343 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[November, 
other dishes, is about the extent of the con¬ 
sumption of corn in the great majority of the 
families in the Northern States. Some families 
use much more, but these are exceptions to the 
general rule. And yet, a bushel of ground corn 
affords quite as much healthful nourishment , as 
a bushel of wheat. A bushel of corn weighs 56 
lbs., and a bushel of wheat 60 lbs.; but there is 
more waste in grinding the wheat, in the form 
of bran and ship stuff. Corn differs from wheat 
mainly, in having i little less gluten, and rather 
more oil and starch. For the colder half of the 
year the oil and starch of the corn are better 
adapted to the wants of the body, than the large 
amount of gluten in wheat. Corn contains 
all the elements needed in the body, and in just 
about the proportion they are required in Win¬ 
ter, while they are nearly suited for food in warm 
weather. A bushel of corn contains four times 
as much nutriment as a bushel of potatoes. 
We have just examined the market prices of 
Wheat, Corn, and Potatoes, in different parts of 
the country. The examination shows, first, that 
taking the country together, the price of a bushel 
of com and a bushel of potatoes is about the 
same, (they vary considerably in some locali¬ 
ties, but not generally); and second , that a bushel 
of wheat sells for 2i times as much as bushel of 
corn. We therefore find that, on the average, an 
amount of nourishment costing $1 in the 
form of com, costs $2i in the form of wheat, 
and $4 in the form of potatoes^ (Four-fifths 
of the weight of potatoes are water.) So, then, 
of three families requiring the same amount 
of nourishing food, what would cost one $40 a 
year in the form of corn, would cost the second 
$100 in the form of wheat, and the third $160 in 
the form of potatoes. 
Why, then, do not people consume more corn ? 
Answer. —Fashion or custom lias much influence, 
and ignorauoe of the value of corn, or of good 
modes of cooking it, does the rest. To do away 
with the last named difficulty, we propose to give 
here a considerable variety of methods for prepar¬ 
ing corn, and corn meal, so as to make them pal¬ 
atable. Of the healthfulness there is no doubt, 
and from the methods given below, every house¬ 
wife can find one or more that will suit the 
wants and taste of those for whom she provides. 
The following directions have all been fur¬ 
nished expressly for this number of the American 
Agriculturist. Each of the several editors’ fami¬ 
lies have been called upon for contributions, 
and we have each asked our friends for their 
best recipes. Wife’s written cook book has been 
ransacked, and we have consulted the mothers 
and aunts of the neighborhood, noted for their 
good cooking. Here is the result. (Their deri¬ 
vation from so many sources, accounts for sev¬ 
eral having the same heading.) 
1 . Hasty Pudding-, os- “ Musis.” —We 
place this first as the most common and most easily 
made. No one ever “ took sick ” from eating mush 
and milk, or fried mush in any suitable quantity. 
(We knew a student well, who left the active la¬ 
bors of the farm to pursue his studies in an Academy. 
The first term he used a variety of food, and was in 
poor health. The next term of 11 weeks he ate 
only mush and milk, for breakfast, dinner, and sup¬ 
per, and actually grew fat on it, while lie lost all 
headache, and though pursuing five heavy studies, he 
was first in his class, and went through the term 
strong and vigorous, without an hour of lost time, 
though he worked enough in the field and garden, 
at 8 cents an hour, to pay all his expenses). “Mush 
and milk ” is seldom relished, because few people know 
how to make the mush. The whole secret is in cooking 
It thoroughly. Rightly made it is not “ hasty pud¬ 
ding.” A well made “mush” is one that has boiled 
not less than a full hour. Two hours are better. 
The meal needs to be cooked; then it is both good 
and palatable. The rule is : Mix it very thin and 
boil it down, avoiding any burning or scorching, 
and salt it just right to suit the general taste. Pre¬ 
pare a good kettle full for supper, to be eaten with 
milk, sugar, molasses, syrup, or sweetened cream, 
or sweetened milk. If a good supply be left to 
cool, and be cut in slices and fried wellin the morn¬ 
ing, the plate of wheaten bread will be in little de¬ 
mand. It must be fried well, not crisped, or burned, 
or soaked in fat. If thoroughly cooked in the ket¬ 
tle, it will only need to be heated through on the 
griddle. If not cooked well in the kettle, longer 
frying will be necessary. 
