CHAPTER II 

 HISTORY OF SWEET CORN 



ACCORDING to all reliable sources, 

 sweet corn is of strictly American 

 origin. The very early history of this 

 garden species is obscure, although some 

 historians claim it was quite well known 

 in early times. The peculiar appear- 

 ance and decidedly rich, sweet, edible 

 quality would naturally cause anyone on 

 first viewing it to recognize and record the 

 same. 



The earliest record of its appearance is 

 said by some to have been obtained from 

 the Six Nations, a body of Indians in 

 America, in the year 1779. It was brought 

 by Lieut. Richard Bagnoll during General 

 Sullivan's expedition against these Indians. 

 At that time, it had the common Indian 

 name, papoon corn. 



Another well-known statement which was 

 sent out in the New England Farmer in 

 1882 claimed that Plymouth, Mass., was 

 the first place in America where recorded 



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