DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



89 



shorter than internode, often streaked with red at the base. Tassel 

 medium long and slender, 16-18 inches, occasionally colored at the 

 base; terminal spike erect; lateral spikelets drooping, moderately 

 many, medium long, compound at the base; bracts green, moderately 

 striped with red; anthers buff chamois 1 ; 60—62 days to anthesis. 

 Ears borne at 4th and 5th nodes, one and occasionally two 

 ears per stalk, tiller often bearing a small one in addition. Shank 

 rather long and heavy. Husked ear moderately long and moder- 



ately slender, 8-9 x 1 ' _. 1 ■"■ „ inches, partly cylindrical and moderately 

 tapering; tip conical, slightly exposed; rows 8-10, usually regular, 

 8-rowed specimens occasionally paired. 



Kernels at milk stage yellow, broad, but rather thin and 

 medium shallow; at dry stage deep yellow, medium size, .98 x 1.1 x 

 .40 cm. (116 seeds per oz.); short, broad ovate, often somewhat 

 triangular; crown rounded; surface rather finely wrinkled, often 

 very shallowly pitted over the entire surface; loosely set on the cob. 



OTHER FORMS OF MAIZE USED AS SWEET CORN 



The varieties described in the preceding sections as 

 white-kerneled and yellow-kerneled sweet corns are 

 those which truly are classified in the species Zea Mays 

 rugosa (sweet corn). It was stated in Chapter I that 

 the original channel by means of which the white farmer 

 became acquainted with corn was the American Indian. 

 There is evidence in early writings (399, 553) that sweet 

 corn as such was not the most common among corn types 

 used by the Indians; and that dent, flint, and flour 

 types were used in greater quantity by them as a source 

 of food. It was natural, therefore, that when corn 

 was first used by the white man that certain of these 

 early Indian corns were commonly grown and used 

 in the manner most preferred by the whites, i.e., as 

 boiling or as roasting ears. 



For many years these corn varieties really made up 

 the majority of the acreage planted to " sweet corn," 

 but as new varieties with wrinkled seed were developed 

 the dent, flint, and flour varieties were planted less and 

 less. Today they are seldom planted on farms or in 

 the gardens in New York State. Adams Early, the 

 most popular of these sorts, represented not only a 

 single variety, but also came to designate the whole 

 group of corn varieties (Adams group) listed by seed 

 companies in the North as garden field varieties and by 

 seed companies in the South as garden corn (not sugar), 

 sweet corns, or corn for roasting. 



No attempt has been made to describe all varieties 

 which are listed as dent, flint, or flour corns and which 

 are grown for either boiling or roasting ears. These 

 varieties for the most part are found listed in catalogs 

 coming from the South. The most important of these 

 varieties or at least one variety to represent each of the 

 various types has been described. It is to be noted that 

 since these varieties are those most prominently listed 

 in the Southern catalogs, they are probably the ones 

 best suited for that section, growing vigorously, pro- 

 ducing a large number of ears per acre, and showing 

 considerable resistance to the corn ear worm. 



WHITE-KERNELED VARIETIES 



Adams Early. Refs. 14, 22, 40, 73, 74, 87, 89, 90, 91, 

 93, 95,' 96, 120, 126, 200, 214, 238, 240, 241, 272, 

 335, 345, 354, 361, 367, 397, 404, 405, 406, 411, 

 451, 465, 468, 503, 511, 514, 525, 546, 569. Syns. 

 Adams, Adams Early Improved, Adams Early 

 White, Adams XX Early, Extra Early Adams 

 White, Ideal, Ideal Early, Ideal Early Adams, 

 Ideal Extra Early, New Ideal. Illus. 25, 90. 

 Adams Early is described in the paper by Salisbury, 



1848, as a variety obtained from a Mr. Walker of the | 



District of Columbia. From the very beginning of its 

 period of usefulness there has been two undisputed 

 characteristics which continued this variety in use in 

 all parts of the country. These can be summed up in the 

 phrase " its merits are earliness and productiveness." Of 

 all the names used for Adams corn, there are four which 

 have generally existed and which have continued in use, 

 each representing a slightly different selection and dif- 

 fering in vigor, size of ear and plant, and in time of 

 maturity. Adams Early, Extra Early Adams (syns. 

 Burlington, Early Burlington), Extra Early Dwarf, 

 Adams, and Large Adams are the four names. Of 

 these, the first two were the earliest in use while the 

 latter two are of more recent origin and are those most 

 commonly found today. Burr wrote, "' Adams Early 

 White: In its general appearance, the ear is not unlike 

 some descriptions of Southern or Western field corn. 

 In quality it cannot be considered equal to some of the 

 shrivelled-kerneled, sweet descriptions, but will prove 

 acceptable to those to whom the peculiar sugary character 

 of these may be objectionable." 



Edible ears of Adams Early were obtained at 

 Geneva in 82 days, 5 days later than Extra Early Dwarf 

 Adams, 12 days later than Extra Early Adams, and 8 

 days earlier than Large Adams. Although the kernels 

 of these varieties are much the same, certain plant 

 characters serve to distinguish them. In plant height 

 Adams Early is intermediate to Extra Early Dwarf 

 Adams and Extra Early Adams. The tassels of Adams 

 Early are much longer, are more delicate, and contain 

 more laterals than Extra Early Adams. The ears are 

 1 : o to 2 inches longer and usually have two less rows, 

 although this is not always consistent. Extra Early 

 Dwarf Adams, the smallest in the group, has tassels 

 which are short, very coarse and possess few, short, stiff 

 laterals and in this respect is most like Extra Early 

 Adams. 



Although these varieties are not true sweet corns, 

 they possess fair quality when harvested at the correct 

 stage of maturity. The hardness of the seeds enable 

 them to germinate under more adverse soil moisture 

 conditions, while the extreme tightness of the wrapped 

 husks at the apex of the ear limit the ear worm damage 

 to a minimum. These factors have made this variety 

 particularly adaptable to southern growers, who find 

 it difficult and usually impossible to grow the true sweet 

 corn successfully. 



Plant medium tall, 5'j-6 feet; stalks moderately heavy and 

 straight; nodes 10—12, covered, not prominent; brace roots present, 

 whorl complete on one and occasionally two nodes, useful. Tillers 

 entirely absent. Leaves medium long and moderately narrow, 



