The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-17

INDIAN CORN.



Jared scantily in the new world had
they been forced to depend entirely on
European food supplies or food grains.
The stores brought over by the Pill
grims were poor and inadequate
enough, the beef and pork we're taint-
ed. the fish rotten. the butter and cheese
corrupted. European wheat and seeds
did not at first. mature well. Soon, as
Bradford says in his picturesque Eng
lish. ~the grim ana grizzled face Of
starvation stared" at them. The read
lest supply to replenish the scant lar
der was fish. but the English made
bungling work over fishing. and the
most unfailing and valuable supply
was the native Indian corn. OF Guinny
wheat, or "Turkie wheat" as 1t was
called
In April Of the first year" says Gov.
Bradford. they began to plant their
corne. in which service squanto stood
them in great stead. showing them both
ye manner how to set 1t, and after how
to dress and tend x. From this plant
ing sprang not only the most useful
food, but the first and most pregnant
industry Of the colonists.
The raising Of Indian corn not only
insured domestic comfort and plenty TO
the colonists. but 1t brought a large
profit. Although the Indians raised
large quantities. they we're SO improvi-
dent that they had to buy corn when II
was scarce, and often on credit. Al in
stance is given in New England Plan
tation," where a settler planted 13 gal
Ions Of seed and raised 364 bushels.
This he sold to the Indians for beaver
his profits when the beaver was sold
were e327.
Maize also proved an available cur
reney for carrying on the internal
trade. In October. 1881. the Massachu-
setts court passed an ordinance that
corn be received in payment for debts,
unless money or beaver we're named in
the contract
The consequential magistrates. as
soon as the value Of corn was realized,
at once attempted to control commerce
on It. A license from the governor was
demanded to permit the purchase OF
corn from ships. Export Of corn was
forbidden, and in 1884 10000 bushels
came from Virginia to Boston. This
was not to prevent famine. for the court
named ten citizens who were allowed
to buy an entire ships cargo. store and
sell it at a profit not above per cent
In 1881 it was made legal tender, and
each year its value was established by
law. In 1893 the feeding Of 1t to swine
was forbidden.
The Dutch 0ond Of cereal foods)
took to their liking and their kitchens
with speed the various forms Of corn
food. The English were much slower
in learing to love it, and the French
fercely hated it. as have the Irish in
our own day; a band Of French women
settled fairly raising "petticoat riot
In rebellion against its daily use.
A dispatch Of the governor Of Louis
lana says OF them:
The men Of the colony begin through
habit to use corn as an article OF food;
but the women, who are mostly Paris
ians, have for this food a dogged aver
sion, which has not been subdued.
They inveigh bitterly against his grace,
the bishop OF Quebec, who, they say,
has enticed them away from home un-
der pretext Of sending them to enjoy
the milk and honey of the land of
promise"
This hatred Of corn was shared by
other races. An old writer says: Pc
ter Martyr could magnifle the Span
iards Of whom he reports they led a
miserable life for three days together
with parehed grain Of maize onlie."
which. when compared with the diet
Of New England settlers. seems such
a bagtelle as to be scarce worth the
mention OF Peter Martyr
Early in the day. certainly by 1921,
It was fully recognized in Virginia that
cornbread was far more nourishing
than wheat in the arduous life all were
compelled to lead at that time.
The colonists learned from the In
dians to plant. nourish. harvest. grind
and cook the corn in many palatable
ways. And the foods made from maize
have retained to this day the names
given by the aborigines. such as hom-
my. pone. suppawn, samp and succo-
tash
Samp and samp porridge we're soon
favorite dishes. Samp is Indian corn
pounded 70 a coarsely ground powder
In mortar. Roger Williams wrote Of
Il.
sNawsamp is a kind Of meal pottage
unparched. From this the English call
their samp. which is the Indian corn
beaten and boiled and eaten hot or
cold. with milk ard butter. and is a
diet exceedingly wholesome for Eng
lish bodies"
The Indian method Of preparing
maize for consumption was to steep
1t in hot water for twelve hours. then
to pound the grain in a mortar tan It