60 



THE VEGETABLES OF NEW YORK 



came from that variety and the difference was so slight 

 it wasn't worth considering." 



There is the possibility that the name Excelsior 

 belonged to an entirely distinct variety, but there has 

 been no way to check these names as to type. Potter's 

 Excelsior might have originated by selection from Excel- 

 sior or, as suggested by S. M. Tracy, have resulted from 

 a cross between Early Minnesota and " Old Asylum." 

 From the early description as given by Sturtevant in 

 1884 we quote the following: " Mr. Potter says he 

 exercised a careful selection, saving seed from both good 

 and poor ears in order to hold the type in which the 

 kernels are almost too sugary. In Mr. Potter's strain 

 the ear is often oval in section from the tenderness of 

 kernels yielding to pressure of its weight." 



Potter's Excelsior produced edible ears at Geneva in 

 97 days, 1 day earlier than Stowell's Evergreen, in 

 season with Early Mammoth, and 3 days later than 

 Delicious. The plants are much like Stowell's Ever- 

 green, possibly somewhat more stocky with less tendency 

 to tiller and with longer tassels. The husked ears are 

 slightly longer and more tapering. The kernels at the 

 milk stage are shallower and thicker than those of 

 Stowell's Evergreen, while in the dry stage the con- 

 verging crown of the latter is absent. 



Plant tall, 7-8 feet; stalks heavy and straight; nodes 12-14, 

 usually covered, not prominent, internodes long. Brace roots 

 present, heavy, useful and complete on one node. Tillers moderately 

 few, slightly shorter than central stalk. Leaves decidedly long and 

 medium broad, 36—38 x 3 ] _,— !'_■ inches; sheath equal to and often 

 longer than internode. Tassel very long and medium heavy, 

 24-28 inches, rather coarse; terminal spike erect; lateral spikelets 

 horizontal to slightly drooping, medium in number, very long, not 

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

 variable in color: 73-76 days to anthesis. 



Ears borne at 5th to the 7th nodes, one and occasionally two 

 ears per stalk. Shank medium long, 4—5 inches, decidedly heavy. 

 Husk leaves few, short and light. Husks many, long, heavy and 

 tough, rather tightly wrapped, not very easily removed. Silk 

 medium in amount, moderately long and uniformly pale red in 

 color. Husked ear long and plump, 9-10 x 2 ' ^-2 ' 4 ' inches, moder- 

 ately to decidedly tapering: base enlarged and usually compressed, 

 occasionally somewhat open; tip conical and somewhat exposed; 

 rows 16-18, moderately straight, occasionally lost at the medial. 



Kernels at milk stage white, medium size, shallow and decid- 

 edly plump; at dry stage opalescent white, somewhat longer than 

 wide, 1.05 x .94 x .43 cm. (132 seeds per oz.); roughly triangular 

 in shape: crown slightly rounded; surface exceedingly rough, deeply 

 and abundantly wrinkled; set loosely on cob. 



Pratt's Early. Refs. 90, 91, 427, 507, 508. 



The description of this variety could well have been 

 associated with the early Papoon corn of 1779. J. J. H. 

 Gregory advertised Pratt's Early in 1874 as an acquisi- 

 tion for marketmen, a first early to come in before Crosby, 

 Moore's or Narragansett. The only description, from 

 Sturtevant in 1884, shows it to be quite similar to Red 

 River but with whitish kernels. Ears 5 inches long, 

 8- to 10-rowed, usually tapering somewhat; kernels 

 crinkled and strongly rounded. 



Prcmo. Refs. 46, 131, 143, 201, 238, 241, 266, 298, 324, 

 335, 345, 348, 403, 406, 472, 518, 533, 546. Syns. 

 Early Premo, Extra Early Premo, Holmes' 

 Premo, Sixty-Day Premo. 



This new variety, named Premo at the time of 

 its introduction in 1910 by the Holmes Seed Com- 

 pany, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, had been in posses- 

 sion of William Moody who lived on the river road 

 near Harrisburg. His early corn topped the market 

 and seed of the same was desired by many, but was 

 rather difficult to obtain. Finally, as the story goes, 

 Mr. Holmes offered Moody $1.00 per seed for 12 grains. 

 The offer was accepted and this variety had its start. 

 It was very popular for many years and was known 

 as a 60-Day corn. Stocks sold as Premo today have 

 in some cases proved to be far different from the original. 



Premo required 85 days to reach edible maturity 

 at Geneva. This was in season with Cory, 3 days 

 earlier than White Cory, and 5 days later than Whipple's 

 Early. The plants were slightly taller than those of 

 Cory, with more prominent nodes, but very similar 

 in the tendency to tiller. The husked ears are of equal 

 length, slightly more plump and more often produce 

 10-rowed ears. The kernels are much whiter in the 

 milk stage and when dry lack the reddish tinge common 

 to Cory. 



Plant medium tall, 5-5 ] 2 feet; stalks slender and straight; 

 nodes 9-10, exposed, prominent. Brace roots present, whorl com- 

 plete, useful. Tillers few to moderately many, slightly shorter 

 than central stalk. Leaves moderately long and medium broad, 

 30-32 x 3 1 2-3 :! 4 inches; sheath shorter than internode. Tassel 

 medium long, rather heavy, 16-18 inches; terminal spike erect; 

 lateral spikelets nearly erect, few, medium long, rather scattered; 

 bracts dark green, heavily striped with dark red; anthers variable 

 in color; 66-70 days to anthesis. 



Ears borne at 3rd and 4th nodes, often two ears per stalk, 

 one usually a nubbin. Shank moderately short and heavy, 2-4 

 inches. Husks medium number, size and wrapping. Husked ear 

 moderately short and slender, 6-7 x l'o-l's inches, slightly taper- 

 ing; base compressed; tip conical, slightly exposed; rows 8-10, 

 straight, regular, often noticeably paired. 



Kernels at milk stage white, small, medium broad and shallow; 

 at dry stage dull amber white, broader than long, thick, 1.x 1.26 x .45 

 cm. (132 seeds per oz. ) ; short, broad ovate in shape; crown rounded; 

 surface rather abundantly but shallowly wrinkled; set tightly on cob. 



Price's 1900. Refs. 401, 533. 



The exact date of introduction of this variety 

 is unknown, although its inclusion in Tracy's list com- 

 piled in 1901 indicates that it was prior to that time. 

 George H. Price of Albany, New York, made the intro- 

 duction and, so far as is known, it has not been listed 

 by any other seed organization under this name. Mr. 

 Price discontinued growing this variety about 1930, 

 largely because " demands at this time are almost entirely 

 for yellow sweet corn." 



Reports indicate " 1900 produced a medium tall 

 stalk, stout and strong, bearing its large ear well down 

 on the stalk. The kernels were large, plump, white, 

 sweet and tender." 



Pride of America. Refs. 22, 188, 367, 368, 446. 



This was another of the small, very early, red-cobed, 

 8-rowed sweet corns so popular 40 years ago. It was 

 introduced by Frank Ford and Son of Ravenna, Ohio, 

 about 1892. Mr. Ford gave its origin as northern 

 Vermont where the shortness of the growing season 

 practically prohibited growing those varieties requiring 



