, 1874-02-22

4 CHAPTER ON CORN.
The repugnance Of John Bull to Indian corn
as an article OF human food has always been
amazing to Brother Jonathan; and it would
seem that the old gentleman is at Last beginning
to inquire w1other his prejudice il well-founded-
Mr.. Blight, in q recent correspondence, Las
raised this query, aud has gone so far as to sug-
gest that tho uso OF maize for human consunp-
ton in the British Islands should be eucour
aged.
From 1925 to 1880 the value Of corn and corn
meal exported from this country waa only
4,424, 600; for the ten years ending in 1840 1t
was S. $50, ,oco; for the ten years ending in 1850
it was SIS 900 600; for the next ton years it was
SAG, 900, 900. In 1867 it reached 91G, 000o0 and
in 1873 about 81, 100000. From 1926 to 1868
the value Of the corn and corn meal exported
WIS $189, 100000; and that Of the wheat and
-four exported in the aame time, 1866 5,ooo, 300.
The value Of corn rs an article OF food is not
fully appreciated, even in this country. In the
Southern aud Southwestern States it has always
been in general use. The settlers in the West
brought With them the tastes OF their old neigh
borhoode, and the uBo OF corn bread is q pretty
good indication whether tho family migrated
from south or north OF Mason Il Di1on's line.
Corn bread is considerably used by the people OF
tho Now England States, but it has never attain
ed among them anything like the general use
which it has had in the South. There is, more
over, vide difference in tho mode Of making
corn bread in the two sections. The saleratus,
baking powders, and various compressed prepa~
rations for Tightening" bread used at the
corn "pono" Of the South, rich with milk and
eggs, is form of bread Little known at the North,
aud here only to those who have learned
it's mystery at the South. At the North the use
Of sirups and sugar In corn bread is general,
while at the South it is scarcely known, the corn-
meal, with the simple addition Of water, salt,
and eggs producing a bread that is delicious to
those who have been accustomed to it from in
fancy. In Europe the prejudice against corn as
an article OF human food ia stubborn. In 1886,
during the eeason Of famine in neland, it WAS
with difficulty that the starving poor could be in
duccd to use it. They we're ignorant OF the
mode OF preparing it, and even to this day its
use in Ireland is mainly confined to 'tnush.!
William Cobbett, who had visited the United
States, and had witnessed the uso Of corn as
food III al its variety Of preparations, wrote Al
essay, in which he said:
Am I to be told that the people Of England, and
especially those who have not enough Of anything ut
ali to ea will not the -four Of corn7 II they
not get 1t they will not; but II they they WILL and
the porr1dge, and the mush, and the cakes and the
puddings will soon baulsh the vuanous potato from
the land Oh only let get the corn, and the result
will bo difficulty In getting the -four. =
In various parts OF italy corn IL cultivated to
some extent, and is freely nsed Is food. and in
several forms. It is also produced in Austria
and Hungary. In Greece the corn meal is mixed
with the -four Of other grains Is is also the case
in Portugal, where the common bread is made Of
d mixture Of corn and re meal. In France
corn is cultivated rs food for poultry. and in
England is largely used az food for pheasanta.
In Germany, and Northern Europe generally. the
prejudice against it has bccn deep-rooted
though Of late years this is gradually giving way.
Much Of this prejudice has been due to the fact
that, when imported in the form Of corn meal it
has spoiled, or, technically speaking, "eourel."
improvements have been made, however, in the
mode Of shipment whereby the meal can be
kept sound and sweet. OF late yeare the people
in some parts Of Germany have learned the art
cans travelling there can now hear ct corn cakes
and CON bread baked after the manner at home.
The analyses Of corn and wheat show 93 per
cent Of nut1itive matter in wheat and II per
cent in corn. Their relative value on this chow
ing is as II is TO e3. Tho 23 per cent OF corn
which Is rejected Is net nutritious has, how
erer, another value; it operates to promote di-
geation. Corn bread ia always easy OF diges-
tion, its Own constituents furnishing the agents
for that end, and enhancing the value OF the
meal as an article OF nutritious and wholesome
food. The relative prices Of corn and wheat do
not, however, maintain the re1atige proportions
OF their nutritious properties. On Friday last
corn sold in Chicago at IS cents and wheat at
$1.1s per bushel Equalizing the prices
BY weights, we have, with sufficient accuracy
1or comparison, com 1t 81 per hundred pounds,
and wheat at 20 per hundred pounds. The one
has commercial value twice AZ great as that OF
the other, while as m article Of food their
relative efficiency is about that Of II OF corn
to II Of wheat Measured by their pro-
portions Of nutrition. when wheat sells at 81 per
hundred pounds corn should sell at 81 for the
same weight. Or, to put the case otherwise. aud
more directly, the purchaser who pays 81 for =
hundred pounds Of corn gets seYenty-sevsn
pounds OF nutritious food, while the game do1lsr
paid for flour will only purchase forty-six and =
h2K pounds.
The European or the home consumers Of wheat,
pay heavily tor their p1edjudice