Parched maize, esp. the Zea everta.
1854. The farmer barters with an urchin tradesman for his last pint of pop-corn.—Yale Lit. Mag., xx. 29.
[“Popped corn” occurs on p. 225.]
1858. I got on the cars [after] flattening out an apple-boy and pop-corn vendor.—N.Y. Tribune, Jan. 14. (N.E.D.)
