® CORN SALAD or FETTICUS 
Large Leaved 45 days 
Plant—rounded, thick, medium grey-green tender leaves that grow in the form 
of a rosette. 
Sometimes called Lamb’s Lettuce. Used in salads or cooked like Spinach, 
SWEET CORN 
Since 1884, Northrup, King & Co. have been actively engaged in the production and 
merchandising of sweet corn. Throughout the years all sweet corn produced has been 
grown under the direction of trained personnel. During this period nearly all the strains 
of standard open pollinated varieties have been improved and several new varieties have 
been originated and introduced. 
During the last 26 years, new and more effective corn breeding methods have been 
developed. The same principles of breeding that have made hybrid field corn what it is 
today have been applied to sweet corn. As a result of this work, sweet corn hybrids are 
replacing most of the older open pollinated varieties. 
This method of corn breeding involves the development of pure lines or strains (in- 
breds) by years of inbreeding and careful selection. The process requires at least five 
years to develop each inbred parent. During the inbreeding work, countless undesirable 
plants are discarded for each one selected and perpetuated. Vigor and size are neces- 
sarily sacrificed for purity and uniformity. Then, after two selected compatible inbreds 
are crossed, hybrid vigor results and the single cross hybrid is superior in every re- 
spect to the corn from which the inbred parents originated. These points of superiority 
are increased yield, more vigorous growth, disease resistance, greater plant and ear 
uniformity as well as better quality. 
Seed should not be saved from corn planted with hybrid seed because there is a 
genetic break up with definite loss in vigor and uniformity as compared with the first 
generation hybrid seed. A true hybrid variety must be newly crossed for each seed 
crop with carefully maintained parent lines. This is done by alternate planting of the 
inbred parents, through detasseling of the female rows, careful rogueing and proper 
isolation from other varieties. 
Northrup, King & Co. started inbreeding and crossing sweet corn in 1922, and 
were one of the first to institute such an intensive breeding program. Today our sweet 
corn breeding and trial grounds are among the largest in the country. Modern princi- 
ples and techniques are used to originate new and better hybrids for all classes of trade. 
Maturity dates are from emergence to canning or eating stage. 
A Northrup, King & Co. Hybrid Sweet Corn Production Field in Idaho 
PAGE 27 
