394 



Maize Products. 



derived exclusively Irom the grains of Indian corn, though 

 a small quantity is made in a few localities from the potato, 

 and, in Florida and some parts of the south, fromi the cassava. 

 Maize is also largely employed in the American glucose 

 factories. It is estimated that about 40,000,000 bushels of 

 the cereal in question are consumed annually in the produc- 

 tion of starch sugars, an industry which has assumed large 

 dimensions in the United States. These products of the 

 hydrolysis of starch are known as glucose and grape sugar. 

 The glucoses represent those in which the hydrolysis is less 

 com.plete, and consist largely of dextrine, dextrose, a little 

 maltose, and water. These are made into syrups which arc 

 used largely for table syrups, for adulterating molasses 

 and honey, and for confectioners' purposes. Grape sugar 

 is a term applied to the solid product obtained by the hydro- 

 lysis of starch when the process is carried to a greater 

 extent, the resulting product consisting chiefly of dextrose. 



Maize whisky is another product of this useful cereal. It is 

 believed that more whisky is made from maize in the 

 United States than from all other grains combined. 

 It is generally designated by the term "Bourbon," to dis- 

 tinguish it from rye whisky. The process of manufacture is 

 analogous to that used in making- the spirit from other cereal 

 grains ; the conversion of the starch into fermentable sugars 

 being accomplished by diastatic action, and the resulting 

 mash fermented and subjected to distillation. Maize is also 

 practically the source of all the commercial alcohols, Cologne 

 spirits, and other alcoholic producLs made in the United 

 States, the distillation of these products consuming annually 

 about 1 5,000,000 bushels. 



Among other minor uses to which the maize plant is 

 devoted it may be observed that the pith of the stalks is 

 employed in the construction of battleships. Compressed 

 blocks of maize pith are placed between two armour plates, 

 and by their resiliency they completely close up any hole 

 made by a projectile, thus preventing the entrance of water 

 for a considerable time. The maize germ, too, yields a 

 valuable oil, which has been used to some extent as salad oil, 

 for lubricating purposes, and for lamps. Finalh^ the glutinous 



