DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



19 



dwarf strain was cataloged first in 1924 and was the 

 result of some selection work begun in 1920 by C. C. 

 Morse & Co. 



Edible ears were produced at Geneva in 87 days, 

 which was about 10 days earlier than Early Mammoth 

 and Stowell's Evergreen, about the same season as 

 Howling Mob, and 3 days later than Kendel's Early 

 Giant. The plants of Alameda were 2-2 J j feet shorter 

 than Eariy Mammoth, tassels shorter and more coarse, 

 and ears 2-3 inches shorter with kernels more narrow 

 and decidedly more crowded on the cob. 



This variety has assumed greatest importance in 

 California where it has been found by market gardeners 

 to be cne cf the most adaptable to those climatic con- 

 ditions. The tight wrapping cf the husks about the 

 tip is an important factor with corn growers in that 

 area inasmuch as such protection reduces to some extent 

 corn earworm injury. 



Plant medium tall, 5-5 ' _. feet ; stalks medium heavy and 

 slightly zigzag. Nodes 9-10, moderately covered to slightly exposed, 

 not very prominent. Brace roots present, medium heavy, whorl 

 complete and useful on one node. Tillers few, much shorter than 

 central stalk. Leaves very long and moderately broad, 36-38 x 

 4— t 1 j inches; sheath equal to and occasionally slightly shorter than 

 internode. Tassel moderately short and heavy, 15-16 inches, 

 coarse, streaked with dark red at the base; terminal spike erect; 

 lateral spikelets horizontal to slightly drooping, medium long, 

 many, crowded; bracts green, sparsely striped with pale red; anthers 

 variable in color; 66-68 days to anthesis. 



Ears borne at 3rd and 4th nodes, one and occasionally two 

 ears per stalk, otherwise one nubbin present. Shank short and 

 decidedly heavy, 2-4 inches. Husks many, heavy, short, tightly 

 wrapped and rather difficult to remove. Silk red, long and abun- 

 dant. Husked ear moderately long and plump, 8-9 x 1 " y-2 1 _ l inches, 

 moderately tapering; base enlarged and usually compressed, occasion- 

 ally somewhat open; tip abruptly conical and slightly exposed; 

 rows 12-16, moderately straight, occasionally somewhat twisted 

 at the base. Furrows occasionally present at base, deep and narrow. 



Kernels at milk stage white, moderately narrow and deep; 

 at dry stage dull white, longer than wide, moderately thin, 1.05 x .90 

 x .35 cm. (168 seeds per oz.); triangular; crown slightly rounded, 

 surface rather abundantly and deeply wrinkled; set tightly on cob. 



Albany. Refs. 22, 89, 91, 93, 238, 367, 368, 397, 405, 



487, 508, 533, 535. Syns. Albany Sugar, Breck 



Premier. 



This is another sort which served as a useful variety 



for a very limited period. It was listed about 1885 



by Henry A. Dreer, Philadelphia, as belonging to 



the group of early varieties having more than eight 



rows. It apparently was very similar to Shakers 



Early, Perry's Hybrid, and Squantum. After 1892 



the name no longer appeared in catalogs. 



Plant medium tall, 5-6 feet; stalks moderately heavy; foliage 

 abundant, dark green; tassel stiff; tillers many. Ears borne 24-30 

 inches from the ground; husk leaves moderately large, husked 

 ears medium long and moderately plump, 7-8 x 1 \/g- 2 inches, moder- 

 ately tapering, abruptly conical at the tip; rows 10—12, usually 

 regular, crowded around the cob. Kernels at milk stage white, 

 broad, shallow; at dry stage amber white, nearly as deep as broad, 

 distinctly thick, nearly square; crown very slightly rounded; surface 

 somewhat wrinkled; set loosely on cob. 



Alpha. Refs. 335, 345, 348, 478. 



