Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-02-03
HISTORY OF MAIZE.


useful crops produced from the soil l,s
uscs arc ~ various. and iis cultivation -
general. that q i hard % conceive Of q
more Disastrous failure than would be
the failure q this crop. even Coz one year
II i one Of the mos, productive Of the
cereals O. grain orops. and differs from
mosi q them In the manner oi pfoduc.
~ iis seed
The Common maine OF Indian corn l.
generally supposed 10 have originated in
the warmer parts q North America, and
was cultivated By the aAorgines before
,he discovery q America by Columbus.
Blt. i aid. that there have been found
In ancient Chinese books. nos IN the
Royal LtrAfy a. Pafis, representations
of ihs plant also an alleged discovery q
zone u the grains q it, IN cellars of the
snc.snt hiu.es q Athens These facts
have lcl s1me 10 suppose that q = also
u Elsiefn origin ard evera that i i
the Il" cora spoken u 10 scripture. bu,
al che. ieas arc very vague. And are
PROBABLY without foundation a. Il seems
VET, strange that the cultivation q 30
valaable a plant should Anguish ca -
many yesrs. aud iis eNisisnoc nearly BE-
frso,ten. and then. al a. ouce. sprlng
into q wualerisl eNtent of cultivation.
asd tra,erse neariy of quite al pAris u
ibe earth where plants are grown.
There cln hc no loati u iis American
ousia Like the potato, iis home = Ia
m.lier part, q ,he Americaa Coniinent.
And both plahts have proved q ~ondef.
hl beasfi % ihe people al over the
World Ihis reminds us that The r.
sources q cor soil, iis mAgnihoent f.cul'
y Ca pfolucing al crops and The elm
a,ic coni,t.ons q oar cogaiy, which
make al plsnis a. home With US, even
from The most laHur.ant gro~ih q The
lrupics o. the moss-grown hchcns oi The
Polar Circic .-,s noi understood BY any
~ us. u j. truly "A lAnd of plenty"
Maize a. fr,t carried % spain BY
Columbus himself. about the year 1899.
Ari j. now very gcncfAly cultivated al
over Elfope. ani In mAny parts ~ Asa
aal Afrca Forming q lafgc proportion
of the fod ~ ,hc Inhabitants q All these
countries. In zone very favorable looAl-
.,e. ,is y.s,d j. very iArse. sometimes
vs.l.ns Al lncfrasc u sighi hundred ior
one. ~ti.e rc,lfn of three hundred and
fgy 10 four hgnifei Or one i common
~hcrr irrsatien - prae;iced. snd. even
wihoai tti,. itc rrtafn = large Maire
Yields wcl In trCP.cal ard slb-ifoP cal
climates and. being q short.hyed Anna-
a.. it is cultivated in countries ~hcrc the
heat of SKINNER wil uPcn q, no matter
tow severn thc cold of winter may BE-
We believe .t gtows In countries 80 faf
norih that tte gfolnd j. frCren % such =
depth that it .i j. noi thAwed through IN
tte short Summers Bat sa'hcleni heat
]. effected by thc severe beat u the short
slmmer % make the cultivation q some
of the smallest yafictics q mAiEe posi-
BE. The most northern sPoi on the
slotle ,~hsre rye and oats npen. . a.
Kafgis. 10 ,Ae ssed.sh province q Nom.
toiiea. fofty-nine miles 10 The north of
The Arctic Circle. And the most north
ern place where corn rPens = ~ Msoa-
.ovasa. n.nety-eghi niles north q ihe
Arctic C.fce. Thus l. will b seen that
corn upens Just toriy-niae miles further
norih than either rye % cats. A fact
which j. due % iis mAny varieties.
Bat a. general farm crop iis cgliivA-
ton /. quite uncertain in some u the
mo., northern counties u Maine. Some
q the varieties q maize rcqaire Pefiod
of fve moaihs from time Of planting 10
mature. wAi.e Others. which of course afr
chosen ior the colder countries, vii rPen
IN "a weeks. % even less. bat q eourse.
these early varieties are tAf less prodae-
i've. Il i very interesting 10 notice the
psculiafities u these ditcreni varieties.
Ihe growth % stalks vary from three 70
Ten "a eycn fourteen icc; In height. with
yellow, white. brownish-rvd, o. purple
grains. ~hich vary very much in siEs.
la The large varieties the ears are often
Above q 90; IN leng,h and larger than
man's wrisi Ia The smallest. four or i've
aches IN length. We false = Kind Of
,.ap cora called the Ton Thumb corn
~h.ch natures perfect ears only two
inches in lsngih and one 100, from The
grognd.
Of the many uses % which maize i
pat. we believe that its use With rye Tor
brlwn-bfsad j. the most general through
ost New England. Il i not adapted TO
brad mAk.ng alone. on account Of its
lack u gluten bat Il : very rieh IN fats
or oily matter. and very nutrieioas. Very
coar.ely ground l. forms VIA, i known
a. homiag, and l. much used in tins
manner throughoa; the South. The en-
tirr grains arc also used under The name
q kausf corn o. samp. In some e'un-
,r.e. the unripe cobs are piskled; they
are 40 oien used f0r food, and are pre-
pared by boiling. A kind Of beer. called
ciica, = made from maize, also . sPifii-
uous liquor and vinegar. The starch
i = good substitute Cor arrow root. and
i nov much used all through the ooan-
try. The pi,h q the stalk. before the
flowers are produced. abounds in sweet
Juice. which. being extracted by pressure.
/. boiled inio an excellent syrup, and :
sometimes converted into sugar.
In countries where maine does not rip
vel il i sometimes sown 70 AFFORD :ood
for poultry. and green feed fCr cattle.
Where il : grown Cor the seed the tops
are used Coz fodder. and form an exeellen,
substitute for hay. being much relished
by stock. II not fed more than once each
d.y. We have found them very good
fof sheep. and feed q bundle TO our flock
every day. which Is eaten As clean as the
bes, Of bay. In portions Of the West
corn. both the stalk and grains. Is much
used for fuel. and makes a very no, hre.
In many places il Is nOw cheaper for thu.
u.e than coal. The leaves are also used
FOR tha,ch and for making baskets. And
are a profitable article q trade in PArl'
snd Sirssburg As s,uthns fOr chairs sad
dles. etc. Good paper has also been
manufactured nom them.
Maize differs from mos, q the grasses