Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-11-28
INDIAN CORN.

duce 1t In Europe.
Frank G. Carpenters Berlin letter.
Experiments are being made hero
in Berlin which promise to be Of vast
Importance to the future prosperity
Of the United States. Tho Govern.
ment Of Germany is care fully testing
the uses Of our Indian corn and is
considering the adoption of it as .
fool for the Germany army. This
army now consists of 49,, 900 soldiers,
and on q war footing its total runs up
to more than two aud one. half millions.
The famine in Russia has taught
Germany that she cannot rely upon
the gran ries OF the Gear to supply
rye enough to feed her soldiers. and
the danger Of war with Russia has
led her to carefully examine the other
food resources of the world. She
knows that it is out of the question
for her to hope to raise enough food
herself. and il she must be dependent
upon other nations Tor her supply she
would prefer to haye il come from
other parts OF the world than Europe.
At present the staple food Of the
soldiers is rye, but the experiments
which are now going on include
mixtures Of rye aud potatoes, OF rye
and peanuts, and, in fact, all sorts Of
possible combinations. The agri-
cuIturists OF Germany view the situa-
ton with great alarm, and 10th they
and the millers, Who know that ne W
machinery will have to be bought for
the grinding of maize, are opposing
any radical change. The Governme Mt,
} however, are testing the matter
scientifically and practically, aud our
American corn is being submitted to
moro experiments here than any which
it has undergone in the United States
II i. should be adopted as An army
food our exports of American cocu
will rapidly surpass in value those OF
wheat, and the price of Indian corn
: will rise all over the world. An in
: crease OF even 5 cents per bushel O,
our production would add to oul
wealth moro than $l0O.0CO.O00 q
year. and the raising Of Indian cor,
will at once become more profi,abI.
than the raising Of wheat. The Rus
sian famine has shown Europe iha,
q our corr is the best corn in the world
1t has brought tho different countries
TO comparing the different kinds o
maize, and the result is that our cor1
3 has been shown to be far superior I,
! that raised in South Russia, in Spain
. aud in Italy. and if maize Is to be
used as an army food it will be tn,
I. mericaE corn that is chosen.
We have no vast standing army il
, America, and you cannot understand
at a glance what an important thint
the feeding OF such vast body o
men Ms this German army is. Tn,
food has to be Of q certain character
. 1t must be food which will keep fo'
, weeks without spelling, and it mus
, be capable Of being transported lont
distances without injury. Corn
bread will not do this, but when mixet
with rye in certain proportions il
character is changed and it keep.
very well. These proportions ar.
now being determined by the govern
ment chemists aud bakers. and att
told that bread made Of one third o
; corn and two thirds of rye is sue
cess. Slch bread tast. TO differen
from rye bread, and the soldiers of on,
, OF the garrisons here were fed TO
eight days on such bread and they di,
not know it. After they were tolt
what they had been eating they fou",
fault with it, but not before. Tn,
bread is berg tested in The prison
/ aud in every way possible to find jus
how we'll it agrees with the men, how
long it will keep. and the amount 81
its health>producinR power in compar
ison with rye. The grain used il
ground at the government mills. ane
the bread is made under the eyes o
the government officials.
In the meantime all sorts OF fault.
are being found with Indian corn a.
an army food by the rye and potato
raisers of Germany, and one charge
which has been lately preferred. i,
that it gives the soldiers . disease
The enemies of Indian corn charg.
that the Italian soldiers were afflicted
with this disease aud that tho soldier,
of Mexico got a sort Of itch from eat
| ing corn bread. They charged tina,
our soldiers were affsc,ed in the same
way and that such food had caused
the same trouble in the army oil
France. These complaints were