The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-03-07
INDIAN CORN.
Read before the Farmers Club of the A !.
merican Institute, n Y.
BY WILLIAM S. CARPENTER.


BY WILLIAM S. CARPENTER.
Alltbeearly historians OF this continent
agree that Indian corn is of American or.
igin, and it is believed to have constitutes
great partof the food of the aborigiDes o!
this country. 1t was discovered by our
early settlers, and cultivated to some ex-
tent in the fields by the Indians; showing
the Importance of this crop to the Red
Man OF the forest. 1t was held by them
as an essential article of support; their
warriors we're in the habit of travelling
thousands of miles, carrying no other
food than parched corn for their support.
Indian corn is still found in a wild state
in North America. Specimens of this
cereal have recently been discovered in
the mountainous districts of California
and Oregon, where. instead of having
each grain naked, as is always the case
after long cultivation. the kernels are
completely covered with busks. | re-
ceived specimen of this corn from g
friend in Oregon last year, bat found it
of no practical value compared with our
improved varieties. Soon aftef the dis.
covery of America it was introduced into
Europe; but little attention seems to have
been paid there to its use, until within
the last few years. 1t is now largely ex-
ported to England. forming cheap and
substantial food for the Industrial popu-
lation Of that country.
In May. 1912, Dr. John S. Bartlett,
late of the British army, addressed a let.
ter to Lord Asburton, in which be offered
the following for his consideration
"That the laboring class and the poor
of Great Britain require a cheaper arti-
Gle of food than wheaton bread; that al
though wheat contains larger portion oi
gluten or nutritive matter, bulk is peces
sary. not only to satisfy the craving OF
hunger, but to promote digestion by the
stimulus Of distention, which bulk alone
can give. That IDdian corn possesses a
great superiority over rye, barley. oat-
meal, or potatoes; that it contains more
gluten; its constituent parts better pro-
portioned, and consequently makes bet
ter article of food"
The importance and great value of H.
dian corn are too we'll known to every
farmer 10 this country to need illu-tra-
ton. A failure of one years corn crop
would be attended with disastrous results.
The supply OF beef, pork, aud poultry in
our markets, to a great extent depends on
l. A
serious loss; be may be Indifferent as to
bis clothing, but nature must be sustain
ed, and the farmer finds nothing better
adapted to his wants than Indian corn,
and it is variou.ly aud largely applied to
culinary and domestic uses. A large a.
mounts appropriated to food, while green,
making a mot convenient and aecepta-
BILE dish to the farmer. The inba 5itant-
of this city hail green corn time with
great satisfaction. and hundreds of tons
are consumed annually, being luxury
that could hardly be dispensed with
There is no cereal that can be presented
to the table in SO many different forms;
every day in q month We may have a new
dish u ade from it, vastly superior to all
others in nutritire and bealtbful proper
ties. In the hundred and oDe ways to
serve this cereal for the table, we may
add another which may be considered an
Improvement oD all others; puddiugs aod
griddle cakes made frou popped corn,
to my ta-te, are luxuries not to be ob.
tanned from any other grain. Indian
corn, as crop, is profitable, and is con
stantly increasing in favor with farmers.
The value of corn-stalks as feed for
bcrses. cows, and sheep, is by too few ap-
preciated; a farmer can afford to grow
corn for the stalks alone. An acre will
produce one and "a half tons of stalks.
which are worth, for feeding. eight dollars
per ton, when hay is worth twelve dol
lars. The value of stalk, is much 10.
creased by running them through cut
ter. fed my COWS for several winters
in the following manner; one bushel OF
cut stalks night and morning with a peck
of turnips, either common OF ruta bagas,
and as much rye straw in the day as tbey
will eat This keeps the" IN a thriving
and healthy condition. BY this mode of
feeding save my hay, which may near
ly all be sent to market
THE CULTIVATION OF CORN-We
earnestly entreat our farmers to turn their
attention to the subject Of sub soil plow
ing and undertaking. particularly iu all
heavy soils. as, herein. we feel confident,
rests the secret of success. By this mode
OF culture the ground is penetrated by
the rays Of the SUP. thereby warming it,
and the rains are allowed to settle. to be
appropriated to the growing crop when q
drought prevails.
Farmers who own the land can grow
an acre of corn and prepare it for the
market at cost of SIS so per acre. A
good rich cod, with the above expense in
labor applied, will produce fifty bushels
of sbelled curn to the acre, at cost Of
twenty Eve cents per bushel. This a.
mount may be increased, by judlclous
application of manure, to $50 bushels to
the acre.
Corn is now grown from Canada to the
most southern parts of Southern America.
rrr 4 4 Il