of a calf and dozen
candles at a single meal, During excess
i've fatigue in low temperature, wheat -four
fails to sustain the system. This is owing
to deficiency in the elements necessary to
supply animal heat and the strong desire
for oleaginous substances under these cir
cumstances has led totbe belief that ami.
NAL food is necessary to human support
But late scientific experiments have led to
better acquaintance with the habits of the
North American Indians, and show that
vegetable oil answers the same purpose as
animal food that one pound of parched
Indian corn, or an equal quantity of corn
meal made into bread, is moro than equiv.
alent to two pounds of fat meat.
Meal from Indian corn contains more
than four times as much oleaginous mat
ter as wheat -four more starch, and is
consequently capable of producing more
sugar, though less gluten; in other import
ant compounds it contains nearly as muc h
nitrogenous material. The combination of
alimentary compounds in Indian corn rem.
ders it alone the mixed diet capable of sus
tanning man under extraordinary circum-
stances. In it there Is natural coalescence
ef elementary principles which constitute
the basis Of organtic life, that exists in no
other vegetable production. In ultimate
composition, in nutritious properties, in di.
gestibility, and in its adoption to the vari.
Gus necessities of animal life in the differ
ent climates of the earth, corn meal is ca
pable of supplying more than the absolute
want of the adult human system than any
other single substance in nature,
The above article, we clip from the
Massachusetts Plowman, contains import
ant information in regard to the value Of
Indian corn. 1t should be borne in mind,
however, that the different varieties of corn
vary materially in regard to the most i'm
portant qualities. Some varieties are
nearly or quite destitute OF gluten, oil, or
the salts Of iron, all important constituents
in the mixed diet referred to by Baron
Liebig. The Tuscarora and the White
Flour. Corn are examples Of This character,
being composed chiefly of starch. They
make nice white meal, which may be made
into excellent bread; and on account of
the greater softness of the grain are con-
sidered by some better food for horses
than the more finty varieties.
The commonly received opinion is that
yellow corn contains most oil. While this
is generally true, it is not invariably SO.
The color CT corn often depends on the ep-
iderms or hull, and sometimes on the oil,
the latter is not always yellow. The
Rhode Island White Flint corn contains
an abundance of transparent colorless oil
which can easily be seen through the clear
pellucid bulls. All the finty varieties of
corn contain consid quantity Of oil.
The Canada corn, or Eight Rowcd Yellow,
contains more than any other variety, ex-
cept the Rice corn and Pop corn. Among
Southern varieties, the Small Yellow and
the little White Flint contain most oil. 1t
is evident that the varieties Of corn con-
tanning most oil or fatty matter are much
the most valuable for fattening animals or
poultry, and also for human food. This
fact is worth the consideration of farmers
Vailey Farmer.