DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



15 



various stages in representative individual plants could 

 be ascertained. Thus the possibility of securing inac- 

 curate records from general observation of any given 

 stage was eliminated. The average of the three plants 

 was determined and thereafter used as an index of the 

 particular manifestation involved. 



The recording of plant and ear characters was 

 accomplished at definite periods on previously prepared 

 descriptive cards. All possible characters of value were 

 printed under the respective headings. At the time a 

 given plant part had reached a certain stage, the appro- 

 priate terms referring to the part were underlined. By 

 a system of checks, each character could be recorded 

 in any one of seven degrees of intensity. This enabled 

 the record sheet to be shortened to a minimum and 

 still to retain an accurate account of the variety. From 

 these cards, then, a correct description could be read 

 directly. In as many instances as possible, characters 

 were measured. This enabled the note taker at the 

 conclusion of the trials to determine the range, select 

 the classes, and include the types involved. Plant 

 characters, with the exception of tassel and mature ear 

 and kernel data, were recorded when the ears had 

 attained the full milk stage. Ears were harvested from 

 the center row if possible and taken to the laboratory 

 before being described. In the fall, all remaining ears 

 were harvested, husked, and six individuals selected to 

 be brought in for mature ear and kernel notations. 



The use of comparison records was found to be 

 very helpful, especially in determining synonym pos- 

 sibilities. Ordinary large size composition books, in 

 which were listed all varieties, were used from time to 

 time throughout the season. Brief and outstanding 

 observations concerning the similarities or differences 

 of the varieties were noted in the field. Due to con- 

 venient cold storage facilities, ears in the milk stage of 

 practically all varieties could be held and observed and 

 comparisons noted at the same time. Later in the 

 winter the mature ears were brought together, observa- 

 tions recorded, and comparisons made of this stage. 

 The combination of all three stages on which comparison 

 notes were taken offered exceedingly valuable clues in 

 establishing synonyms or type relationship. 



The choosing of a correct name to use for each 

 variety has been given careful consideration. Whenever 

 possible the principles applied in Standardized Plant 

 Names have been observed; but inasmuch as names 

 of varieties of vegetables are not listed in that work, 

 it has been necessary for the authors to decide on the 

 names without recourse to a standard guide. Where 

 the recorded data have shewn reasonably sure evidence 

 of " identity " between two or more varieties, the 

 authors have tried to preserve the name which seemed 

 to offer the strongest case for its maintenance and 

 have listed the others as synonyms. 



Very often selections of a given variety differ only 

 in minor respects. This condition has made it necessary 

 to discuss many named forms in a comparative manner 

 and not as distinct varieties. It is in this connection 



that our judgment will be subject to argument and 

 further trials will be necessary to settle the contended 

 points. 



The literature relating to the descriptions of varieties 

 is, for the most part, of doubtful value and rather frag- 

 mentary in distribution. No monograph has been pub- 

 lished that approaches the significance of those written 

 in connection with certain other vegetable crops. 

 Constant recourse has been made to various experiment 

 station publications, journals, periodicals, books, and 

 seed catalogs. These sources were of particular value 

 in tracing the history and origin of varieties as well as 

 in serving as an index for establishing a complete list of 

 varieties to be used in our trials. When seed of these 

 varieties was not available, the list served as a record of 

 the progenitors of present-day varieties. 



Since the corn plant is very easily cross fertilized, 

 more or less variation exists within a given group or 

 variety. Such a condition has made it difficult to 

 record definite characters that would be of value in 

 attempting a horticultural classification of this crop. 1 

 This fact is undoubtedly responsible for the lack of 

 practical and reliable keys for sweet corn. The literature 

 relating to the classification of sweet corn varieties is 

 therefore limited to very general classes which, in 

 themselves, offer little help insofar as identification is 

 concerned. 



The first classification of sweet corn varieties was 

 published in the Transactions of the New York State 

 Agricultural Society of 1848. In this account J. H. 

 Salisbury arranged in a systematic order the various 

 classes cf maize based, first, on the physical and chemical 

 characteristics of the dry kernel, and second, on the 

 color of the kernel and cob. Only one class was devoted 

 to sweet corn under which three varieties were discussed 

 and an additional one of hybrid origin mentioned. The 

 classification for sweet corn consisted of the following: 



Class 5. Those the kernels of which are destitute of a farinaceous 

 portion, and at maturity shrink or contract, giving a 

 shriveled appearance to the epidermis. 



A. Those with white kernels and a white cob. 



(a) Small Early Sweet. 



(b) Large Rhode Island Sweet. 



B. Those with white kernels and a red cob. 

 (a) The Hematite Sweet. 



Kornicke in 1873 classified sweet corn grown at 

 Poppelsdorf, Germany, in five groups according to 

 color of kernel. 



In 1884, Sturtevant published a classification of 

 the various types of maize. Three groups or races, as 

 they were called, of sweet corn were established. These 

 were designated by the first three letters in the alphabet 

 and had as a basis for their separation the relative 

 resistance of the varieties included to current hybridiza- 

 tion as manifested by the color or kernel character type 

 produced. Each race was given a synthetic descrip- 

 tion which included all varieties possessing in general 

 the characteristics of the group. Race A included all 

 8-rowed varieties, race B all 12-rowed ones, and race C 

 the many-rowed sorts. Such characters as plant size, 



1 The reader is referred to Chapter II for a discussion on the botanical classification of the plant. 



