DESCRIPTIONS OF VARIETIES 



93 



rowed at the base. Kernels in the green state were of fair quality 

 and considered a valuable sort by those to whom the sweetness of 

 the sugar varieties is objectionable. The dry kernels very large, 

 creamy white, frequently creased at the crown and borne on a 

 red cob. 



Tuxpan. Ref. 307. 



Tuxpan is reputed to be a selected strain of a 

 Mexican variety and was featured for the first time 

 by the Kilgore Seed Company of Plant City, Florida, 

 in 1931. This was the tallest, most vigorous grower 

 of any maize grown at Geneva. Necessarily it did 

 not produce edible ears until the last of the season, 

 124 days being required to attain the proper stage 

 of development. The plants were very tall, 9 to 10 feet; 

 very heavy, often 2 1 _> inches in diameter; and entirely 

 devoid of tillers. The tassel was about 20 inches long, 

 very bushy, and had anthers rather uniform yellow in 

 color (pinard yellow to warm buff). The ears were 

 borne at the 14th and 15th nodes, were 8 to 9 inches 

 long, medium plump, and contained 14 rows. Kernels 

 in the milk stage were snow white, with a diverging 

 crown. In the dry stage, they were starchy white, thin, 

 and dented. 



White Australian. Ref. 88. Illus. 25, 91. 



White Australian has been used as roasting corn in 

 the mountain states where the nights are too cool for 

 the best growth of sweet corn. No record of its history 

 is available, but it was offered by D. V. Burrell of Rocky 

 Ford, Colorado, at least as early as 1909. 



Eighty-two days were necessary for edible ears to 

 be produced at Geneva. This was in season with 

 Adams Early, 6 days earlier than White Cory, and 2 days 

 later than Whipple's Early. The plants are 1 to 1} £ feet 

 taller than those of Adams Early, more slender and 

 zigzag, inclined to tiller, and the nodes are less com- 

 pletely covered by the sheath. The ears are borne 

 slightly lower on longer shanks, while the husked ears 

 are 3 inches longer, decidedly more slender, and have 

 fewer rows. The kernels in the dry stage are flinty 

 instead of dent. 



Plant tall, 7 feet; stalk slightly zigzag and moderately slender; 

 nodes 8-9, nearly covered, not very prominent. Brace roots present 

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

 few. Leaves medium long and moderately narrow, 28-30 inches 

 x 3-3 ' o inches; sheath equal to internode. Tassel moderately long, 

 18-20 inches; terminal spike nearly erect; lateral spikelets slightly 

 drooping, many, medium long and crowded; bracts green striped 

 with darker green; anthers buff (chamois); 64-66 days to anthesis. 



Ears borne at 3rd to 5th nodes, usually two ears per stalk. 

 Shank long and heavy, 5-6 inches. Husk leaves few, short and 

 light. Husks many, heavy, medium long, rather tightly wrapped 

 and difficult to remove. Husked ear long and moderately slender, 

 9-10 x 1 J _>— 1 ? ^ inches, nearly cylindrical; base compressed; tip 

 conical and slightly exposed; rows 8-10, straight, regular, not 

 crowded around the cob. 



Kernels at milk stage chalky white, medium width, thin and 

 shallow; at dry stage flinty amber white, wider than long, .98 x 1.1 x 

 .52 cm. 88 seeds per oz.l; oval; crown distinctly rounded, nearly 

 semi-circular; surface hard and smooth; set tightly on cob. 



Pennsylvania Rare Ripe (515) is a long white flint 

 much like White Australian and is used chiefly as a 

 hominy corn. The grains are large, pure white, and 

 are borne on long 8- to 10-rowed ears. 



Early Jefferson or Jefferson (87) was also similar in 

 type to present-day White Australian. The plants and 

 ears were slightly shorter, while the latter were reported 

 to have had a delicate shade of rose-pink near the tip. 

 This character (pink tip) often appears in several of the 

 white dent varieties, although not consistent in the 

 same variety from year to year. 



YELLOW-KERNELED VARIETIES 



Alaska Indian. Refs. 126, 180, 411. Syns. Alaska 

 Early, New Alaska. 



This is possibly one of the earliest of all corn 

 varieties. It is not a sweet corn but was offered in 1925 

 by the Henry Field Seed Co., Shenandoah, Iowa, as a 

 variety that could be grown in the far north and in high 

 altitudes. The plant grows to a height of from 2 to 

 3 feet. The ears are small and bright yellow. It is 

 of chief value to the plant breeder. 



In general appearance, this variety is very much 

 like Assiniboine. Edible maturity was reached at 

 Geneva in 66 days, which corresponded exactly with the 

 Assiniboine. The plants, however, average 1 foot shorter 

 and the ears 3 to 4 inches shorter. The kernels are 

 identical in shape, size, and color. Alaska Indian, 

 although of equal quality to Assiniboine, has been 

 largely replaced by the latter in the Northern Plains 

 area chiefly because of its greater vigor and larger ear. 



Assiniboine Yellow. Refs. 242, 335, 557. Syn. 

 Assiniboine. Illus. 25. 



Pictures and illustrations of Indian women preparing 

 corn generally show ears of many colors, white, red, 

 yellow, pink, blue, black, or even ears with mixed 

 colors. George Will, whose admirable study, Corn 

 Among the Indians of the Upper Missouri, pre- 

 sents a wonderful picture of the Indian tribes inhabiting 

 the Upper Missouri, the Northern Plains, and the Lakes' 

 area, obtained and improved some of the native corn 

 varieties. 



Among other strains which Mr. Will discovered was 

 an early flour corn obtained from the Assiniboine Reser- 

 vation in Saskatchewan about 1916. It was known to 

 have been grown there for over 40 years, and therefore 

 had become acclimated to that region of short season 

 and scanty rainfall. After several years of selection, a 

 pure yellow stock was introduced in 1920 by Oscar H. 

 Will & Co. as Assiniboine Yellow. It was then con- 

 sidered the earliest of the Indian Squaw corns and nearly 

 equal to sweet corn in flavor. 



Edible maturity was reached at Geneva in 66 days, 

 which proved to be about in season with Alaska Indian 

 and 12 days earlier than Golden Bantam. Although 

 it does not equal the true sweet corns in quality, its 

 earliness, vigor, and more or less resistance to adverse 

 weather conditions have rendered it useful in the North- 

 ern Plains area as a source of green corn. It most 

 resembles Alaska Indian, producing somewhat taller 

 plants and much longer ears. In all other respects the 

 two varieties are very similar. 



Plant moderately short 4 1 2 to 5 feet; stalk slender and straight; 

 nodes 6-7, slightly exposed, moderately prominent. Tillers few, 



