296 



INDIAN CORN. 



of climate ; for, anywhere between the 43rd degree of north latitude 

 and a corresponding parallel south, it may be grown in the greatest 

 perfection. Its ease of hybridization has produced innumerable 

 varieties, suited to every kind of soil and every degree of temperature, 

 from the time-enduring hard corn of Canada, to the Sto wells' ever- 

 green for boiling in the unripe state. We have it suited to summers, 

 varying from three to six months; thus we find it in the north 

 requiring but half the time for its growth that is requisite in the 

 south, and still in each locality are kinds appropriate to the different 

 lengths of summers. 



United States. — We may say of the Indian corn crop of America 

 what Mr. Webster said of the turnip crop of England, that " its failure 

 for three successive years would nearly bankrupt the nation." 



Fortunately, however, by the recent improvements in agriculture, 

 they are enabled, in the growth of this crop, almost to defy drought, 

 and to render every variety of soil suitable for the production of 

 maximum quantities. It is the food of both man and animals ; and 

 even its stalks, by proper treatment, have been rendered equal 

 in value to the whole labour and expense of raising the crop. 

 To it America is indebted for her fine beef, her plentiful supply of 

 pork, and also as an article of human food. It is the plant of the 

 country ; and the olive branch might with propriety be taken from 

 the claw of the national emblem, and the Indian corn plant substituted 

 in its place. In proof of the American origin of this plant, it may 

 be stated that it is still found growing in a wild state from the Rocky 

 Mountains to the humid forests of Paraguay, where, instead of having 

 each grain naked, as is always the case after long cultivation, it is 

 completely covered with glumes, or husks. Columbus found the 

 natives of Hispaniola cultivating it in extensive fields, and those 

 of other places visited by him were also in possession of it. The first 

 Englishmen by whom it was cultivated, were they who settled in 

 Virginia in 1760. 



In England all cereals used as food for man are called " corn ; " but 

 those who first landed in America from that country found a new 

 cereal, also used as food by the aborigines. They added it to their 

 catalogue of corn with the prefix of Indian. As it had been for ages 

 the main dependence of the Indians, so it has since become the real 

 staff of life to thirty millions who now occupy their places, while it is 

 gradually making its way to favour among other millions in Europe. 

 The pioneers give no accounts of the Indians having many varieties of 

 corn. They seem to have been content with what they had. The 

 higher civilization of the whites quickly seized on the new cereal, 

 recognized its value as food for man and beast, improved its culture, 

 multiplied its varieties, made its increase a hundredfold, and, by the 

 invention of machines for shelling it rapidly, and grinding it cheaply, 

 raised it to the position of a staple so important, that if the whole wheat 

 crop of America were suddenly annihilated, the maize crop alone would 

 supply the people plenteously with food. It already equals the wheat 

 crop of the whole world. The latter can be profitably cultivated 

 only within certain latitudes, but Indian corn grows luxuriantly in 

 all. The border States of the tropics refuse to yield wheat. Louisi- 



