The Field and Garden Vegetables of America Part 108

DARLING'S EARLY.

Darling's Early Sweet.

Stalk about five feet in height, and comparatively slender; the ears are from six to eight inches in length, an inch and a half in diameter, and, when the variety is unmixed, uniformly eight-rowed; the kernels are roundish, flattened, pure white when suitable for boiling,--much shrivelled or wrinkled, and of a dull, semi-transparent yellow, when ripe; the cob is white.

The variety is early, very tender and sugary, yields well, produces little fodder, ears near the ground, and is one of the best sorts for planting for early use, as it seldom, if ever, fails to perfect its crop. In the Middle States, and in the milder sections of New England, it may be planted for boiling until near the beginning of July.

The hills are made three feet apart in one direction by two feet and a half in the opposite; or the seeds may be planted in drills three feet apart, dropping them in groups of three together every eighteen inches.

EARLY JEFFERSON.

Stalk five to six feet high, producing one or two ears, which are of small size, eight-rowed, and measure six or eight inches in length, and about an inch and a half in diameter at the largest part; cob white; kernel white, roundish, flattened,--the surface of a portion of the ear, especially near its tip, often tinged with a delicate shade of rose-red.

The kernel retains its color, and never shrivels or wrinkles, in ripening.

The variety is hardy and productive, but is princ.i.p.ally cultivated on account of its early maturity; though, in this respect, it is little, if at all, in advance of Darling's. The quality is tender and good, but much less sugary than the common shrivelled varieties; on which account, however, it is preferred by some palates. It remains but a short time tender and in good condition for boiling; soon becoming hard, glazed, and unfit for use.

GOLDEN SWEET.

Golden Sugar.

Stalk and general habit similar to Darling's Early; ears six to eight inches long, an inch and a half or an inch and three-fourths in diameter, regularly eight-rowed; the kernel, when ripe, is semi-transparent yellow.

The variety is apparently a hybrid between the Common Yellow or Canada Corn and Darling's Early. In flavor, as well as appearance, both of these varieties are recognized. It does not run excessively to stalk and foliage, yields well, is hardy, and seldom fails to ripen perfectly in all sections of New England. For boiling in its green state, plantings may be made until the last week of June or first of July.

In respect to quality, it is quite tender, sweet, and well flavored, but less sugary than most of the other sugar or sweet varieties.

OLD COLONY. _Hov. Mag._

This variety was originated by the late Rev. A. R. Pope, of Somerville, Ma.s.s. At the time of its production, he was a resident of Kingston, Plymouth County, Ma.s.s.; and, in consequence of the locality of its origin, it received the name above given. In a communication at the close of the sixteenth volume of the "Magazine of Horticulture," Mr.

Pope describes it as follows:--

"It is a hybrid, as any one can readily perceive by inspection, between the Southern White and the Common Sweet Corn of New England; and exhibits certain characteristics of the two varieties, combining the size of the ear and kernel and productiveness of the Southern with the sweetness and tenderness of the Northern parent.

"The stalks are from ten to twelve feet in height, and of corresponding circ.u.mference. They are also furnished with brace-roots (seldom found upon the common varieties of Sweet Corn); and the pistils are invariably green, and not pink, as in the Southern White." The ears are from five to seven inches in length, and the number of rows varies from twelve to twenty; the kernels are very long or deep; and the cob, which is always white, is quite small compared with the size of the ear. When ripe, the kernels are of a dull, semi-transparent, yellowish white, and much shrivelled. The ears are produced on the stalk, four or five feet from the ground. It is very productive, but late; and though it will rarely fail in the coldest seasons to yield abundant supplies in the green state for the table, yet it requires a long and warm season for its complete maturity.

For cultivation in the Southern States and tropical climates, it has been found to be peculiarly adapted; as it not only possesses there the sweetness and excellence that distinguish the Sweet Corn of the temperate and cooler sections, but does not deteriorate by long cultivation, as other sweet varieties almost invariably are found to do.

PARCHING CORN (WHITE KERNEL).

Pop-corn.

Stalk six feet high, usually producing two ears, which are from six to eight inches long, quite slender, and uniformly eight-rowed; cob white; kernel roundish, flattened, glossy, flinty, or rice-like, and of a dull, semi-transparent, white color. When parched, it is of pure snowy whiteness, very brittle, tender, and well flavored, and generally considered the best of all the sorts used for this purpose.

