| Summary: | by the Mandans, that enabled the Lewis and Clark Expedition to survive the severe winter of 1804-05 at Fort Mandan, near present-day Washburn. By that time, however, corn was already an ancient crop. Corn (Zea mays L.) is actually a grass, which was first domesticated in what is now southern Mexico and Central America 6,000 or more years ago. It eventually spread throughout most of North America. It is generally believed that Columbus acquired corn on his second voyage to the New World and took it back to Europe. Today, it is grown on every continent, except Antarctica. In Europe, corn is known by one of its Native American names, maize. The word "corn" originally meant grain. In England corn means wheat; in Scotland it means oats. Types of Corn Although most North Dakotans are familiar with sweet corn - the kind you eat - very little of it is grown in the state on a commercial basis. Almost all the corn produced in North Dakota is field corn, also known as corn for grain. Dent (Zea mays indenata) Most field corn is dent corn, often used as livestock feed in industrial products, or to make processed foods. Dent corn is yellow or white. The corn gets its name from its indented kernels. Flint (Zea mays indurata) Also known as Indian corn, brightly colored flint corn has a hard outer shell and is used for similar purposes as dent corn. It is mostly grown in Central and South America. Flint corn is also used to make hominy, which is corn kernels that have been treated with alkali. Sweet (Zea saccharata or Zea rugosa) Sweet corn has more than double the natural sugars of other types of corn. It can be canned or frozen or eaten straight on the cob. Flour (Zea mays amylacea) Flour corn has a soft, starch-filled kernel. It is used in baked goods because it is easy to grind. Blue corn is an example of flour corn. It is usually white. Popcorn (Zea mays everta) A variety of flint corn, popcorn has a very hard shell covering a soft starchy center. Moisture inside the kernels turns to steam when Chapter Ten - Agriculture 553
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