The state herald., 1917-08-10

has been nothing short of colossal Not only staple
products. but also numerous varieties Of edible
grans, vegetables and fruit, owe their present
useful forms to his skill. 1t is n popular fallacy
thet the Indian merely hunter, that he lived
4 haphazard and hand-to-mouth existence by fish
log and the chase and that his tilling the soil was
only an incident Of his communal life 1t Is a late
day to give the guerdon Of recompense to race
which so many times kept our forefathers from
starvation and furnished the cornstalk bridge on
which civilization came to these shores. and yet
even now credit should be given where II Is due.
Most of the valued articles of diet Of which the
dscoverers and explorers Of the early day found
the Indian In possession was not indigenous at ALL
and many Of them came originally from tropical
countries many thousands Of miles distant The
Indian tribes made frequent war excursions to
the lower latitudes and brought back grains and
vegetables Of all kinds which they used as seed
Maize or Indian corn. in Its present form repre-
sents one Of the great achievements Of primitive
planters. It came originally. It is now generally
accepted from southern Mexico and wns eaten by
the Maya tribes. At first It was nothing more than
u coarse grass which were tiny ears resembling
the top Of the wheat stalk Each grain had Its own
envelope OF husk. Occasionally even now grains
Of corn are found which have their individual
husk, thus showing how the maize Of our day
reverts TO type. The plant was essentially tropical
and even now after centuries Of culture In the tenn
perate zone II is sensitive to frost.
The tribes Of North America saw the possibili-
ties Of the grain and hastened Its evolution There
has been crossbreeding since by white farmers, yet
as matter Of fact the culture Of the present
day Is practically us II came from the hand Of the
Indian. He has adapted and modified II TO various
sections Of the country by u process OF careful
selection.
All the kinds Of corn which exist today are de-
scribed In the accounts Of the white settlers.
Black and red corn. the white corn. the yellow
corn are all mentioned, not forgetting the soft.
sweet variety. the so-calied gummy corn Of the
Indians The culture OF corn was more than
fnrmlng-It was II religion. The selection OF the
seed for the next planting was done with such
cnre. the various colorings were 80 studied and
modified thnt there grew up ycrliable maize ira
dtion.
All the methods OF raising corn were taken over
directly by the early settlers, and although there
have come Into being mechanical appliances Tor
plowIng. planting and harvesting. the methods
have really not changed since they were de-
ycloped by the Indian. The ground was looscned
With hoes made either OF wood or OF bone or
untler or flint with wooden handles. The we'll
chosen grains were put In holes made by planting
sticks II the planting season Ind been delayed
by frost the Indians soaked the grim In wntcr 20
that los, time might be made up In ger1nination
Frequently n little helleborc or some other power
ful drug was added to the water. This did not In
lure the grim and either stupchcd or killed amy
snnrcs were laid for the feet Of the birds, md
later fantastic human figures were placed In tho
corn clenrngs the precursors OF the modern scare
crows. The weeds were hoed away from the young
pinnts, and rs the season advanced the young corn
wns hilled. The min work OF cutivnting corn
was done by women among the Eastern tribes,
while In the tribes Of the West md the Southwest
the crop was looked after by the men.
The planting Of the corn was In reality fes-
tiyai. ms was the harvesting. The success which
attended the development OF the scrnsgly little
tropical plnnt to the splendid stink often IL feet
tail md with enrs foot md hnif hong. Ms spcci.
mems Of the rnirng OF the 1roquois nre described
wns due TO the xcni and the scrupuous care OF the
pinnters inspired by romance. Corn In the Indinn
tradition became the food which cnmc direct from
tho breast Of Mother Enr'b. The keeping OF tho
proper seed was n mnitcr Of sentiment nnd Of
inlth Mighty Mcndnmln. committed to the rrnye
was TO rise again. mud It wnr the duty OF the tlllers