Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-05-31
THE SWEET CORN
INDUSTRY OF MAINE.


| PURPOSES If becoming one OF the Breetes'
and most profita BILE industries in Maine.
Maine possesses q particular advantage
over any other state in the development Of
this industry from the fact that Maine
sweet corn is everywhere recognized a.
the choicest in quality Of any grown in all
the country. 1t also sells for higher
prices and the growers are consequently
receiving a higher price for it than is paid
for canned corn that is grown anywhere
outside of Maine.
Nor is this all the advantage Maine has
| in this industry. The more intensive and
| intelligent methods Of cultivation OF re-
cent years have proved that the largest
Yields per acre are grown in Maine. Thus,
we see that the soil and climate OF Maine
are such that the state not only produces
sweet corn of superior quality, but it will
also grow larger yield per acre.
The writer received $50 the past season
| from single acre OF corn at 2A cents .
| pound, and he also knows OF instances
| where growers have received as high .
price as $40 per acre as an average for
several acres.
| This industry, founded in Maine fifty
years ago, has increased until the output
OF the factories the past year exceeded
Loo, 900 cases, or more than q, 000,0 900
cans.
The price paid years ago was ~ cents
per pound for cut corn, bat gradually this
has increased until jim 1910 the farmers
realized ~ cents per pound.
Through system OF critical selection OF
seed and a more thorough method Of
growing, corn, which formerly cut
twenty-s six to thirty pounds to the bushel,
has this year cut thirty-five to forty
pounds. The average realized by the
growers this year has been practically go
per acre, against as in 1905 and 1907.
In all the history of the industry there
has not been year when the yield OF cut
corn per hundred pounds OF ears has been
as heavy as in 1910. l have phenomenal
records OF growers all over the sweet corn
territory. There is not q factory but has
paid some of the patrons at the rate OF 600
and more per acre for cut corn.
l believe, with proper care and more
intensive culture, that every farmer ought
| to get, with the one fourth OF cent rise
in the price which we will receive this
year, from 900 to sl40 per acre for his
sweet corn, besides the fodder, which
makes valuable feed for cows, ss it can
corn is picked. Also, the small ears
which are left in the fodder, as well as the
husks and cobs hauled home from the
factory, make an excellent feed for pigs
and cattle.
The season for picking sweet corn gen.
orally begins early in September, before
the rush OF the general harvest season.
1t has been claimed by sane agricul-
turalists that sweet corn takes more plant
food from the soil than other crops,
because the soil needs to be very rich to
grow the crop. The writer, however, has
not found this to be the case. While the
soil must be in Q higher state Of fertility
to grow sweet corn than some other crops,
it still leaves the soil in higher state OF
fertility when the crop is harvested so
that the extra fertilizer required in grow
ing this crop above other crops should not
be charged to the sweet corn, but should
be credited to the enhanced value Of the
land as the result OF the higher state OF
cultivation.
Not until recent years has the farming
community, as q whole, realized the pos
sibilities Of their soil in growing potatoes,
and firmly believe that they have yet to
learn the possibilities OF their soil in
growing sweet corn.
Sweet corn is the only crop the farmer
grows that he knows the price to be re-
ceived for it when the seed is put into the
ground. While the crop is considered
more uncertain than potatoes, the price is
more certain. There is between II ,000, 900
and 2, 000, 900 invested in this industry in
the state OF Maine.
In 1910 there were 81 $40 acres OF sweet
corn planted for the factories in this state,
from which the farmers received an
average Of 80 per acre, making q total OF
3, 263, $40. II the growers had received the
extra quarter OF . cent which they are to
have this year, it would make q difference
OF 5,659. IS extra profit.
1t seems with sweet corn, as with pota-
toes, that the largest yield per acre il
grown in Maine and the people are APP
preciating more the possibilities OF Maine
soil, and the ease with which wealth may
be obtained in rural life when art and
science join hands and the advice of Hor-
ace Greeley will no longer be needed
even though the spirit Of empire may con-
tinue to take its flight westward.
The future success of the sweet corn
industry OF Maine will rest upon the
quality of the product. II the high stand
ard which it now possesses is continued
or so long as Maine cans quality thai
cannot be duplicated outside OF the state
the output will continue to command Z
higher price in the market than any other
This nigh quality will be its protection
from any grown outside of the state, bui
il the quality is allowed to deteriorate u
as to come in competition with sweet corr
grown in other parts OF the country, the
price will go down. This superior qualit,
depends upon the critical selection Of the
seed. Fine-grained, mediums sized ear
must be raised for seed, as they will pro-
duce finer grade Of corn than the large