SWEET CORN OR SUGAR CORN 269 



vantage to go through with a hand hoe, because, at the 

 same time that hoeing is performed, sucker growths may 

 be removed from the corn, thereby improving the quality 

 ■and size of the ears. When it is seen that the horse and 

 machine in cultivating are injnring the corn, this work 

 is discontinued, and the corn is allowed to grow without 

 farther attention. 



About the time of marketing, the factories generally 

 send a man to the field to instruct the farmer just when to 

 bring the corn to the factory. In the different sections, 

 there is some difference of opinion as to when the corn 

 should be harvested for the factory and just how. In 

 general, the corn should be delivered to the factory as soon 

 as possible after breaking from the stalk. There are some 

 companies that desire the corn broken in the morning and 

 carted immediately to their factories. As stated in a 

 number of reports received from canners, they did not 

 desire the growers to pick the corn in the late afternoon 

 and allow this to stand in the wagons over night, owing 

 to heating of the corn. 



In harvesting, the ear is broken from the plant so that 

 there is very little or no stub left on the base, and the 

 unnecessary husks as well are taken off. However, no 

 extra attention or care is given at this period. The corn 

 may be gathered in baskets or in boxes, and immediately 

 emptied in a wagon. When the wagon is full, it is taken 

 to the factory and there weighed, if sold at so much a ton 

 green weight. 



198. Thirty-five dollars is a fair return for an acre, ex- 

 clusive of the value of the fodder, as well as the husk and 

 the cob, which the growers can take back to their farms. 

 The average returns for sweet com to the acre are between 

 three and four tons. Example : On good Iowa land, a 



