20 
AUNT MARY'S SWEET CORN FARM 
fluiit niary’s Sweet Corn Seed 
My customers know that in addition to grow¬ 
ing and selling peonies, I have also, during the 
past three years, been growing and selling AUNT 
MARY^S SWEET CORN. Here is a very brief 
story of the seed: Cephas Atkinson, my daughter 
Alice’s great, great grandfather, came to Ohio 
in 1812 while many Indians were still in the state. 
At some time in his life, when and from whom no 
one knows, he secured possession of what is be¬ 
lieved to be the very best white sweet corn in the 
world. There is a record of its continuous planting 
in the gardens of his descendants for at least 88 
years, a much longer time than any other variety 
has been in existence. 
This corn is so very difficult to ripen, however, 
that in August, 1934, when I came into possession 
of the seed, there was probably not even a peck of 
it in the whole world. Believing in its great value, 
on account of its excessive tenderness, sweetness 
and delicate flavor, I ripened the very small crop 
of it in October and November with furnace heat 
in the basement of my home. I ripened enough 
seed of it (always with heat) in 1935 to place it 
upon the market at $2.00 per pound prepaid. 
I have continued each year ripening it with 
heat and advertising it especially to County Agents 
all over the United States so that at the end of the 
1938 season, I have sold it in every one of the forty- 
eight states. During this time, the price has been 
greatly reduced. 
At the present time, July, 1938, the crop is ap¬ 
parently in excellent condition and I am looking 
forward to being able to ripen enough seed to make 
a retail price of 75 cents and possibly even 60 cents 
per pound, with a vision of a possible 40 cent per 
pound price to market gardeners who can use 
ten pounds or more. 
