bloody butcher n, also attrib
1 also rarely blood and butcher: A var of Indian corn n 1 having red or partially red kernels.
1869 New Engl. Farmer 3.78 csMI, My man said “We can beat them,” and on going to the crib brought in an ear 11¾ inches long. . . The variety is known in this neighborhood as the “Bloody Butcher,” of which I send you a few kernels, as a specimen. . . Remarks.—The kernels received are beautifully striped with deep red; the ground being faint yellow and white. 1897 Waterloo Daily Courier (IA) 10 Sept 5/3, The Courier has three ears of the finest corn ever grown. . . The variety shown is called the “bloody butcher.” The ears are fully 15 inches long and are filled with large kernels. 1921 KS Ag. Exper. Sta. Manhattan Bulletin 227.35, Bloody Butcher is a name applied to corn having a deep red grain. . . Colby Bloody Butcher is the only variety of this class that has proved to be an outstanding one in any part of the state. 1935 Hyatt Folkl. Adams Co. IL 280, If you have a tumor, take red clover blossoms and bloody butcher corn (red corn) and make a tea of it. 1937 DN 6.594 cwIL, “Bloody butcher” corn, for red corn. 1955 Corsicana Daily Sun (TX) 1 Oct 12/3, Lathan’s first place entries of $1 each were for sweet potatoes, brown crowder peas, and bloody butcher corn. 1968 DARE Tape IN30, There was a type of red corn and they called it bloody butcher. They’d get some bloody butcher corn and then they would hide a few ears of bloody butcher corn in these corn piles and whoever found the red ear would get to kiss the girl of his choice. 1983 Montell Don’t Go Up 49 csKY, Some farmers grew . . blood and butcher corn, named for the red kernels (“blood”) among the white (“butcher”) on the ear. 2001 Joplin Globe (MO) 21 Jan sec E 3/3, He also plants and talks about varieties [of corn] such as Bloody Butcher, Hickory Cane, . . and Silver King. 2008 Aiken Std. (SC) 17 July sec A 7/1, The program will feature the plantation’s heirloom vegetable and herb garden where heirloom vegetables like Moon & Stars watermelon . . and Bloody Butcher Corn are grown.
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