EXERCISES 91 



SWEET CORN" 



Sweet corn is grown in the vicinity of large cities as a truck crop, 

 to be sold green on the ear. It is also grown very extensively in 

 some places as a canning crop. New York, Illinois, Maryland, 

 Pennsylvania, and Ohio are the principal States in acreage of sweet 

 corn. 



Varieties. For canning and general crop, large late varieties 

 are generally used, requiring 100 to 110 days to produce roasting 

 ears. However, the market gardener requires early corn for at least 

 a part of the crop, and great effort has been made to develop early 

 varieties. There are many varieties that will produce good ears in 

 60 days from time of planting. 



Harvesting. Green corn is always harvested by snapping the 

 ear, and selling in the husk. It takes care to tell by feeling whether 

 the ear is just right to harvest, without tearing back the husk. Much 

 corn is marketed too green. 



For canning, the corn is hauled to the factory in the husk and 

 sold by the ton. Yield varies from three to five tons per acre, and 

 price from $6 to $9 per ton. Four tons at $8 is considered satis- 

 factory. 



At the factory the corn is both husked and cut from the cob by 

 machinery. 



EXERCISES 



Study of Corn Types. Materials. Ears representing the five prin- 

 cipal types of corn ; also grains of each that have been prepared by soaking 

 for 24 hours. 



Make drawings of grains of each of tha above types, showing the relative 

 proportion of (1) hard starch; (2) soft starch; and (3) germ. 



I. Use the following system in sketching the parts : 



Hard starch=:Parallel lines. 

 Soft starch Blank. 

 Germ Solid penciling. 



First Drawing. A view of the germ side of the kernel, after shaving 

 with a sharp knife, exposing the germ. 



II. Make a thin longitudinal section of a dent corn germ, by splitting 

 the kernel cross-wise of the dent. Examine under a microscope or magnify- 

 ing lens. 



Make a drawing showing the vegetative portion of the germ imbedded 

 in the scutellum, labeling all parts carefully. 



Divisions of the embryo are: 



Scutellum, enclosing vegetative parts. 



Vegetative parts: Plumule, or plant tip; node, point of attachment; 

 radicle, or root tip. 



