94 POP-CORN AND SWEET CORN 



places as a canning crop. New York, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsyl- 

 vania, 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 

 C>0 days from time of planting. 



Harvesting. Green corn is always harvested hy 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. Here it is husked and cut from the cob by machin- 

 ery. Yield varies from three to five tons per acre, and price 

 from $6 to $9 per ton. Four tons at $8 is considered satisfactory. 



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 the 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=rSolid 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 crosswise of the dent. Examine under a, microscope. 



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. 



III. Draw a kernel in the first stages of growth. 



IV. Draw a kernel in advanced stage of germination, showing tem- 

 porary roots, plumule, radicle, and root-hairs. 



V. From your readings in the text, prepare answers to the following: 



1. What is the function of the endosperm, scutellum, plumule, radicle, 

 root-hairs ? 



2. Where do the temporary roots develop? Where the permanent roots? 



QUESTIONS 



1. Compare field corn and pop-corn culture. 



2. Describe the two principal types of pop-corn. 



3. Where is pop-corn grown extensively? 



4. Name the regions where sweet corn is grown. 

 5 What is a fair yield of sweet corn ? 



