SWEET CORN 223 



" A fourth method, requiring fewer special facilities but greater 

 care, is to put the corn into rail or slat cribs built quite open and 

 not over 20 to 30 inches wide at the bottom, but wider at the top. 

 In rilling these cribs, spread the corn to a depth of from 12 to 

 1 8 inches, and then place a series of slats, about 2 feet apart, 

 across the crib and just above though not resting on the corn, 

 the slats being supported by the sides of the crib. Fill in from 

 12 to 1 8 inches of corn above these slats ; then place a second 

 layer of slats in the same way, but so as to break joints with the 

 first layer, and repeat until the crib is full. 



" These slats are to prevent the corn settling together so as to 

 hinder the free access of air. The cobs of sweet corn are not so 

 stiff as those of the field varieties, and if green or partially dried 

 ears are piled without support they will, even in a very narrow 

 crib, settle together so as to prevent thorough drying. 



" Seed sweet corn can be cured so as to obtain a fine crop of 

 high viability by any of the preceding or similar methods, but it is 

 essential that the work be done promptly, so as to take advantage 

 of bright weather and secure the thorough drying out of the corn 

 before it is exposed to continuous damp or freezing weather. It is 

 rarely possible to secure a good lot of seed of high viability if the 

 work of curing is delayed until after the season when favorable 

 weather conditions can be expected. 



" It is possible to cure corn by artificial heat, but this requires 

 the most skillful use of warmed not hot air, kept in con- 

 stant motion. Even with these precautions there is always a 

 liability of the corn being ruined for seed purposes by mold, 

 rot, or overheating, and for these reasons the method is not 

 recommended. 



" As soon as the corn is perfectly dry it may be shelled, though 

 it will generally keep much better on the cob. In a temperature 

 below freezing, corn, either on the ear or shelled, will seem to be 

 dry when it is not. Before shelling, it is therefore well to make 

 a test sample of a quart or more, composed of a few grains from a 

 great number of representative ears. If this, after standing for a 

 day or two in a temperature considerably above freezing, becomes 

 soft and damp, the shelling should be delayed until the corn is 

 quite dry. 



