The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-08-04
FARMER AND PLANTER.
MAIZE. or INDIAN COIN.


Popping Varieties rs an Article of Com
merce.
Corn was found in nearly all parts OF
North and South America by the first
emigrants from Europe, and it was the
principal food plant of the Indians. 1t
is contended by some authorities that
it was known in Asia for centuries be-
fore the discovery of America by Co
lumbus, and that it was introduced into
Spain by the Arabs in the fifteenth
century, while Columbus was preparing
for his first voyage to America. But
all this is involved in much obscurity.
The great Humboldt, whose fidelity to
truth was never questioned, and who
had opportunities, as no other man OF
his age had, to inform himself on the
subject, did not hesitate to say that
corn was first found in America and
from there carried to other parts of the
world.
Prof. Bremen, of Yale college, who
wrote monograph on the cereals OF
Americ. for the tenth census, in the
chapter on corn, says it is of American
origin, and his testimony is strength
ened by the fact that our knowledge of
corn dates from the discovery of Amer
lea by Columbus. If corn was known
in Asia before the fifteenth century, it
must have been far inferior to the
american article, as it cut no figure in
commerce and was not known in Eu-
rope.
Corn has never been found in a very
wild state, and must have been culti-
waited by the Indians for many centu-
ries, and we have good reasons to be-
lieve it was greatly improved by them.
All the principle types of corn were
known to the Indians, such as
dent, flint, yellow, red, blue, white,
early and late varieties. 1t seems
that the Indians were not as poor farm
ers as history gives them credit for.
They were careful with their seed
corn, and, indeed, they cultivated the
most valuable plants now known to
the world. In addition to corn, pota-
toes and tobacco. they cultivated
beans, peas and pumpkins, besides
many other useful plants.
Corn in the hands of the white man
has been wonderfully improved. We
now have over 200 distinct kinds, and
the yield has increased from SCOT 1 800
folds, and improvements to-day under
scientific selection and cultivation are
more rapid than ever. Where improve
ment is going to stop can not now bt
conjectured, but that the yield will be
greatly improved / see no reason tc
doubt. The quality of corn ha:
changed but slightly since the settle
ment of America by Europeans i
seems no great efforts have been made
to bring about change in this direc
ton. and it is the most difficult par
in any of tie cereals to improve. Thu
quality of our fruits is now managea
bic, and improvements are CONSTANT.
being made.
In the cdfns known as popcorn, SOM
improvement in quality is noticeable
ppd we see no reason why great i'm
provemen4 in the quality of popcorn
should notsoon be made. In the earl.
accounts d corn popcorn is not men
toned, but that the susceptibility o
some corn to burst when exposed to
great heatwa known to the Indians
quite prob able. AS the Indians wer
in the habtt of roasting their corn the
could not help observing that som
kinds were more apt to burst than otl
ers, and doubtless they observed tina
some popped grains were more swee
and tender than others, and it may b
that they practiced some sort of sele'
ton to improved such qualities in corr
or at least to preserve them.
In the hands of the white man by II
careful selection of seed the liability {
certain kinds of corn to pop, whe
exposed to great heat for some littl
time rapidly developed. We hay
varieties of popcorn in which, whe
well dried, there is no loss from grain
not bursting when exposed to hea
and we have kinds that when poppe
are as tender and as sweet as it we
can be.
There is no doubt but popcorn w;
first cultivated by European settlers
America in small way as curiosit
or to amuse the children, but for mar
years it has cut quite figure in cor
merce of the northern states. Chicaf
is the headquarters for popcorn in Il
United States, and it is much more e
tensively used in the north than in Il
south. There is a demand in all o.
towns and cities for popcorn in Il
ear. A well-patronized grocery can u
from two to five hundred pounds,
from two to five barrels flour barre
of popcorn in one season, and CT
like Louisville consumes annual
seven or eight hundred barrels of pc
corn.
Anyone raising popcorn for mark
should be careful and plant the best,
the better the corn the more readily
sells. Popcorn before it is delivered
the grocery should be well dried, a
this can not be done in the ordina
way under nine months. 1t is not us
in the factories much under year aft
it has been gathered, in order to ave
any loss from grains not popping. T
crib in which popcorn is put to d