See quotation 1775.
1767. I take a cobb every morning, and a Basket full of Ears, and go out and shell ’em to the Sheep.—Boston-Gazette, Jan. 19.
1775. Afterwards exposed upon a hurdle in a small hut to the smoak of the inner part of the ears of corn, which is properly the receptacle of the seed, and called the cobs.—B. Romans, ‘Florida,’ p. 188.
1812. A Mill to grind Corn and Cob and Plaister.—Advt., Mass. Spy, Nov. 25.
1817. Cobbett. (N.E.D.)
1823. Such ears are selected as are fit for roasting, and the corn grated from the cob, by means of the side of a tin lanthron [sic], or some portion of an old coffee pot punched full of holes.—E. James, ‘Rocky Mountain Expedition,’ ii. 298.
1827. A cob [the man from the Middle States] calls a corn-cob.—Mass. Spy, Nov. 28: from the Berkshire American.
1829. Hogs are usually fattened with Indian corn, given whole on the cob.—Mass. Spy, Sept. 30.
1835. Between his left forefinger and thumb he held a corn-cob, as a substitute for a stopper.—Ingraham, ‘The South-West,’ ii. 25.
1856. Phil and myself occupied the two corners of the hearth, he employed in whittling a corn cob bowl for his pipe, for which, as I have had occasion to remark once before, he had a particular failing, when canaster was plenty; I in speculating upon the morrow.—Yale Lit. Mag., xxi. 145 (Feb.).
