CHAP. 

 XVII. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



OTHER USES OF THE MAIZE CROP. 



Take of Indian maiz half a pound. — Bacon, Medical Remedies and Workes, 

 in. 828 (1626). 



756. Importance of Maize Products for Manufacturing Pur- 

 poses. — The importance of maize as raw material for manufacture 

 is but little realized outside of the United States. A single 

 firm of Chicago manufacturers uses every year over 10,000,000 

 (ten million) muids (20,000,000 centals) of low-grade maize 

 (No. 3 and No. 4 grade, mostly the latter) for manufacturing 

 purposes. Much of this grain would be almost valueless upon 

 the market for any other purpose {Bowman and Crossley, 1 ). 

 Starch, glucose, dextrine, corn oil, glycerine, sugar, alcohol, 

 cellulose, rubber filler, paper, mats, hats, charcoal, tobacco- 

 pipes, fire-lighters, gunpowder, and medicines are among the 

 many materials and articles now prepared from maize. 



The grain furnishes the larger part of the raw material 

 utilized in these manufactures; but the stem, pith, leaf, husk, 

 cob, chaff, and silks are also used. 



Much attention has of late been given in South Africa to 

 the question of establishing more local industries, and to the 

 cultivation of special crops to maintain factories for the local 

 production of the goods used in South Africa. But in such 

 discussions and inquiries attention seems to have been directed 

 largely to the introduction of new crops such as sugar-beets, 

 ramie, rubber, soy-beans, linseed, etc., the profitable cultivation 

 of which on a large scale is problematical, or at least not yet 

 established ; the further utilization of crops such as maize, 

 already well-established in the country, is a sounder and more 

 economical policy. 



In every young country there are peculiar difficulties to be 



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