A STUDY OF WHEAT. 45 



dishes themselves. It enters into the dietary of many of our 

 public institutions and charities. Although it is used to such 

 an extent among the farming population, it is little used in 

 the cities, except as a relish. As "green corn," the supply 

 furnished to the cities is perfectly enormous. Perhaps there 

 is no article of food which is capable of being served in such 

 a great variety of ways as corn. Hominy, hulled corn, pop- 

 corn, and corn meal; while hasty pudding is far from being the 

 least, and whose praises were sung in verse :* 



"Some tawny Ceres, goddess of her days, 



First learn'd, with stones, to crack the well-dry 'd maize; 



Through the rough sieve to shake the golden show'r, 



In boiling water stir the yellow flour 



The yellow flour, bestrew'd and stirr'd with haste, 



Swells in the flood, and thickens to a paste, 



Then puffs and wallops, rises to the brim, 



Drinks the dry knobs that on the surface swim; 



The knobs at last the busy ladle breaks, 



And the whole mass its true consistence takes. 



Thy name is Hasty Pudding ! thus our sires 



Were wont to greet thee fuming from their fires; 



And while they argued in thy just defense, 



With logic clear they thus explain'd the sense : 



In haste the boiling cauldron o'er the blaze, 



Receives and cooks the ready-powdered maize; 



In haste 'tis served, and then in equal haste, 



With cooling milk, we make the sweet repast, 



No carving to be done, no knife to grate 



The tender ear, and wound the stony plate, 



But the smooth spoon, just fitted to the lip, 



And taught with art the yielding mass to dip, 



By frequent journeys to the bowl well stor'd, 



Performs the hasty honors of the board." 



Corn is used as fuel in many localities, upon prairie farms, 

 where wood and coal are expensive; while corn cobs are a favorite 

 for kindling wood on almost every farm. It is said smokers 

 like a pipe where the bowl is made from a corn cob. Then 

 the stalks and the leaves are of great value as cattle fodder, 

 while corn is often sown for the sake of fodder only. The 

 leaves of this plant have been manufactured into paper. An 



*Written by Joel Barlow, Minister Plenipotentiary to France, in 1793. 



