THE
CHEM AW A
A M E R IC A N
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the corn is ju st dry enough and heat is properly applied, the m oisture
in the starch cells expands until the horny case can no longer stand the
p ressu re and gives aw ay w ith a snap. T h e horny case g iv in g way re
lieves th e outw ard pressure on the starch cells and they also break open
at the same tim e, m ak in g a w hite transform ed mass.
Poppcorn to be of an y value to the confectioner m ust lie in a condition
to transform into a w hite flaky mass. In popping it loses o n e-ten th in
w eight and gains about sixteen tim es in bulk.
T h ere is a knack in the
art of poping corn. If th e popper allow s th e corn to lay still over a hot
fire, the cells on one side of the kernel are heated more than on the
other side, so w hen the horny case snaps, all the starch cells do not
break open and a poor pop is the result. T he heat m ust be evenly applied
to all cells of the kernel and to the right am ount so all the starch cells
will break open when the horny case snaps.
Keep th e kernels on the
move continually until the corn is all popped.
Popcorn is successfully grown in most of the states in the northern
half of the U nited S tates, and in a few of the Southern States.
T he
great bulk of the crop is grow n in Iowa, M ichigan, Illinois. W isconsin,
and N ebraska. You may get some idea of the popcorn in d u stry when
you learn th at m ore than three hundred carloads are shipped annually
from one station in Iowa.
A ny well drained upland soil th a t is rich in vegetable m atter is su ita
ble for grow ing popcorn.
M uck and beaver-dam land usually liberate
an excessive am ount of nitrogen d u rin g the warm w eather the latter
part of the season w hich causes an excessive grow th of stalk and late
m aturity .
W hatever the soil may be. th ere m ust be a sufficient supply of the
p lan t food elem ents. T he elem ent most likely to be short on the u p
land is nitrogen, unless there has been a liberal supply of b arn y ard
m anure. A clover sod th at has received a coating of m anure m akes an
ideal feeding ground for corn. D uring the early part of th e season
there will be a deficiency of available nitrogen, so to give the corn a
good start, sow one h u n d red pounds of n itrate of soda to the acre when
the corn is about six inches tall. If you have not a very good supply
of m anure, mix together four h u n d red pounds of acid phosphate and
one h u n d red pounds of su lp h ate of potash for each acre. Sow this
m ix tu re broadcast and work into the soil before you plant the corn.
C ultivate your corn before you plant it. W hat I mean by th is sta te
m ent is th is - work the soil into a fine condition before you plant the
seed. Plant in checks not nearer than th irty inches each way, leaving
three plants to m ature in each hill. T h e corn can be worked both ways
in keeping down the weeds and m aking the earth mulch to hold m ois
tu re. Practice shallow and constant cultivation. Tw o or three inches