Important: Safety Warning
This page directs the use of hazardous substances — such as benzine, gasoline, lye, or strong acids — for household tasks. These materials are highly flammable, corrosive, or poisonous, and the practices described have caused fires, burns, and poisonings.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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To Hull Corn
Put one pint of clear, hard wood ashes in two quarts of cold, soft water; boil fifteen minutes, stand aside until the water is perfectly clear, then drain it off carefully. Dip your finger in the water, rub it against your thumb, and if it feels slippery, add as much cold water as will cover two quarts of white corn. Return the corn and the lye to the porcelain kettle, boil gently until the hulls begin to start; then with a skimmer dip out the corn and throw it into a pan of clear, cold water. When you have it all out rub thoroughly with the hands to remove the hulls and also to cleanse the corn of the lye. It may be necessary to rub it through three or four fresh waters, but this washing must continue until the corn is perfectly free from the taste of lye. Then put it into clear water and boil until tender, about three or four hours. Drain, add a quarter of a pound of butter and a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper. A half pint of cream may also be added, if liked. This corn having been soaked in an alkali to remove the hull, has, of course, lost a quantity of corn oil and therefore makes a good summer food.