Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-11
nor. and men ,mbucd with the spirit OF
Chicago Times-Herald hepuDhcsh'sh
ana patriotism" save the mark


| correspondent OF the Country Gen.
| tleman writes TO that paper protesting
| against what ne calls "the Indian-corn
| nropaganda"--i. e., the effort OF our gov
! eminent to persuade Europeans to use
maize for human food. lie believes II
We succeed the result will be that they
xviu mt some of their own lands into
corn and grow all they need, and then
buv less wheat OF US, That they have
plenty OF such land be firmly insists.
as well he may.
In the delta OF the Nile, Indian corn
is at this time raised very successfully,
indeed. The land is rich and we'll suited
"a this crop; but the demand IL not great
being chiefly for food for cattle. There
can be no doubt that IL 1t would pay to
do so corn could be made In great quanti-
ties I'm the Lower Nile region, In India
there are said to be great areas of land
as well suited as any in America TO the
production of corn. In Europe, there is
already some corn grown. Russia, we
think, leads in this direction. and II has
millions Of acres Of land well adapted
to It. in Italy, one may see in many
places thrifty patches Of Indian corn,
grown II is said, for use in the manu-
facture OF certain grades of macaroni.
There, and in France, and In many
neighboring countries, Indian corn could
certainly be grown, but we doubt II those
farmers could compete In the market
with the owners OF our prairie lands and
river bottoms in raising fine corn al low
prices.
However we think the Country Cen
tleman's correspondent need have no FEAR
that the European masses will soon take
to Indian corn as the substance for their |
family bread. 1t may be used by them
here and there in mixtures for fancy |
breads. but the old, old-fashoned wheat |
and rye loaves and rolls will doubtless |
continue in favor. There, as rule, the |
familys bread is cooked only once
week and cold cornbread is not thing |
to recommend itself to them.
The fact is, that the best cornbread is
the ashcake. and Providence was kind
indeed, in placing this grain within reach
Of the red men among whom it was first
found.
The American Indians were nomadic
ace. who had few cooking utensils, and
[ was fortunate for them that they could
pound the grains of corn with stones and
,asily bake the meal in the ashes of their
.amp-fires. This they did to perfection,
To- al |
O compound and appreciate the ashcake.
Given the vigor of a woodsman and the
.ppetite of a hunter, we know of nothing
hat could be more welcome than an ash
axe. especially when served with fresh
ssh. or venison or bear steaks. There are
many who delight to think of the ash
axes eaten in their youth-baked by
ONE good-natured old black nanny
pom the open hearth, or by themselves
,hile on hunting expeditions, or whilst
Ding valiant army service upon. short
atoms. To such persons the ashcake
, a delicious memory-a dream of robust
outh and careless, happy days, when APP
elite furnished the sauce for the plainest
pod Yet, alas, many of these folk have
ing since abandoned the use of corn
read! Talk about 'the Indian-corn pro-
uganda" in foreign lands; we would
etter be PROSECUTING the present gene
alton of Americans. If we would eat
lore cornbread, probably we would have
SIS dyspepsia, more strength, livelier dis
nsitions, and longer lives. Why is it
} little cornbread is eaten now? Is it
nat sedentary habits have robbed us of
ur appetites? Is It that the meal is
round too fine, or that the modern
)oking-stove is unsuited TO cornbread
,okery, or that the cooks of this day
aven't the skill of their predecessors?
THAT is the matter? Let the propa-
lndists enquire. They would better do
little home missionary work before
,eking new fields in foreign lands.
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