May 3, 1924 
Relative Merits of Sweet Corn Varieties for Canning 437 
SUMMARY 
1. (a) In the maize plant the flowering period appears to be the most signifi¬ 
cant time from which to reckon its rate of development and maturity. 
(b) In any variety, even when planted upon the same date, individual plant# 
vary as much as two weeks or more in the length of time necessary for them to- 
reach the flowering period. Thus, when a field of corn begins to come into- 
flower the number of silks that appear each day increases for 6 or 7 days when- 
a maximum is reached and then falls off until the end of the flowering periods 
Part of this appears to be due to environmental conditions and part to inherent 
variations. 
(c) Up to 20 or 25 days of age the development of the individual ears silking 
at the same time appears to vary much less than the time of flowering, though 
small differences in this respect have been observed. 
(d) The length of time between planting and flowering varies with the date 
of planting and depends upon temperature, rainfall, and other factors. Like¬ 
wise, the rate of development of the ear is influenced to some extent by differ¬ 
ences in seasons. 
(e) There is often a wide difference among the varieties in the length of time 
between planting and flowering which largely accounts for their earliness or 
lateness. In the present studies among those varieties flowering early were 
Golden Bantam, Dreer’s Golden Giant, Crosby, and Howling Mob, while Country 
Gentleman, Stowell’s Evergreen, and Narrow Grained Evergreen flowered late. 
(/) There is a small but often a distinct difference in the rate of developing 
and maturing of the ear in varieties silking at the same time. In these experi¬ 
ments Stowell’s Evergreen and Country Gentleman flowered at approximately 
the same time, but the rate of development of the ear was somewhat different, 
the Country Gentleman maturing more rapidly. 
(g) In the study of sweet corn varieties and their development it has been 
found advantageous to take samples for analysis and for canning from selected 
ears of the same age as determined by the date of silking. 
2. (a) Data have been obtained upon 15 varieties of sweet corn and two 
varieties of field corn with respect to the weight of the ears and the proportions 
of cut-off corn and cob to both the husked and the unhusked ears at intervals of 
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 days from the date of silking. Since many factors may 
cause variations from year to year in results of this sort and a relatively small 
number of ears were used in the tests, too close analysis of the figures must not 
be made. Great care was exercised in selecting the ears so that the figures 
would be as accurate as possible and it is believed that they indicate the general 
progress of changes in ears of corn under most conditions. 
(b) The weight of the ear, and what is even more important the weight of 
the cut-off corn, continues to increase even 30 days after the date of silking. 
The most rapid increase was found to take place at between 15 and 20 days in 
the rapidly maturing corns and at between 20 and 25 days in the slow maturing 
varieties. 
(c) Country Gentleman gave the highest proportion of cut-off corn and 
Golden Bantam the lowest in these tests. The small number of rows to the 
ears in this latter together with the greater proportion of husk probably accounts 
for this result. Other varieties giving high proportions of cut-off corn were, 
Stowell’s Evergreen, Morse’s Golden Cream, Narrow Grained Evergreen and 
Old Colony. Of the early varieties Crosby, Dreer’s Golden Giant and Charlevoix 
gave fair yields. Few rows to the ear and shallow kernels result in low yields. 
(i d ) No data were obtained upon the total yield per acre. The figures given 
in these records are based upon average ear yields which may or may not have 
any relation to total yields of varieties per acre. 
