9,000 acres were frozen out, to 13,600 acres in 1957. Acreage for winter
harvest in 1962 was 8,600. From 22,000 to 31,000 acres of corn have been
harvested each spring since 1953. In 1962 spring harvested acreage was
29,200.9

 Yields per acre have increased as new varieties and better methods
of insect and disease control were introduced. During the 10-year period
1952-53 to 1961-62, season average yields have ranged between 63 and 95
hundredweights per acre. Yields of fall corn ranged from 38 hundredweights
in 1956 to 80 hundredweights in 1955. Winter corn yields have ranged
between 40 and 82 hundredweights in the 1958 and 1955 seasons, respectively.
Yields for the spring crop were 67 hundredweights in 1957 and 100 hundred-
weights in the 1955 season.10

 Production of sweet corn was 2,211,000 hundredweights in 1952-53 and
3,529,000 hundredweights in 1961-62. Average production during the 1959-60
to 1961-62 seasons was 3,054,000 hundredweights.11

 South Florida is the largest sweet corn producing area in the state.
During the past 10 seasons from 71 to 81 percent of the state's production
has been in South Florida, from 18 to 27 percent in Central Florida and
about 1 percent in North Florida.

 Of the total production in Florida from 1959-60 to 1961-62, Palm
 Beach County produced an average of 73.2 percent, with 3.3 percent in Other
 South Florida counties. In the Central Florida area the counties of Lake,
 Orange, Marion and Seminole produced 22.0 percent and all other counties
 1.5 percent.12


 Production Practices

 Modern and specialized farm machinery is used for land preparation,
 planting, cultivating and harvesting the crop. Most growers use multiple-
 row tractor-drawn equipment for planting, spraying and cultivating
 operations. All producers purchase certified hybrid seed each year and
 generally follow recommended practices for fertilizer rates, insect and
 disease control and other practices.

 Seed and seeding.--The yellow seeded varieties are dominant but
 interest is increasing in white varieties of corn. Among the yellow seeded
 varieties, Golden Security, Seneca Wampum, Gold Rush, Florigold and R-8
 are important. Among the white seeded varieties Silver Liner and White
 Hybrid No. 31 are most popular. From 10 to 18 pounds of seed are required


 9USDA, AMS, loc. cit.

 10Ibid.

 11Appendix Table 2.

 12Appendix Table 3.