BURBANK'S 1921 NEW CREATIONS IN SEEDS 
7 
A New Creation in Com — Sorghum Pop Oui" common corn, Zea mays, 
, . , ,. has shown a wonderful 
adaptability to various soils and climates and also to the various uses for which 
it is grown, much more so than any other grass or grain. Next to it in variabihty 
are the Sorghums, which include the 
various Kalfir corns, broom corns, and 
annual sugar canes. These are two 
very distinct species, one of which is 
a native of Africa, the other of Amer- 
ica, and there is no record of any new 
variety having been produced by cross- 
ing. Eight years ago, after numerous 
trials, a ferw kernels were produced on 
an ear of Stowell's Evergreen Sweet 
Corn, from pollen of the white "goose 
neck" Kaffir Corn. These precious 
kernels were carefully planted one by 
one the next season and all but two 
were Stowell's Evergreen to all intents 
and purposes, but two ripened weeks 
earlier and were almost true Kaffir 
corns with compact, crooked, droop- 
ing "heads," containing many scattered 
hard, round kernels, also bearing 
"goose neck" drooping ears, somewhat 
resembling popcorn. The next season 
all were planted and a new corn, in 
many respects resembling white rice 
popcorn, but with more nearly globu- 
lar kernels, was produced, but the ears 
were branched or "many fingered" and 
bore kernels, not only on the outside, 
but on the inside of the ears, produc- 
ing an enormous number of kernels to 
the cluster. As the cobs had to be 
crushed to obtain the corn, selections 
were made of short "stubby" ears 
which bore kernels only on the outside. 
We now offer this most unique corn, 
and you will find it early, quite uni- 
form, and one of the best popping 
corns. It pops out pure white, sweet, 
and with a whirlwind of vehemence. 
This amazing production is of great 
interest, not only to growers, but also 
to botanists and biologists. 
Packet of 100 seed, 15c; ounce, 30c; 
pound, $1.50. 
1— COMMON POPCORN. 
2— SORGHUM POP— SHOWING GIANT POPPED 
CORN FROM ITS SMALL KERNELS. 
[From "Gleanings in Bee Culture," November, 1919.] 
"BURBAJ^K'S CREATIONS"— SOME OF HIS LATER ONES. 
After I returned from Florida I got hold of Burbank's 1919 catalogue, and I sent for quite a 
number of things. The Giant white-seeded sunflower named "Manteca" I have described elsewhere. 
A new kind of corn which he calls "Sorghum Pop" I am very nf.uch pleased with. It is the result 
of crossing a variety of sorghum with Stowell's Evergreen and he found after testing that it 
produces popcorn. The grains are pearly-white and the ears larger in size than ordinary popcorn; 
and the funny thing about it is that a great part of the ears are twins — ^you might call them 
Siamese twins; and besides the twins we have quite a number of triplets. It pops beautifully 
and I have been greatly enjoying lately putting the popcorn in hot milk, instead of "the shredded 
wheat biscuits" that I have been using for months past. And, by the way, one of those twin ears 
of popcorn after it had been popped out would bring quite a little money at five cents a paper 
bag full. It looks to me that this sorghum popcorn might help largely in reducing the "high cost 
of living" — tliat is, if you grow it in your garden and pop it yourself. I am so pleased with the 
sunflower and the two varieties of corn that I am planning to send a few grains of each to any 
subscriber to Gleanings who will send me an addressed envelope. — Editor A. I. Root. 
Minneapolis, Minn., Feb. 25, 1920. — I was a little dubious about planting corn from California- 
grown seed, but using seed last year from the foundations from yours, we had the best corn of 
any "Golden Bantam" we have ever had. Size of the ears was a surprise. R. E. 
Cincinnati, O., Nov. 14, 1920.^ — Your 12-row "Golden Bantam" corn is the best variety that I 
ever tried. 
Prof. H. M. B. 
Warren, Ind., Oct. 21, 1919. — My "Golden Bantam Corn" was fine and I sold the first green 
corn by a month that was to be found in the country. I am truly indebted to you for your 
wonderful creations. Mrs. C. W. 
