Here's a quiz to test your
knowledge about Corn In
Ontario.
1. An acre of forest is more beneficial to the environment than an acre
of corn.
FALSE - An acre of corn is as beneficial to the
environment as an acre of forest trees. Both have large leaf areas that
absorb lots of carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the entire
summer period. The plant residue left after grain corn harvest is
returned to the soil as organic matter.
2. Grain corn can be harvested
approximately 60 days after planting.
FALSE - This is true of sweet corn. However, grain corn
is left standing in the field to fully mature and dry. Grain corn is
usually harvested in October or November.
3. The corn plant has both
male and female parts.
TRUE - The silk is the female part while the tassel is
the male part.
4. Corn is part of the grass
family.
TRUE - Theory has it that kernels of corn once had
individual floral parts like oats, and cobs that broke apart easily -
unlike the ears and husks which we know as corn today.
5. Grain corn by-products can
be found in over 2,000 items.
TRUE - In a typical 10,000 item grocery store, corn
can be found in at least 2,500 products.
6. Sweet corn and grain corn
are the same.
FALSE - Sweet corn has a higher sugar and water content
and its use is for corn-on-the-cob, frozen and niblet corn. Grain corn
has many uses for both edible and non-edible products.
7. Acreage for sweet corn
exceeds acreage for grain corn in Ontario.
FALSE - Sweet corn accounts for about 5% of the total
corn acreage grown in Ontario.
8. Popcorn is grown only in
the central part of the United States.
FALSE - Popcorn is grown in Ontario - moreso in the
southern part of the province.
9. Typically, you can get six
ears of corn or more per stalk of corn.
FALSE - In ideal growing conditions you may get two
fully matured ears of corn. Normally one fully matured ear is harvested
and a second ear can be seen, but is not well developed.
10. Corn develops from a small
seed to a plant that is typically 2-3.5 m (6.5-11.5 ft) tall.
TRUE
11. The word "corn" can refer
to maize, wheat, oats and grain sorghum.
TRUE - However, in Canada and the United States,
"corn" usually means maize. The scientific name is Zea mays. Other
names are "mais" (French) and "maiz" (Spanish).
12. Each kernel of corn, when
planted, will produce 300-1,000 or more, kernels.
TRUE - An ear of corn when matured will normally have
10-18 rows of kernels with up to 50 kernels per row. Good growing
conditions in Ontario will mean ears with 600-800 kernels of corn.
How well did you do?
6-7 right? A good start!
8-9 right? A B-plus in "cornology."
10-11 right? FARMER STATUS: Outstanding in your field!
12 right? Truly a-MAIZE-ing!
All credit and thanks for this
Quiz goes to the Ontario Corn Producers Association.
If It's Not From The
Forest, It's Not Wild!
Mike Poulin,
James Bay Wild Fruit
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