2. E>ry Mask asad Mills.—Parch corn 
quite brown, grind it in a clean coffee mill or pound 
it in a mortar, and let it soak in warm milk until 
softened; then if too thick, add more milk and eat 
when cold. Or meal may be browned and «aten in 
the same manner. 
3. Sssmijs.—This is a good method of using 
corn, and a popular one when well tried—made not 
of the white hominy of various grades of coarse¬ 
ness and sold in small bags in various stages of 
freshness ; but yellow corn fresh plucked from the 
fields, or well preserved, and but recently crushed 
(not ground) at the village mill. Boiled well, as 
directed above for pudding, no dish is more popular 
than this with children, and many grown people, 
particularly in Autumn and Winter. It can be used 
with syrup, or good milk, or sugar, or both. Like 
hasty pudding it is good for the second day. The 
various grades of “ homiuy ” are very good articles 
of food but not so cheap nor always so good as samp. 
4. ISoiled laadiam C©ra& (rijae).—Take 
common yellow corn, and boil it in a weak lye, un¬ 
til the hulls are broken and easily slip off. Then 
pour off the lye and rinse the corn thoroughly. 
Boil it until soft, in clear water, adding a little salt. 
Eat with cream and sugar, or butter and syrup, or 
simply with butter as a vegetable. 
3. Am IIxcellcMt Corn. Cake.—Take 1 
pint of corn meal, one quart of sour milk, 4 eggs 
well beaten, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar, and soda 
enough to sweeten the milk. Mix all well together, 
and bake.in pans. To have any corn cake with eggs 
light, the eggs must be well beaten. [For this recipe 
the sum of $3 was originally paid—to a baker we 
suppose.] 
«». Cwr-m HSread (a).—Take 1 quart of sour 
milk, 1 tablespoouful of saleratus, 1 teaspoonful 
of salt, cups of molasses, 3 cups of Indian 
meal, and 3 cups of flour. Mix well, and bake three 
hours in a slow oven ; or, as some prefer, steam it 
three hours and then bake it % of an hour. 
7 . «@ ©Bans my Cake, or Com JSread. — 
The following (not before published,) we formerly 
copied from the MS. of a good housewife in Georgia: 
Beat two eggs very light, mix with them, alternate¬ 
ly, one pint of sour milk or buttermilk, and one 
piut of meal. Add one tablespoonful of melted 
butter. Dissolve one tablespoonful of soda in a 
little of the milk and add to the mixture. Last 
but not least, beat hard together and bake quick. 
8. I B laaM AoEasa my Cake.—Take 1 quart 
Indian meal, 1 quart buttermilk, 1 teaspoonful salt, 
1 teaspoonful of saleratus, 2 tablespoonfuls of but¬ 
ter or other shortening, 1 tablespoonful sugar, 1 or 
2 beaten eggs if you have them. Mix and bake in 
shallow tin pans % Lour. 
S». Florida JToSiujoay Cake.—The follow¬ 
ing simpler recipe we picked up in Florida, and 
know by experience that it makes good bread: 
Take one tumbler of milk, one of Iudial meal; beat 
up one egg; mix the whole together and bake well. 
13. Soar Milk Com Cakc(a). —Take one 
quart of sour milk or buttermilk, a large teaspoon¬ 
ful of pearlash, a teaspoonful of salt. Stir the 
milk and meal together to make a stiff batter, over 
night. In the morning, dissolve the pearlash in 
warm water. Stir up quickly; bake in shallow pans. 
11 . Sour Milk Com Cuke (la).— Take 
one pint of sour milk, and one of cream, two eggs, a 
teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of saleratus, and 
Indian meal enough to make a thin batter. Bake 
one hour in shallow pans, well buttered. 
