The Portland daily press., 1869-01-16
'e''nss $500 per aanuns, In adrance.

assumed by the females and seems IN hor.
been "woman's rights" True, the souavs do
all the work except hunting and f,hting
and this golden grain has always been hich'y
esteemed and sometimes worshipped by tie
Indians.
History informs US that the first corn cfc u
raised in this country by European coIopists
was planted on the banks OF the James river.
in Virginia, in 1908, two hundred and sixtv
years ago. In 1921 the first field of corn was
planted in New England by civilized man
and he was taught by the IDdians how 10 do
it. We are indebted to these sons of the for
est for so much at least.
lhis plant fourishes in North America,
throughout range from North to South of
iorty degrees, and of twenty-three degrees in
tne United States aone. Mr.. Walker says
the northern limit of its growth is an isother-
NAL line OF sixty-five degrees above zero for
two and halt months in each ear:
"ln following such line westward across
the continent, we start on the forty sixtb
parallel OF latitude in New Brunswick. and
thence passing on, we descend to tie foity
nth in Maine, and to the forty -'ourth In New
Hampshire. but suddenly rise to the toIty-
seventh near Quebec. Descending again in
New York and Canada West to the iorty-s
sixth, and still farther on, as we encounter
the cooling influences oil the lakes, to the
torty-hfth we continue on that parallel al
most to Minnesota. On reaching the vicinity
oil Lake Winnipeg we ascend to the ftteth
parallel. and as we pass still further west, in
some instances to the tfty-frst the most
northern limit Of its successful cultivation on
TINS continent. The line terminates abruptly
at the one hundred and twentieth parallel Of
longitude, west OF which it canuot be raised
The grain is very flexible In its uature, and
readily accommodates itself to surrounding
circumstances. Mr.. Walker thinks no cour-
tier or politician is more so. but while it
equals them in general flexiblity, it possesses
some fixed principles which are immutable
under any and all circumstances. Each con-
siderable locality soon modifes any new va
riety introduced to it and imparts to 1t a
character adapted to its soil and climate. BY
a change of soil and higher cultivation
small ears may be increased in size, and by
poor soil and bad cultivation large ears may
be diminished. We dare say our farmers
have learned these facts from experience
The truth is, poor breed of cattle may be
much improved by good care and attention
from infancy up to full growth, and on the
same principle vegetables may be improved.
1t is said in Spain aloue there have been
found not less than one hundred and twenty
varieties, and very likely there are as many IN
the United States. No doubt there are some
twenty varieties in Maine. Corn is an inn
portant crop for our farmers, for 1t can be
put to great many valuable uses. We can
well remember that many years ago the hay
crop was very slim. The winter was severe,
but good crop OF corn had been raised, and
many farmers were compelled to keep their
cattle on browse and corn. In our boyhood
that year we gave many bushels OF golden
ears to the cattle, and it seems now on ie-
Election that the crops of corn were much
more abundant many years ago according TO
the breadth oil land planted than they are
now or have been tor several years past.
For fattening purposes corn Is doubtless
the most valuable OF all OF cereals The lol-
lowing analysis taken from the report of the
Department of Agriculture shows its value:
ANALYSIS OF I,DIAN CORN.