In some parts of Ma.s.sachusetts, as also in New Hamps.h.i.+re, the variety is somewhat extensively cultivated for commercial purposes. Its peculiar properties seem to be most perfectly developed in dry, gravelly, or silicious soils, and under the influence of short and warm seasons. In field culture, it is either planted in hills three feet apart, or in drills three feet apart, and eighteen inches apart in the drills. The product per acre is usually about the same number of bushels of ears that the same land would yield of sh.e.l.led-corn of the ordinary field varieties.

Increase of size is a sure indication of deterioration. The cultivator should aim to keep the variety as pure as possible by selecting slender and small-sized but well-filled ears for seed, and in no case to plant such as may have yellow or any foreign sort intermixed. The value of a crop will be diminished nearly in a relative proportion to the increase of the size of the ears.

PARCHING CORN (YELLOW).

A yellow variety of the preceding. It retains its color to some extent after being parched; and this is considered an objection. It is tender, but not so mild flavored as the white, and is little cultivated. The size and form of the ears are the same, and it is equally productive.

RED-COB SWEET.

Ears about eight inches in length by a diameter of two inches,--usually twelve but sometimes fourteen rowed; kernels roundish, flattened, white when suitable for boiling, shrivelled, and of a dull, semi-transparent white when ripe; the cob is red, which may be called its distinguis.h.i.+ng characteristic. Quality good; the kernel being tender and sweet. It remains long in good condition for the table, and is recommended for general cultivation. Season intermediate.

A sub-variety occurs with eight rows; the form and size of the ear and kernel resembling Darling's Early.

RICE (RED KERNEL).

This is a variety of the White Rice, with deep purplish-red or blood-red kernels. The ears are of the same size and form. Its quality, though inferior to the white, is much superior to the yellow. Productiveness, and season of maturity, the same.

RICE (WHITE KERNEL).

Stalk six feet or more in height; ears five or six inches long, an inch and a half in diameter, somewhat conical, broadest at the base, and tapering to the top, which is often more or less sharply pointed; the cob is white; the kernels are long and slender, angular, sharply pointed at the outward extremity, as well as to some extent at the opposite, and extremely hard and flinty. They are not formed at right angles on the cob, as in most varieties of corn, but point upward, and rest in an imbricated manner, one over the other.

The variety is hardy and prolific; and, though not late, should have the benefit of the whole season. For parching, it is inferior to the Common Parching Corn before described, though it yields as much bulk in proportion to the size of the kernel, and is equally as white: but the sharp points often remain sound; and it is, consequently, less crisp and tender.

RICE (YELLOW KERNEL).

Another sub-variety of the White Rice; the ear and kernel being of the same form and size. It is equally productive, and matures as early; but, when parched, is inferior to the White both in crispness and flavor.

STOWELL'S EVERGREEN.

Stowell's Evergreen Sweet.

Stalk from six to seven feet in height, and of average diameter; ears of a conical form, six or seven inches long, and two inches and a quarter in diameter at the base; kernels long or deep, pure white when suitable for boiling, of a dull, yellowish-white, and much shrivelled when ripe; cob white, and, in consequence of the depth of the kernels, small in comparison to the diameter of the ear.

The variety is intermediate in its season; and, if planted at the same time with Darling's or equally early kinds, will keep the table supplied till October. It is hardy and productive, very tender and sugary, and, as implied by the name, remains a long period in a fresh condition, and suitable for boiling.

TUSCARORA.

Turkey Wheat.

Plant five to six feet in height, moderately strong and vigorous; ears eight-rowed, and of remarkable size,--exceeding, in this respect, almost every sort used for the table in the green state. In good soil, they are often a foot and upwards in length, and from two inches and three-fourths to three inches in diameter at the base. The kernel, which is much larger than that of any other table variety, is pure white, rounded, flattened, and, when divided in the direction of its width, apparently filled with fine flour of snowy whiteness; the cob is red, and of medium size.

In point of maturity, the Tuscarora is an intermediate variety. In its green state, it is of fair quality, and considered a valuable sort by those to whom the sweetness of the sugar varieties is objectionable. In their ripened state, the kernels, to a great extent, retain their fresh and full appearance, not shrivelling in the manner of the sugar sort, though almost invariably indented at the ends like some of the Southern Horse-toothed field varieties.