Randall Scott DiPalo, age 8, of Montoursville, Pa., for his question:
WHAT IS INDIAN CORN?
Corn is the most valuable crop grown in the United States. It is also one of the world’s four most important crops, joining wheat, rice and potatoes. Fifty percent of the world’s total corn crop is grown in the United States, with the largest part of the supply being used to feed this country’s hogs, cattle, sheep and poultry.
Corn was first grown in North America. Fossilized‘ grains have been found in Mexico that may be 60,000 years old.
Corn was unknown in Europe until Columbus discovered it in the New World. The Indians grew corn, and it was an important part of their lives. Indians showed early settlers how to grow it.
Indian corn, as the term is used, could mean any of the six types of corn grown at the present time: dent, sweet, flint, popcorn, flour corn and pod corn. The type of corn used by the Indians in their planting lessons with settlers was flint corn, commonly called field corn.
Indians in the olden days also grew corn with red, black, pink and blue kernels. Today this type of corn is often called Indian corn. It can be found growing all the way from Canada to the southern tip of South America. Some of the kernels even have bands, spots and stipes of color.
Corn used by the Indians had kernels that ranged in size from no larger than a grain of wheat to about an inch wide. The grain played an important part in the religious life of many American Indian tribes. Elaborate ceremonies were held at planting and harvesting time, and corn patterns were also used to decorate works of art, pottery and sculpture.
Early colonists in America used Indian corn as a type of money. People would often use corn to pay rent or taxes. There were even occasions when it was used to purchase marriage licenses and pay debts.
Until about 1900, all corn grown in the United States was just about the same as it was when the Indians first introduced it to the settlers. But then farmers started to work in improving the quality of their corn.
In 1905 a geneticist by the name of George Shull produced the first hybrid corn.
More than nine tenths of the corn grown in the United States today is hybrid. Hybrids have an ability to withstand pests, diseases and drought. All ears ripen at the same time, and the stalks and roots are stronger than on other types of corn. Plants are also more uniform and stand up better. It is easier to harvest hybrid corn with mechanical equipment than the ordinary type.