The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-11
South CAROLINA CORN BEST.
ExPE;RISIENTNs PROVE THAT
THIS STATES PRODUCT IS
af SWEETEST.
Chemistry Expert Supplies Some In
tercsting Information Based OH a
Comparison Of Corn Grown In
south Carolina, Florida, Mary
land, Connecticut, New Jersey and
Maine.

Wiley. chief of the bureau of chem
istry. department OF agriculture. to-
day gave the News and Courier cor
respondent an interesting story con-
cerning studies carried on by him
I'm Florida. South Carolina, Mary
land. Connecticut. New Jersey and
Maine. TO ascertain where the best
sweet corn cvould be grown. These
experiments covered four years. and
In three of them South Carolina
grown corn showed better results
than any of the other States In the
group.
This Interesting story. however. as
told l.. Mr.. wiley's own words.
is as follows:
'In reviewing the investigation.
the fact that the corn with the high
est percentage Of sugar was grown
I'm south Carolina seems OF prime
importance. II has always been held
that corn grown In the South soon
lost Its sweetness. South Carolina
held the distinction Of producing
the highest percentage of sugar In
the Crosby corn three out of four
years. and In 1905 1t was practically
equal to the highest; and for two
OF the four years II made the high
est record with Stowell Evergreen.
In 1907 and 1908. when South Caro-
lima stool third. II should be noted
that Florida and Maryland were the
stations producing the corn bearing
the highest sugar content. Connec-
ticut being the lowest The corn
does not make 80 vigorous q growth
either In Florida or In South Caro-
lima a. II does In Connecticut. bnt II
n as strong a. the Maine corn.
Maryland corn was much more Wig
orous that that grown In Florida.
South Carolina. or Maine. but did
not appear to equal the average
Connecticut corn In size Of stalk.
The kernels OF Southern-grown
corn do not present the same physi-
cal appearance as that of the North
srn-srown corn. both the germ and
the kernel being larger in the FORM
or.
Referring TO the summary Of anal
yses Of sweet corn for ne four years
1906. 1905. 1907 and 1908. It will be
noticed that the sugar content of
the Crosby variety is. with few
exceptions. higher than that Of the
stowell Evergreen. This would be
sxpected. a. q high sugar content
10 characteristic Of the Crosby varie-
ty.
Comparing the results Of the In
dividual years. the highest sugar
values are found In 1905 and the
lowest In 1906. and the 1908 aver
ages are between the two. The ex-
tremely high sugar content of the
corn grown at South Carolina in
1906 and the low percentage found
at New Jersey In 1905 and at Con-
necticut In 1908 are In all probabiii-
~ due to the distribution of the
rainfall. II will be remembered that
during the early stages Of growth In
New Jersey In 1905 such severe
drought ocurrred that the Crosby va
riety Of corn did not reach the edi-
Bile condition. and for a time II was
thought that no Stowell Evergreen
would be secured. and at the Con-
nccticut station during August 1908,
during the period when the sugars
are formed. s.t2 inches fell. During
the growing season Of 1905 the rain.
fall was usually heavy all along the
Atlantic coast. and at each station
the average sugar content was below
the average of 1906. 1907 and 1908.
IL. The content OF sugar la sweet
Indian corn does not depend SO
much on temperature and length Of
day as Is the case with the sugar
beet. In the latter case the content
~ sugar NdlitS inNtT~tly with the
temperature, provided the latter Is
such as to permit normal growth
In other words. the lower the tenn
perature during the growing season
(within reasonable llmlts) the high
er the content OF sugar. This does
net appear to be the case with sweet
Indian corn, since higher average
content Is found In south Carolina
and Florida than In Connecticut and
Maine.
"2. The content OF sugar I'm sweet
Indian corn rapidly diminishes after
the ear Is separated from the stalk.
The speed OF the diminution depends
largely on the temperature. being