Vegetable substances used for the food of man / [Edwin Lankester. Revised and partly rewritten].

  • Edwin Lankester
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Vegetable substances used for the food of man / [Edwin Lankester. Revised and partly rewritten]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    108/518 page 102
    been found enprag:e(l in its cultivation at the period when the New World was first discovered. This grain is of scarcely less importance than rice for the sustenance of man. It i'orms a princi])al food of the i-apidly increasing inhabitants of the United States of America ; it constitutes almost the entire sujrport of the Mexicans ; and is consumed in Africa to an extent nearly, if not quite, equal to the consumption of idee in the same quarter. The mci’its of Indian corn have been vei'v differently estimated ; and while some persons have invested it with a value equal, if not su|)erior, to that possessed by the rest of the cerealia, other persons have, on tire contrary, placed it at the lowest station among the family, scarcely, indeed, allowing it worthy to take its jrlace in the group. Without meaning in any way to involve the I’cader in this controversy, it is yet necessary to set fairly before him the facts connected with the question, and he may then be enabled to form a correct judgment on the matter. It is seen that domestic animals which ai'e fed with maize very speedily become fat, their flesh being at the same time remai’kabl}' firm. Iloi'scs which consume this corn are enabled to perform their lull imrtion of labour, arc exceedingly hardy, and require but little care; and the common ])eople of countries w here Imlian corn forms the ordinary food, are I'or the most part strong and hardy races. 'J'he produce of maize, on a given extent of cul- tivation, is greater than that of any other grain ; and the jiroportional return for the quantity of seed committed to the ground is equally advantageous. No argument can Ikj founded either way upon the liking or disliking of individuals. Man is in this, as well as in most other respects, very much the creature of habit, and prel'crcnccs, both national and individual, are oiten shown by him, in regard to articles of food, which would be wholly incomprehensible upon any other ground. Wc need not go beyond the bounds of I'hirope for abundant ])roofs of this fact, if indeed such are not otfered by our own personal observation. It falls within the knowledge
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3