574 MAN AS A CONQUEROR 



that invested in the manufactures of this great producing country 

 of ours. Diversified farming is becoming more and more general. 

 Market-gardening forms the lucrative business of many thousands 

 of people near our great cities, and in many of our southern states 

 where raising cotton has given place to diversified farming. With 

 improved methods of canning and preserving, over $165,000,000 worth 

 of fruits and vegetables are used annually in addition to fresh garden 

 products sold in markets or consumed by the grower. 



Orchard and other fruits play an important part in agriculture. 

 The citrus crop of the world has greatly increased in recent years 

 because of the dissemination of knowledge of its value in producing 

 vitamins. Grapes are commercially valuable for wine and raisins, 

 while figs, olives, and dates play important parts as staple foods in 

 many parts of the world. Nuts of various kinds are valued sources of 

 oils and proteins. Sugar comes from sugar cane, beets, and the maple, 

 its manufacture ranking as an important industry in many parts of 

 the world. 



Tea leaves with coffee and cocoa beans form the basis of man's 

 most important beverages. The annual tea production of the world 

 is estimated at over 17,000,000,000 pounds, while coffee has a yearly 

 production of over 3,000,000,000 pounds. Cocoa, with an annual 

 production of close to 1,000,000,000 pounds, is used in candy-making 

 as well as furnishing the basis for a variety of beverages. 



Spices of various kinds, vegetable oils, and various drugs are all 

 plant products of considerable economic importance. 



Fiber plants rank high in our list of economically valuable crops. 

 Cotton, in addition to its use in the home, has an important place 

 in the manufacture of cellophane, guncotton, smokeless powder, 

 and as the basis of celloidin lacquers and varnishes so necessary 

 in the automobile industry. From its seeds a valuable oil is de- 

 rived, while its refuse makes fodder for cattle. Other important 

 fiber crops are flax, the bast fibers of which are made into linen, 

 while hemp, abaca, sisal, and henequen are used for making twine 

 and rope. 



The values of forest products need only be mentioned. Wood is 

 important in the construction of buildings, shipbuilding, airplane 

 construction, furniture, and trim as well as in the rayon and paper 

 industries. Scores of important chemicals are derived from wood. 

 Man still uses a surprisingly large amount of wood for fuel, especially 

 where forests are still existent. The latex of the BraziHan rubber tree 



