64 



THE VEGETABLES OF NEW YORK 



Price Seed Co. of Albany, New York. For 20 years it 

 was rather popular in this section but was finally dis- 

 continued in 1933. 



In trials at Geneva the earliness feature of Shaker's 

 Early has not been pronounced since it requires 95 days 

 to reach edible maturity. This was 3 days later than 

 Metropolitan and 3 days earlier than Stowell's Ever- 

 green. The plants are about 1 foot shorter than those 

 of Metropolitan, have much less tendency to tiller, and 

 ere colored with red more extensively on the tassel. 

 The husks are slightly larger and more loosely wrapped, 

 while the husked ears are about an inch shorter and 

 about the same plumpness. This old variety is not 

 grown to any extent today, having been replaced by other 

 varieties. As is the case in many of the older sorts, 

 the original stocks have disappeared. 



Plant medium tall, 5'_>~6 feet; stalks moderately heavy and 

 straight; nodes 10—12, covered, not prominent, slightly streaked 

 with red at the base. Brace roots present, moderately useful and 

 complete on one node. Tillers few, somewhat shorter than central 

 stalk. Leaves moderately long and medium broad, 32-34 x 3}^— 4 

 inches; sheath longer than internode. Tassel moderately long and 

 heavy, 18-20 inches, coarse; terminal spike erect; lateral spikelets 

 moderately erect, medium length, many present, crowded and 

 branched at the base; bracts dark green, sparsely striped with pale 

 red; anthers reddish bronze iterra cotta to vinaceous russet); 

 70-72 days to anthesis. 



Ears borne at 4th and 5th nodes, very often two ears per stalk. 

 Shank short and moderately slender, 2-3 inches. Husk leaves 

 few and short. Husks moderately many, long, not tightly wrapped 

 and rather easily removed. Husked ear medium long and moder- 

 ately plump, 7-8 x 1 ' g-2 inches, slightly tapering, nearly cylindrical; 

 base compressed; tip abruptly conical to rounded, slightly exposed; 

 rows 12-14, moderately straight, occasionally irregular at the base. 



Kernels at milk stage white, moderately large, broader than 

 deep; at dry stage dull white, short, moderately broad, rather thin, 

 .9 x 1.05 x .38 cm. (128 seeds per oz.< ; nearly square; crown rounded; 

 surface abundantly but shallowly and finely wrinkled; set slightly 

 loose on cob. 



Sheffield. Refs. 28, 46, 78, 238, 241, 292, 403, 458, 

 459, 460, 517, 533. Syns. Earliest Sheffield, Early 

 Sheffield, New Earliest Sheffield. 

 Sheffield was the name given to a variety of sweet 

 corn arising as the result of a definitely planned cross 

 made between Cory and Extra Early Adams. Dr. 

 Van Fleet, who made the cross, was a well-known 

 hybridizer and was after a new corn combining earli- 

 ness with quality. W. Atlee Burpee secured seed 

 of the hybrid and sent it to C. S. Clark, seed corn 

 grower in Ohio, who wrote enthusiastically of its good 

 qualities. " This ' Van Fleet ' corn as you call it is 

 8- to 10-rowed; very distinct in shape, color and growth. 

 Its great merit lies in the fact that it does not smut 

 and this fact alone is worthy of introduction." Burpee 

 offered it in 1899 as Sheffield and continued it in his 

 catalog until 1915. 



Plant tall, 7-7' ■> feet; stalks moderately heavy and straight; 

 nodes 12-13, nearly covered, not prominent. Brace roots present, 

 moderately heavy, whorl complete on one node, useful. Tillers 

 moderately many, equal to and occasionally slightly shorter than 

 the central stalk. Leaves long and moderately broad, 34-36 x 4—5 

 inches; sheath equal to and shorter than internode. Tassel moder- 

 ately long and medium heavy, 18-20 inches, slightly streaked with 

 red at the base; terminal spike erect; lateral spikelets horizontal 



to slightly drooping, medium length, moderately many and crowded; 

 bracts and anthers variable; 70-72 days to anthesis. 



Ears borne at 5th to 7th nodes, one ear per stalk with an 

 additional nubbin present. Shank short, 2-4 inches, and decidedly 

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

 heavy, medium length, rather tightly wrapped and difficult to 

 remove. Husked ear moderately long and moderately plump, 

 8-9 x l 7 v-2 inches, slightly tapering; base enlarged and com- 

 pressed; tip conical and exposed; rows 12-14, moderately straight, 

 slightly irregular at the base, crowded around the cob. 



Kernels at milk stage white, rather small, narrow and medium 

 depth; at dry stage opalescent white, longer than wide, medium 

 thickness, 1.16 x .90 x .35 cm. 1 108 seeds per oz.); triangular; crown 

 slightly rounded; surface moderately and rather deeply wrinkled; 

 set somewhat loosely on the cob. 



Shoe Peg. Refs. 91, 126, 290, 328, 329, 335, 350, 368, 

 445. 510. 514. 533. 

 The original stock for this type of sweet corn is 

 said to have been grown by a family in Bordentown, 

 New Jersey, and held originally by them for many 

 years prior to 1882. As a sequence to the several 

 introductions made during the next few years, Johnson 

 and Stokes of Philadelphia selected either from the 

 original stock or from the Ne Plus Ultra, a slightly 

 larger eared type which they called Shoe Peg. This 

 they introduced and copyrighted in 1889. The new 

 introduction was popular for a few years, but when 

 the still larger eared Country Gentleman was offered 

 in 1890 it supplanted all similar sorts. The names 

 Shoe Peg and Ne Plus Ultra persist today but most 

 strains selling under these names are now Country 

 Gentleman. A stock secured from J. Bolgiano and 

 tested at Geneva appeared to be earlier and with smaller 

 cob and kernels. This was possibly a survival of the 

 old type introduced by Johnson and Stokes. 



Silver Bantam. Ref. 264. Illus. 63. 



As the name would indicate, plants of Silver 

 Bantam produce 8-rowed ears that greatly resemble 

 ears of Golden Bantam in both quality and appear- 

 ance. The variety is often called the " silver-hued 

 twin " of Golden Bantam but such is true in name 

 and appearance only, for Silver Bantam was not intro- 

 duced until 1927. Peter Henderson 8s Co., the intro- 

 ducers, secured seed from John Ware of Plainfield, 

 New Jersey. 



The origin was accidental. Golden Bantam, Metro- 

 politan, and Black Mexican were growing in the same 

 garden plot and one ear of Golden Bantam that remained 

 after the harvest contained 1 2 white grains. These were 

 saved and planted the next year. Some black mixing 

 also occurred but these dark seeds were not saved. 

 The parents of this very attractive new variety apparently 

 were the Metropolitan crossed on the Golden Bantam. 

 After selection for 5 years it was inspected by the head 

 gardener and manager from Henderson's and purchased 

 on the spot. This was in 1923 and after still further 

 selection it was introduced in 1927. 



At Geneva edible ears were produced in 87 days, 



9 days earlier than Best of All or White Bantam, in 



season with Crosby, and 5 days later than Market 



Gardener's Extra Early. Silver Bantam produces plants 



i 1 to 1 J •_> feet shorter than those of Best of All, more 





