iC6 



THE CEREALS IN AMERICA. 



Size of Grain of Pop Maize. 



The white rice, nearly a mean between the red rice and the 

 Queen's golden, contained about 4,000 grains to the pound. It 

 would thus take about three pounds of this variety to plant an 

 acre. The rice pops are nearly square in cross section^ while the 

 pearl and golden are considerably wider than thick. 



Pop maize has been reported from Ottawa, Canada, in North 

 America to Peru in South America, and the evidence indicates 

 a prehistoric culture.^ At present it is extensively grown for 

 human consumption when popped. The season in the United 

 States is reported for different varieties and climates from 

 seventy to 146 days; usually from ninety to 135 days. The 

 white rice variety is most commonly used by commercial growers. 



241 . Flint Maize is that type in which the split grain shows 

 the embryo and the white endosperm with the glossy endosperm 

 surrounding. The position of the glossy endosperm usually 

 prevents the grain from denting, but when glossy endosperm is 

 thin, the shrinkage of the white endosperm may cause a slight 

 dent. The internal structure serves to distinguish it from the 

 dent type. 



The plant varies in height from four to nine feet; usually 

 from five to eight feet. The tendency to be two-eared is con- 

 siderably stronger than in the dent varieties. As compared with 

 dent varieties, the ears are longer relative to their diameter and 

 are rather more cylindrical, with often a tendency to enlargement 

 at the butt. Ears vary in length from four to twelve, even six- 



1 U. S. Dept. of Agr., O. E. S. Bui. 57, pp. 15-16. 



