Indian Corn, or Maize 



101 



corn varies in separate localities and with different varieties 

 from ninety to one hundred and fifty days. Some three hun- 

 dred and twenty-five varieties are known. 



Flint corn. In flint corn (Fig. 31) the hard endosperm ex- 

 tends along the sides and across the crown and 

 surrounds the soft endosperm and the germ. 

 No dent is formed. The grains are oval in 

 shape and hard, smooth, and flinty in appear- 

 ance. In most varieties eight rows of kernels 

 are found, although ears with as many as 

 sixteen rows are sometimes seen. The ears 

 are about the same length as those of dent 

 corn, but are much smaller in circumference. 

 White and yellow are the predominating 

 colors. The plants are somewhat smaller 

 than those of dent corn and usually produce 

 two ears. The growing season is short and 

 for this reason it is the type usually grown 

 in northern regions and in high altitudes of 

 middle and southern sections. Canada, New 

 England, New York, and Pennsylvania are 

 the principal flint corn areas. Some seventy 

 varieties are under cultivation. 



Pop-corn. The endosperm of pop-corn is 

 nearly all of the hard, or horny, kind, al- 

 though in some varieties a thin layer of soft 

 endosperm is found around the germ. The 

 endosperm contains considerable water and 

 when heat is applied this water changes to 

 steam which expands the kernel and causes 

 it to burst into the familiar white, fluffy mass of popped corn. 

 Two classes are grown, rice and pearl. In rice pop-corn 

 (Fig. 32) the crown of the kernel is in a sharp point. In pearl 

 varieties the crown is rounded. The plants of pop-corn are 

 much smaller than those of dent and flint corn and several 



FIG. 



31. Flint 

 corn. 



