The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-14
From the Times-Herald.

1t cannot be done. II the yield is alb
normally heavy. the loss will be great
In proportion. For as corn Is the most
valuable. so it is the most susceptible
to deleterious influences of all the
cereals, and the least valuable when
vitiated through these influences.
Because of the ease and abundance
of its production i'm this country, little
care is taken for the preservation Of
corn: no other cereal Is SO thoroughly
neglected after it has been obtained
from the soil. Thrown carelessly into
rail pens or cribs, either imperfect
covered or not covered at all, II :
comes wet. sour and musiy. anS Is
rarely preserved in a condition to T Ike
sweet. wholesome food for mar or
beast, out of a total of 4,2l9 cars of
corn received i'm Chicago during the
first half of Decembef, 1894. only 2l2
graded up to No. .. Even when corn
comes to the commercial ELEVATOR in
fair condition. 1t seldom remains so;
through the multiplicity and crudity
OF handling, 1t is unavoidably exposed
TO moist air. changing temperature.
and contact with vitiatcd grain, and
becomes bitter in the germ, more or
less mussy. and incapable of producing
pure. sweet meal
In the last nine years. according to
government records, an average of
10 per cent. of the corn crop of the
United Stateswas entirely unmerchant-
able. This estimate is not restricted
TO corn used for human food: SO re-
stricted there must be added fully one
fourth of the corn sold as No. ? and all
below this grade. AS ordinarily kept
In wet, musty elevators. the degenera-
tton goes on steadily from month 70
month. and even No. > corn will not
grow If planted the next spring after
maturing. Corn that will not germ
mate is not in good condition for food.
In fact. until our cereals are kept in
alright receivers or reservoirs, there
can be no perfect preservation.
To Preserve Food Products.
Absolutely air-tisht steel storage. it is
Claimed Is complete solution of the
problem of keeping corn and all other
1ood products for any length of time
without deterioration. Lyman Smith.
OF this city has perfected system
OF alright steel storage ani pneumatic
transfer which he claims not only
cheapens the saving of grain and other
perishable commodities beyond all
other methods in use by which the pro-
duets OF the earth may be kept intact,
put also decidedly cheapens the trans
Ter. The cereals a. the same time are
not only free from decay. but absolutely
saie from injury by fire. weevl and
other contingencies. and expense for in
surance is entirely obviated
The idea of air-tight storage for pre-
serving grain and other food products
seems tS have been obtained from the
ancient Egyptians. Edward w. Serrell
'SRe .well-known civil engineer of New
York. has written Mr.. Smith that some
forty years ago his mother planted
wheat In her garden which was taken
from the stomach cavity of an Egyp-
tlan mummy, brought to New York for
the Stuyvesant Institute Museum. and
this wheat-proba bly, 5000 or 4. 900 wears
old-greW and ripened. and the next
year was planted again and grew and
rlpehed. Then quantity of this wheat
was sent to the west for seed: II was
grown in Oregon. and was known as
tne mummy wheat; it headed heavier
tnan any ever before seen there. and
thouSh 1t was of dark color, made very
good bread
Seeds From Egyptian Mummy.
John u. Judd, printer of Washing
ION city, has informed Mr.. Smith of n
SIMILAR experience with seeds taken
from an Egyptian mummy. He said:
~ is nearly or quite fifty years ago
lnat mummy was unrolled from the
ar tight covering in Exeter Hall E,rr-
land, and within the rolls of the cloth
was round number of small round
seeds, some few of which | obtained.
Tor d time they We're kept as a curiosi-
" only. but a relative begged them in
order to test them. They were placed
IN the hands OF a gardener. whose gar
den n was on the road to or very near
iiI,ahpstead Heath. and whose name.
t'eI knew u, have forgotten. The
seeuS terminated and turned ont to he
I
IuI, pioom, and they matured seed
Mnicn was sold by the gardener neyt
season as a curiosity"
IN the saving OF the cereal grains tho
ancient Egyptians. perhaps 1000 wears
ago. understood the process of sesIins,
securely IN alright vessels or in rock
oanes. ,, win The decline of ancient
u,s'i,~aIlon ,.i, the art was lost, and not
untii the present century. through
scientific exploration of ancient ruins
was IL recovered; and not until the last
rev years was the idea reduced to urac-
lice in the sealing of perishable pro.
ducts in air-tight Jars and metal cans
Dy which both air and light were ex-
GUIDED: so that now we are able to keep
such products in their natural state
from year TO year.
In the case Of cereals no progress has
Deen made in our great elevators so far
as preserving them in good condition is
concerned; in handling vast Quantities
or grain the aim has been simply to
Keep pace with the necessities of trans-
portation by rail and water. No ad-
vance has been made in saving from
deterioration over the farmers old
fashioned cribs and granaries. But
now, with air-tlght storage reduced to
practical system within the reach of
al. great things in the saving of crops
may be expected.
The Cereals Great vaiuo.
When considered from almost every
point OF view, Indian corn at its best is
found to be the most valuable grain in
the world. 1t Is more prolific than any
other. one seed often yielding more than
. thousand at single planting 1t
contains oil, starch and sugar, the fat
tening properties, in greater degree
than any other cereal. With these
principals are combined a sufficiency
OF nitrogen compounds to satisfy the
ordinary needs Of man and beast.
All grains require a period for ma
turing after being harvested. Corn re-
quires three months or more to ripen |
after being husked from the stalk. |
Therefore corn and all other food
cereals should be thrown In air-tight
receptacles as soon as harvested; by |
exclusion Of the air they will keep per-
fectly sweet and sound, and with a |
living germ, for any length Of time, re-
taining their normal moisture. Corn is
In its best condition for food at the |
time OF ripening. If IL has been kept |
from deterioration by natural or arti- |
fcial causes. But whenever from any |
cause, a food grain has become bitter,
sour musty or infested with weevil, 1t |
Is not only unfit for food, but positive
ly dangerous to health.
How the Indians Kept 1t.
The aboriginal American was taught |
to bury Indian corn In the earth below
the depth of the frost. The frozen