Source for Hickory Cane Corn

[Ken Scharabok]

As some may recall a couple of years ago I found a neighbor was still growing (a heirloom) corn - Hickory Cane - and made seed available here. It was once very popular in much of the SE portion of the U.S. for white corn meal, homily (sp?) and moonshine. Traditionally it is a VERY tall, late season corn with one or two very large ears. There are eight rows of very large kernels. Other names may have been Mammoth White Dent or Horse Corn.

However, my neighbor, due to advancing age, stopped growing it and I no longer have any viable seed of it.

There has been speculation today's widely available Hickory King is the same, but my research indicate it is a cross between Hickory Cane and another white sweetcorn. While the stalks grow tall, there can be 8, 10 or 12 rows of kernels.

I have not verified this source of Hickory Cane, but it comes from a reliable source: Baisden Brothers, 340 Riverview Ave, Logan, WV 25601 (304-752-3775). Apparently currently two pounds for $6.00. Don't know if they would be willing to ship.

Should one of you be interested, perhaps you can make a bulk purchase and then distribute out to others interested.

For those who obtained seed earlier, how did it do for you (and your location please).

[Oldcountryboy]

It done great for me here in N.E. Oklahoma. Unfortunately I've lost all my seeds. I skipped one summer of growing it and the next year when I opened my canister up it was full of weevill worms and I could only find a small handful of seeds to restart with. I grew them but before they could get dry enough on the stalk to harvest, the darn raccoons and possums ate em up. So now I no longer have any of your seeds.

But I really couldn't tell the difference between them and hickory king corn that I grew last summer. The hickory king got up around 12 - 14 ft. tall also and had very much the same style as the Hickory cane you gave me. I'm not an expert corn grower, but they seemed very much the same to me.