NOTES ON INDIAN CORN. 217 



cooking it in the numerous forms of which it is susceptible. No wonder 

 that European nations, to whom the grain and meal are novelties, should 

 be more ignorant of their value, and should, therefore, refuse to consume 

 them. But since 1855 the Prussian Government has left no means 

 untried to ascertain the best mode of preparing corn bread. As corn 

 meal, even when the dough is nicely risen, always falls when placed in 

 the oven, producing an unsatisfactory bread, a multitude of experiments 

 were tried with mixtures of potato flour, wheat, rye, and other substances. 

 Eye flour was found to be the best. But most of these experiments were 

 unfortunately made with meal which had soured before reaching Berlin. 

 Finding it to be coarsely ground, the operators caused it to be ground 

 very fine, not knowing-:that no kind of grain is spoiled by fine grinding 

 except Indian corn. In spite of these discouragements, Germany is 

 annually consuming larger quantities, as her people beeome better 

 acquainted with the article. In England and Ireland it has become 

 permanently domesticated. Its introduction has been slow, but nothing 

 seems more certain than that a few years hence will witness an enormous 

 European demand, not the result of famine, but of popular appreciation 

 of this cheap and wholesome staple. 



Common preference, as well as chemical analysis, proves that the 

 round northern yellow variety contains the most nutriment, and is in all 

 respects best adapted for the consumption of people living in high lati- 

 tudes. The white variety, by its resemblance to wheaten flour when 

 manufactured, meets with a ready sale where the difference is not known 

 or where the appearance is alone consulted. 



There are a great number of varieties of corn in cultivation, and 

 these varieties have become considerably intermingled. The principal 

 varieties, which may be distinguished by the number of rows or grains, 

 on the cob, and the colour, shape, or size of the kernels, may be classi- 

 fied and described as follows : 



1. Yellow corn. Golden Sioux, or Northern Flint corn, having a 

 large cob with twelve rows of moderate-sized grains ; very oily. This 

 is regarded as one of the best varieties for fattening animals, or for 

 human food. By skilful tillage, 130 bushels have been raised to the 

 acre, weighing 9,216 lbs. in the ear ; when dry, 75 lbs. of ear gave a 

 bushel when shelled. 



2. King Philip, or the eight-rowed yellow corn. Its ears, which con- 

 tain only eight rows, are longer than those of the Golden Sioux, and 

 it will yield about the same quantity of oil. It is a hardy plant which 

 belongs to a high latitude ; grows to about nine feet in height ; stalks 

 small ; ears from 10 to 14 inches in length. 



3. Canada corn, or eighteen-rowed yellow corn, which is smaller, earlier, 

 and more solid than any of the preceding, contains more oil than any 

 other variety except the rice corn and the poss corn. It is exceedingly 

 valuable for fattening poultry, swine, &c, and is grown by many in 

 gardens for early boiling. 



VOL III. T 