IS. Ali-g'imia Corai Blodg-ers.—Take 
three pints of unsifted yellow corn meal, one 
tablespoonful of lard; and one pint of milk. Work 
all well together, and bake in cakes the size of the 
hand, and an inch thick. We have eaten this in 
Dixie’s laud, and know it to be palatable—to a 
hungry man highly so. 
13. Coma Hread (c).—3 pints of meal, and 
1 of rye or Graham flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar, 
and 1 teaspoonful of salt. One yeast cake softened 
in warm water. This should be mixed with warm 
water to a dough just compact enough not to run, 
and then be put in a deep pan, and left by the 
fire until it rises about one fourth higher than when 
mixed. Bake in a moderate oven five hours. This 
makes a thick crust upon the top which is to be 
lifted off, and the remainder eaten warm. Slice 
and heat in a steamer for breakfast. The crusts are 
to be softened in warm water, and crumbled fine 
for the wetting of the next loaf, and the cook will 
be surprised to find the second experiment far su¬ 
perior to the first. 
14. IBye aaad Sindian ILoaves.—(First- 
rate—the real Yankee loaf.) Scald 2 quarts Indian 
meal, and when cold add 1 quart unbolted rye 
flour, % pint molasses, 1 tablespoonful salt, and 
water enough to make a stiff sponge or batter. Pour 
into deep iron pots or kettles, and bake in a slow 
oven for 3 or4 hours. If in a brick oven, leave it 
over night. A standard bread in New-England, 
eaten both hot and cold. 
13. Apple Coma SSs-ead.—Mix 1 pint of 
Indian meal with 1 pint of sweet milk, and add 1 
quart of chopped sweet apples, and asmall teaspoon¬ 
ful of salt. Bake in shallow pans in a quick oven. 
To be eaten hot. 
13. IPfimnigakiM Indian E.osif*(la).—Scald 
1 quart of Indian meal, and stir in 1 pint stewed 
pumpkin, mashed fine, or sifted; add 1 teaspoon¬ 
ful salt, % pint molasses, mixing to a stiff batter. 
Bake in deep iron dishes as 14. 
17. “WBailpot” (Indian).—Take 1 quart 
sweet milk, % pint Indian meal, 2 or 3 eggs, )•£ 
teaspoonful salt, and 4 tablespoonfuls sugar. Boil 1 
pint of the milk, stir in the meal while boiling, cook 
5 minutes, and add the remainder of the milk. Beat 
the sugar and eggs together, and when cold, stir the 
whole thoroughly, and bake 1 hour in a deep dish. 
To be eaten either hot or cold. 
18. Molasses or Mock Wliitjaot.—In¬ 
dian meal and milk same as above, adding % pint 
of molasses, and cooking in same manner. A very 
cheap and good pudding, easily made. 
13. Indian l&oiMaplaaag-.—Scald 1 pint In¬ 
dian meal, 1 small tablespoonful shortening, % tea- 
spool'ul salt, teaspoonful soda or saleratus. Boil 
1 hour in a bag. Serve hot, with gravy and meats. 
S3. Corn Mnfilins (a).—Take one pint of 
sifted meal, half a teaspoonful of salt, two table¬ 
spoonfuls of melted lard, a teaspoonful of saleratus 
(dissolved in two large spoonfuls of hot water). 
Wet the above with sour milk, as thick as for mush 
or hasty pudding, and bake in buttered rings on a 
buttered tin. 
$21. C«™ Mnafflins (la).—One quart of Indian 
meal, a heaping spoonful of butter, one quart of 
milk, a salt spoon of salt, two tablespoonfuls 
of yeast, and one of molasses. Let it rise four or 
five hours. Bake in rings. It may also be baked 
in shallow pans. Bake for one hour. 
22. Corn driddle Cake. — Take one 
quart of sour milk, 3 eggs, 1 large teaspoonful of 
saleratus, 1 small teaspoonful of salt, and add suffi¬ 
cient meal, and flour to cause the cakes to turn easily 
on the griddle. Use a third as much flour as meal. 
23. CornCrriddle Cakes witk Yeast, 
Take three cups of Indian meal, sifted, one cup of 
Graham flour, two tablespoonfuls of yeast, snd a 
