216 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



Cultivation. If deep working of the soil is the foundation 

 of a corn crop as stated, frequent summer cultivation is the build- 

 ing itself. If the ground is well laid off, the cultivator can be used 

 to advantage, even before the corn shows up to destroy weeds and 

 loosen the surface. Afterwards the cultivator should be run at 

 very short intervals, for the hot dry season is always right at the 

 heels of the corn planter and should never be allowed to catch up 

 with it. Some of the finest corn we ever saw was grown in Orange 

 county in this way: The land was plowed four times, irrigated 

 twice, hoed twice, and cultivated and worked in a most thorough 

 manner. In the whole process of raising the corn the grower went 

 over the land no less than sixteen times. It is hardly to be expected 

 that such diligence will be general, but it has to be recognized as the 

 price of the best results. 



Varieties. Every one wants early corn, and the early varieties 

 are about the only kinds that can be grown on some uplands with- 

 out irrigation. They are small in growth, rapid in ear and best 

 wherever the season is shortened either by lack of moisture or heat. 

 Some later varieties are sweeter, however, and larger in the ear, and 

 should be grown wherever possible. 



Early Cory: very early, good-sized ear, small cob well filled. 



Golden Bantam: very early, ears medium size; kernels yellow, rich and 

 delicious a surprise to those unaccustomed to such quality in a yellow corn. 



Crosby's Early Sugar: very early, short ear, sweet and productive. 



Early Minnesota: very early, good ear, white cob, excellent quality. 



Early Mammoth : medium early, largest ears of the early varieties, cob 

 white, large and well filled, productive and of good flavor. 



Perry's Hybrid: Another early variety, ears large and full, grain white, 

 cob red, plant rather tall. 



Black Mexican: ears rather short, cook white, very sweet, ripe kernel 

 v black. 



Country Gentleman: large ears, very sweet, tall, very productive. 



Golden Cream : a yellow country gentleman of high quality. 



Stowell's Evergreen: a standard late variety, commended by all, large 

 ears, deep grain, tender and sweet, a strong grower and productive. 



Forage Corn. Sweet corn is constantly increasing in popu- 

 larity over common field corn both for green and cured forage for 

 cows. Late Mammoth and Stowell's Evergreen are largely used 

 for this purpose. In farm garden practice more attention should 

 usually be paid to the forage value of the stalk. If cut and cured 

 as each stalk is robbed of its ears, it is more nutritious than if al- 

 lowed to bleach in the sun until the whole field is cleaned up. 



