The Oldest Sweet Corn in the World 
the great heat ruined it completely. The other quart I un¬ 
fortunately planted on a south slope somewhat later in the 
season. When it was three feet high the terrific heat for 
more than a week caused it to wilt and droop every day, but 
each night it would freshen itself and endure the heat of the 
following day but the ears which matured on it were small, 
and the crop was very light. 
The eight ears given me by my friend, gave me enough 
grains to plant sixteen rows each containing ninety-six hills. 
I planted this very late in June in my own garden and gave 
it my own personal care, getting a great thrill in the thought 
that I might be saving for the world, the most valuable corn 
in it. 
This was the home of Mrs. Mary Atkinson who for fifty 
(50) years ( 1885-1934 inclusive) gathered this corn and 
artificially ripened the seed in the house , some times even 
bringing it to the warmth of the kitchen stove . With her 
permission I have given it the name “Aunt Mary's 
Sweet Corn ” 
My lot is an extremely long one and the rear of it is on the 
bank of a creek, and for years men and boys had used the 
creek bank as a short cut for destinations beyond my lot. As 
the ears began to grow in size, I realized the very great temp¬ 
tation that it would be, to hungry persons passing the tempt¬ 
ing ears, to take a dozen home with them for dinner. 
This corn was too precious for dinners even for the gov¬ 
ernor of the state, and so I went to a former gardener of 
mine, now past eighty years of age, and asked him if I could 
