The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-10-30
BISMARCK CORN
SHOW RECALLS
HISTORIC ANGLE
First Records If Corn Are
from Crops Produced by
Mandan Indians
DISCUSSIONS PLANNED
Scientists May Perfect Corn to
Higher Degree. Farm Elk.
perts Say

When farmers from all parts of
North Dakota and other Northwest
crn states view exhibits at the state
corn show here November to 10,
their thoughts w:il be of anything
but historic facts.
They will be thinking of cold.
hard facts of today, and not in terms
of yesterday and of years long ago.
They are coming to get new views
on the production of what is soon to
be North Dakota's most important
crop. In other words, their thoughts
will be Of cold, hard cash, ways of
increasing their production with a
minimum Of cost and labor, and not
of the stories and legends of old
that have been passed down from
family to family and have place
in all textbooks in the schools Of
today.
But the fact remains that there
is historic background to the show.
Away back, 100 years or more, on
the wild and rolling prairies of
what was to become the state of
North Dakota, there roamed tribe
of Indians named the Mandans. An
industrial tribe they were, more
given to the business of furnishing
q livelihood for their squaws and
papooses than to the business Of
rivalry and warfare with other In
dian tribes.
To that tribe was accredited the
distinction of raising the first corn
known in the Northwest. Since
that time they have been given a
place in the school textbooks for
their achievement. That was before
the white men began flocking to the
fertile valleys and dales of the
prairie, but the name of the Mandan
Indians has been passed down from
generation to generation.
As the farmers, businessmen,
bankers, and statesmen pass down
the long lanes of corn exhibits, with
kernels all of color, firmly placed
in the cob and even rows, little will
they think Of the scrubby varieties
that were produced to keep the In
dams through the long winter
months. The Indian corn, records
Of explorers and first settlers show,
was of many colors. Kernels were
in crooked rows and the cobs were
short and odd shaped.
Today, with the fine exhibits that
are placed on show, the corn would
be viewed as a curiosity. But, at
the same time, it was the starting
Of the pre5ent-day corn. For dec
AIDES farmers and scientists have
been studying the product and steI
by step they have brought, by thou
!. sands of experiments. the corn tt
it's present condition. Indications
are that the scientists may perfect
it to still greater degree.
At present, however, the thought
foremost in the eye of the business.
like farmer of today is to produce
the most corn at the lowest cost pei
acre and to get the largest price
per bushel. At the state corn show
they will meet growers from al
parts Of the Northwest and from
many parts of the United States
Questions will come up for discus.
sion among the groups, and after
arguments pro and con, they will &c
back to their farms the better fol
the trip. That. besides the principa
thought Of getting the best corn ex
hibits under one roof for general in
spection, is one of the principal OBJ
iects of the show.
Indications are the show will b.
one of the best that has ever beer
staged. Queries have been received
from growers in many parts of thu
state regarding the correct way o.
making their exhibits, and from
many other farmers regarding thu
exhibits that will be placed at tn
show. The office force of the sec
rotary of the civic and commerce
which is sponsoring the event, ha
been kept busy working at highes
speed to keep up with the influx o
mail. y. sss,t r.