COBN OR MAIZE 



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but if it is present in too large amounts the corn does not 

 pop well. The popping of the kernel is due to the pressure 

 exerted in the starch cells by the changing of the moisture 

 in them to steam, when heat is applied. The pressure of 

 the steam inclosed in the cells is so great as to cause an 

 explosion of such force as to turn the 

 kernel inside out, and completely change 

 its texture into a light, fluffy mass, from 

 fifteen to twenty times the size of the 

 unpopped grain. Those of you who have 

 had experience in the popping of corn 

 know that, unless the corn is properly 

 dried out, your efforts will not meet with 

 success. And, too, if the corn is too dry 

 a good pop cannot be made. For this 

 reason it is best to keep the corn on the 

 cob and shell it just before popping, since 

 if kept in this manner it does not dry 

 out so completely. The plant of the pop 

 corn does not grow as large as the dent 

 or flint types. It varies from 3.5 to 10 

 feet. Several ears are frequently pro- 

 duced on a stalk, and freak plants or 

 sports are more common than in other 

 tjrpes. The varieties of pop corn may be 

 divided into two general classes, namely, 

 the rice and the pearl. The rice corn is 

 characterized by the crown of the kernel coming to 

 a sharp point, giving a rough or prickly appearance 

 to the ear. At the apex of the pointed crown may be 

 seen a scar showing the former attachment of the silk. 

 In the pearl corn the kernels are rounded or flattened 

 at the crown and are smooth, having the appearance in 



Fig. 9. — An ear 

 of flint corn. 



