Corn-Preparation Tools

From the early days of the United States, corn was grown for livestock feed and human consumption. For livestock, husked ears of corn were usually dried and stored in corn cribs—ventilated structures that were open invitations to rats. Husking pegs or corn huskers were short metal or wooden rods, pointed on the end and often fitted to a leather strap that was worn around the hand so that the peg and sometimes a hook for pulling off the husks were in the palm of the hand. The first of dozens of U.S. corn hullers (huskers) was patented in 1836; previously they were homemade.