512 [Assembly 



out, called " popping it," from the slight explosion which results from 

 the decomposition of the oil of the grain. In order to produce this 

 result in the best manner, have a box of wire gauze of small meshes, 

 holding about two quarts; put in the popcorn and expose it to heat, 

 often turning it about, and very soon every grain will explode and 

 be turned inside out. The gases cannot burn, nor can the corn be 

 hurt by the fire, for it acts on the same principle with Sir Humphrey 

 Davy's Safety lamp. A light house on Lake Erie, has used oil made 

 from corn for burning. Some sixteen gallons of the oil have been 

 obtained from one hundred bushels of corn, and it is believed the oil 

 is of a superior quality. 



Prof. Mapes — Mr. Ellsworth, late of the patent office, exhibited 

 this corn oil; it appeared to be very good. 



Mr. Browne — The various applications of Indian corn are very 

 valuable in rural economy. Those kinds which yield the most starch 

 are best for bread. Those which contain the largest portion of oil 

 are best calculated for feeding poultry. 



I here present Indian corn from Peru, to this club. (It was di,stri- 

 buted among the members.) 



Prof. Mapes — Corn is supposed sometimes not to flourish for w-ant 

 of the presence of phosphates in the soil. Now' to supply such defi- 

 ciency, bone du&t is well adapted, for bone dust contains eighty-five 

 per cent of phosphate of lime, and fifteen per cent of gelatine. The 

 fish called Moss Bunker, used for manure, is valuable principally on 

 account of the super phosphate of lime in its bones. It is this che- 

 mical element to which its fertilizing power is due. 



Mr. Wakeman — I request some one to inform me what is the dif- 

 ficulty in relation to corn meal when ground to fine flour? Why is 

 the flavor changed? 



Mr. Mapes — WTien ground very fine, it suffers a change on expo- 

 sure to the air. It is oxygenated. It is on the same principle that 

 the juice of an apple, after a little exposure to air is oxygenated, and 

 changes its character and taste. If the flour could be bolted in va- 

 cuo, it would not be changed. And the juice of the apple when 

 first expressed, resembles Champagne, but on a little exposure to air 

 becomes cider. Take fresh apple juice and churn it so that the air 

 becomes intimately mixed wnth it, and it becomes cider; so it is with 



