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Hand-Pollination of Corn (Maize)

deluxestogie

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Verdict

Well, the verdict is in. The Missouri Meerschaum (MM) corncobs that JBD sent me win.

Garden20171125_3252_corncob_comparison_600.jpg


The biggest, fattest and heaviest corn ears were Boone County Kentucky (BC) corn (seed from BigBonner). They were bigger and fatter and heavier than the MM corn ears. However, once the tall, dense, heavy kernels were removed from the BC corn, the dried cob turned out to be quite a bit smaller than the MM dried cob. In addition, the hard, woody center of the MM cobs, though no denser than that of the BC cobs, is wider, and can be drilled to a larger diameter tobacco hole for a pipe bowl.

Now, my BC corncob sitter pipe is still a substantial pipe, but a thicker cob would have allowed a somewhat larger bowl capacity. I've made a number of other corncob pipes from cobs of other varieties. They are quite nice to smoke, but they are smallish.

Conclusion:
If you want to home-grow the best corncobs for a pipe, plant the MM secret variety seed. The only source that I know of for these seeds is aristocob.com: https://aristocob.com/Homegrown-Cob...-Meerschaum-Corn-Cob-Pipe-Seeds-P5681929.aspx
For $10, you get the seed, plus 2 drilled hardwood stems and 2 MM pipe bits. Missouri Meerschaum itself (www.corncobpipe.com) doesn't appear to offer the seed directly.

I suppose that had I planted a hundred or so BC seeds, I might have turned up a comparable cob in there somewhere, but then I would have ended up with a couple of dozen pounds of dried, shelled, field corn. There is a limit to how much hominy grits and cornbread I can consume in my life.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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Yesterday and today, I planted some Missouri Meerschaum Cob Corn seed (provided to me by jitterbugdude last year). With luck, I'll probably end up with 12 to 15 stalks, unless the critters locate every last seed that I put in the ground. If these cobs are just as fat as JBD's, then MM is the undisputed cob corn winner. If they are wimpy, then maybe all these giant varieties have a similar potential, but suffer from my corn-growing skills.

I'll post progress from time to time. Right now, it's just bare dirt.

Bob
 

Tobaccofieldsforever

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Yesterday and today, I planted some Missouri Meerschaum Cob Corn seed (provided to me by jitterbugdude last year). With luck, I'll probably end up with 12 to 15 stalks, unless the critters locate every last seed that I put in the ground. If these cobs are just as fat as JBD's, then MM is the undisputed cob corn winner. If they are wimpy, then maybe all these giant varieties have a similar potential, but suffer from my corn-growing skills.

I'll post progress from time to time. Right now, it's just bare dirt.

Bob
I know this is an old thread but what was the progress from this out of curiosity? Also wondering if you ever did anything with those buttress root stalks? I have tried many times in my younger days to pull buttress roots of chopped stalks out of the ground barehanded by the way. It looks like it would be so doable but I was never successful.
 

deluxestogie

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Each of the hand-pollinated ears produced cobs with mature kernels. So...successful. The buttress rooted stalk stubs have to be dug out with a spade.


Bob
 

Tobaccofieldsforever

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Each of the hand-pollinated ears produced cobs with mature kernels. So...successful. The buttress rooted stalk stubs have to be dug out with a spade.


Bob
ok thanks. I liked the look of that pipe, too bad it wasn't practical and a home to bugs. I don't blame you for tossing it for those reasons but it was a good idea and looked pretty cool.
 

deluxestogie

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You could probably make one bug-free, if you put that end of a stalk into your freezer for a week, then toss it into the kiln for a week or so. Even then, I would suggest putting a clear finish over the cut ends of the buttress roots. With all that, you end up with a pipe that won't stand well, that won't fit any know pipe stand or pipe rack, and that you can't really hold comfortably. Perfect for a mantel display.

Bob
 
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