CORN 



161 



grow a sufficient variety of crops so that he will be em- 

 ployed as much of the year as possible. He must then 

 pick the most profitable crop for each season. In the 

 South there are two crops that can compete with corn; 

 they are cottbn and tobacco. 



153. Types of Corn. There are six 

 types of corn: (1) Pod corn (Zea tuni- 

 cata) ; (2) soft corn (Zea amylacea) ; (3) 

 pop-corn (Zea everta); (4) sweet corn 

 (Zea saccharata) ; (5) flint corn (Zea 

 indurata) ; (6) dent corn (Zea inden- 

 tata). 



-'The pod corn is characterized 

 by having husks around each ker- 

 nel. It is interesting, because 

 it is thought to be the type 

 from which the others were 

 derived. The scales at the base 

 of each kernel of common corn 

 are probably the husks 

 much reduced in sbce. 



Soft corn is not grown 

 in North America except 

 as a curiosity. Its endo- 

 sperm is all soft white 

 starch. 



Pop-corn is character- 

 ized by its small size, its 

 very hard kernel and con- 

 sequent habit of popping. 

 It is the other extreme from 



Fio. 69. Good ears of flint 

 corn. Grown for grain in the 

 northeastern states. 



