EARLY CULTURE OF CORN 79 



cultivated mostly an eight-rowed flint corn, and in a 

 limited waj^ an early variety of soft corn commonly known 

 to-day as " squaw " corn. The Indians of the south- 

 western United States, Mexico, and South America cul- 

 tivated the different varieties of soft corn principally, 

 and also, in a limited way, flint corn, pop corn, and dent 

 corn. The dent corn, however, does not appear to be Hke 

 our modern dent of the deep-grained, large-eared varieties, 

 such as Boone County White, but of a rather shallow- 

 grained type with a square grain or a grain even broader 

 than long. There was also a very rough, deep-grained 

 type with a short ear, similar to our Shoe Peg corn of the 

 present day. 



By the year 1800 there were a number of recognized 

 varieties of flint corn, mostly of eight-rowed types, and 

 a few dent and soft corns cultivated by the colonists. 

 At least one variety of sweet corn (the Papoon eight- 

 rowed) and a few pop corns were known, but were not 

 in general cultivation. 



Bonafous, in 1836, and Metzger, in 1841, both published 

 classifications and descriptions of corn indicating that at 

 least all the characters of corn known at present were to 

 be found among the varieties at that time. Metzger 

 made twelve races, and mentioned varieties ranging in 

 height from 18 inches to 18 feet. Since 1840 there has 

 been a rapid expansion of corn culture and great interest 

 has been shown in the development of varieties adapted 

 to various conditions and uses. It may be safely estimated 

 that perhaps three-fourths of the present varieties of corn 

 have been developed since 1840. The history of sweet 

 corn is an excellent example. Following are listed the 

 authorities and the number of varieties of sweet corn that 

 each knew, and the year of his observation : — 



