CORN. 



113 



of sweet corn is difficult to cure thoroughly and Is very liable to 

 mould during drying process, unless it is given plenty of light 

 and air. A good way is to tie the ears in small bunches and 

 suspend in a dry, hot, airy room after it has ripened as nearly as 

 may be on the stalk. 



Preserving Green Corn. — Green corn is often preserved in a 

 small way by cooking and then cutting it from the cob and 

 drying it in the sun, oven or evaporator. It is also preserved 

 in brine by first cooking it and then treating the same as 

 recommended for cucumber pickles. It may also be cut from 

 the cob after cooking and packed in a vessel in layers alter- 

 nating with salt, using about seven pounds of salt to a bushel 

 of kernels. 



Mrs. T. T. Batchelor has been very successful in canning corn 

 for winter use as follows: 



When the Stowell's Evergreen corn is ripe, the fresh pulled 

 ears are slightly shaved with a sharp knife, so as to take off the 

 ends of the kernels. The corn is then scraped from the cob and 

 packed solidly in Mason jars. The covers are put on, leaving 

 them only a little lose so water will not get in. The cans are 

 set in a boiler, covered with cold water, which is brought to 

 the boiling point and allowed to boil for two hours. The tops 

 are then screwed tight, and they are allowed to boil for two 

 hours longer. No water is used with the corn, and no salt. They 

 have been very successfuU in keeping it when put up in this way. 



Cutting off the Tassels. — It has been recommended to cut off 

 half of the tassels from the young corn, on the ground that 

 one-half the tassels would produce all the pollen needed by all 

 the kernels. While some experiments have shown this to be 

 true, many other experiments show there is little if anything to 

 be gained by the practice. • . 



Insects. — Corn is quite free from serious injury, either from 

 insects or diseases. The most injurious insects are the cut 

 worms and boll worms, for discussion of which see chapter on in- 

 sects. 



Smut (Ustilago maydis) is almost the only disease seriously 



