The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-05-12
OUT OF THE GOOD EARTH
J. E. Jones

In the Yesterdays of Discovery we
note that Christopher Columbus
carried the first grains of corn to
Europe on his first return voyage.
Later the Pilgrims came to Cape
Cod on their way to Plymouth, and
in their hungry days at what is now
| Provincetown some of them wand
cred to a place called Corn Hill
and made the spot everlastingly
famous because they found kettle
of Indian corn which they carried
back to the Mayflower. They feast
ed-the recession was over, and
they speedily got around the corner,
and pursued freedom OF religion,
liberty and happiness at Plymouth.
Corn as we know it today aver
ages 1872 bushels to the acre and
the corp raised in the United States
annually yields from 2 million bu-
shells upwards. In size the stalks
grow from 2 feet high in the West
Indies to more than 20 feet tall in
the Corn Belt. The price has been
running under SO cents bushel in
the Chicago grain markets.
Corn is food. 1t still completes sue
cessfully for championship in corn
meal, Johnnycake, spoon bread,
mush and other foods, and in de
luxe products decorates the grocery
shelves in richly-labeled packages
on which are printed the challenge
that it is the best cereal in the
world. Living creatures Including
COWS, crows and hogs feed upon 1t
and a wide variety of the by-pro-
ducts of corn are manufactured into
starch, oil, glucose, corn syrup and
the like.
Those are familiar facts well to
remember about corn. Many famous
statesmen have hailed from the
Corn Belt, and they have always
fought for this great product of
their soil.
Then there is popcorn of which
World Fair prophets expect to sell
5 billion boxes, size inches tall,
4 inches wide and 2 inches thick,
at 10 cents box-all in the months
of Tomorrow. 1t will all be glorified
with melted butter from the dairy
belts; and millions will feast upon
it.
To return to the Yesterdays for
the nonce: We find prophecy writ
ten by Jonathan Swift, back in Co.
lonial times. Here it is:
whoever could make two ears OF
corn, or two blades of grass, to grow
upon a spot of ground where only
one grew before, would deserve bet
ter of mankind, and do more essent-
ial service to his country, than the
whole race of politicians put to-
gether."
TRANSPORTATION has blazed the way
for American progress for a century,
and it swung into high gear with
the coming of motor vehicles which
brought all foods to the mai kets at
all times of the year-from some
where and everywhere. But there
is something new and rather thrill
ing in the promise that fresh orchids
will be received every three days
from Venezula, which promises to
show a rare exhibit of beautiful
flowers at the Fair
Grapefruit had not broken into
American society at the turn OF the
present century. Now grapefruit is
an important crop in Florida, Cali
fornia, Texas and many other states.
The English served this fruit only
in swell London eating places at
SO. cents an order before the World
| War-but you can buy three OF
them in Washington stores for 1O
cents this month, all because there
has been an overproduction that has
glutted the markets.
But progress marches on, and
orange and grapefruit trees have
been arranged at the FloridA exhibit
and they will bear two crops OF
fruit and bloom during the Worlds
Fair. We ripen citrus fruits, and
make certain of triumpts and pro-
gress for tomorrow.
Our great poet Longfellow knew
his Yesterdays and had sound per
spectives for our own Todays ane
Tomorrow: Listen to voices in ths
upper air, nor lose thy simple faitf
in mysteries" he wrote.