Alpha was introduced in 1922 by D. M. Ferry & Co. 

 of Detroit. For many years Ferry had been searching 

 for a variety which would produce ears of fair size and 



good quality and yet be earlier in season than Mammoth 

 White Cory. After trying many crosses and selections 

 at the Ferry experimental garden at Oakview, Michigan, 

 a very promising stock was secured from W. B. Perry, a 

 wellknown corn seed grower of Cresco, Iowa. This origi- 

 nated from a cross between Peep-O-Day and Extra 

 Early Iowa. The new corn was the earliest in the trial 

 grounds and was given the name Alpha, the first letter 

 of the Greek alphabet, to suggest the first or beginning 

 of anything. 



Edible ears were produced in 75 days, about 2 weeks 

 earlier than White Cory and 5 days later than Early 

 Market. The plants are much like those of Early Dow 

 and Aroostock Early, although slightly more slender. 

 The ears are about the same length but slightly less 

 strongly tapered. Its value is attributed to its earliness 

 and as such is used to some extent by market gardeners 

 and home garden enthusiasts in those areas where white 

 corn is acceptable. 



Plant short, 3?.j-4 feet; stalks zigzag, and slender; nodes 6-8, 

 prominent. Brace roots absent. Tillers usually absent, occasion- 

 ally few, much shorter than central stalk. Leaves short and narrow, 

 24—26 x 2)2~3 inches; sheath shorter than internode. Tassel 

 moderately short and slender, 14—16 inches, occasionally dark red 

 at the base; terminal spike erect; lateral spikelets nearly erect, few, 

 short and rather scattered; bracts green, sparsely striped with light 

 red; anthers buff colored (deep colonial buff to chamois); 52-55 days 

 to anthesis. 



Ears borne at 2nd and 3rd nodes, one ear per stalk with a 

 nubbin usually present. Husk leaves few, short and very light. 

 Husks few, rather thin, short and easily removed. Silk scanty 

 and short. Husked ear moderately short and moderately slender, 

 6—7 x 1H-1% inches, somewhat cylindrical and slightly tapering; 

 rows 8, rather noticeably paired, straight, inclined to be slightly 

 irregular at the base; furrows deep and narrow; base slightly enlarged, 

 open; tip conical and exposed. 



Kernels at milk stage white, medium size, moderately wide and 

 medium depth; at dry stage dull white, medium size, .91 x 1.1 x 

 .38 cm. (108 seeds per oz.); short oval in shape; crown slightly 

 rounded; surface sparsely and rather coarsely wrinkled; set tightly 

 on cob. 



Amber Cream. Refs. 22, 61, 73, 74, 89, 91, 94, 214, 



397, 411, 431, 446, 503, 507, 508, 510, 532, 533, 



535, 536, 537. Syn. Amber Cream Sweet. 



This good old sweet corn introduced in 1881 by W. 



Atlee Burpee & Co., Philadelphia, was a leading sort for 



25 years. It was said to have come from a cross between 



Moore's Early Concord, a variety known since 1865, and 



Brigg's Early, one of the red cob Narragansett group. 



Crosses reported to have been made during this time were 



probably accidental, and the exact parentage was difficult 



to fix. J. A. Wilson, writing for the Rural New-Yorker 



in 1893 considered the variety as " very rich and sweet " 



and a " good late sort." After 1904 the name was 



dropped by Burpee. 



Plant tall, 6-7 feet; stalk stout and vigorous. Tassel long 

 and slender, lateral spikelets many, drooping, crowded. Ears 

 borne 20-24 inches from the ground; husked ear medium long and 

 moderately slender, 7-8 x 1 ' j- 1 5 s inches, nearly cylindrical to 

 slightly tapering: base compressed, tip conical and exposed; rows 

 10-12, usually crowded, moderately straight, irregular at the base. 

 Kernels at milk stage creamy white, at dry stage reddish to flesh 

 color, rather small, as long as broad (155 seeds per oz.); blunt, 

 triangular; crown slightly rounded; surface abundantly wrinkled 



