The southern argus. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kan.) 1891-1???, 1891-07-23

| 1no FIRST knowledge Obtained by the
Whites About Corn and Maple Sugar.
1t is well known that the white PEG
| pie obtained of the Indians the maize
which is one of the greatest staple agri-
cultural productions of the United
States to-day, and which still goes BY
the name of Indian corn. In England.
and in the Bible, ''corn" ordinarily
means wheat, because it is generally
applied to the grain froEa which the
bread of the common people is made.
In Scotland, for this reason. corn"
means oats; and in the United States 1t
means maize. 1t is not generally know
however. that the whites found the In
dams cultivating corn carefully, and
storing it up in bags and granaries; nor
that the whites learned the art of max
ing maple sugar from the Indians be-
fore they knew much about any other
kind of sugar.
Gov. Bradford's account of the settle
ment Of the Plymouth colony is con-
elusive as to the use the Indians made
of their corn. On the occasion of the
Pilgrims very first landing on Cape
Cod, on the 18th of November, 1920, they
found some deserted huts. and in them
''faire Indean baskets filed with corne,
and some in cares, faire and good, of
diverse colours, which seemed to them
a very goodly sight (haveing never seen
any schuch before)."
The beauty of Indian corn, either
when growing or harvested, is certainly
a pleasant revelation to those who have
never seen it before.
Returning to their ship, the Pilgrims
''tooke with them parte of We corne,
and buried up We rest, and so. like We men
from Escholl, carried with them of We
fruits of We land, and showed their
brethren; of which & their retnrne,
they were marvelusly glad, and their
harts Encouraged"
Going once more TO the same spot,
they found two deserted Indian houses,
und 'also Their was found more of their |
corne. & of their beanes of various col |
Iours.'
This is the first mention of New |
England beans The Pilgrims helped |
themselves from these Indian granar-
les. intending to pay the natives after
wards.
AS to the making of maple sugar, the
French settlers in Canada were learn
ng the art about the same time that
he Pilgrims were establishing them
selves at Plymouth. Lescarbot, who
wrote in 1906, has an account of the In
Hans tapping the maple-trees for their
'weet-sap. Many other French writer's,
chiefly missionaries describe the Indi-
ms method of gathering the sap in
-essels made of birch bark; but their
hief use of it seems to have been as a
rink.
Father Christian LIE Clercq, however,
missionary who went to Canada in
675. has left, in French, in his work
ntitled ''Nouvelle Relation de la Gas
este, an account of Indian maple syr-
p-making and sugar-making which in
lcates that they had long possessed
ne art He wrote:
"As to the liquor of the maple, which
the sap of the tree itself, it is equally
delicious to the French as to the saw
ges, who in spring time give them
Lives to 1T with glad hearts, 1t is true,
borrower, that it is very pleasant and
Oundant in Gaspasia; for from a very
tile opening in the maple tree. mad.
Y Ratchet, enough can be distilled to {
AXE ten or a dozen vessels of it s
What appears to me very remarka-
q in the juice of the maple, is that If,
boiling, the quantity be reduced to
le-thlrd, it becomes veritable syrup, =
men hardens little by little into sugar,
king on n reddish color
''Of this sugar are made little cakes
loaves (petits palms, which are sent
France, and which in use often serve
ell in default of French sugar.
Il have myself, the good father adds.
'tten mixed this sugar with brandy,
oves and cinnamon, which made n
Chilly agreeable liquor"
To this day maple sugar is brought
to Quebec in petits pains, and in
lall cornucopias OF birch bark. - 4
'uth's Companion.