352 General Botany 



V. S. Dept. of Agriculture 



Fig. 219. Acreage of corn grown for grain in 1919. This crop is raised over most of the 

 deciduous forest region, but the greatest production is in the prairie region because of the 

 fertility of the prairie soils. 



The northern deciduous forest region was formerly the center 

 of production of sugar from the sugar beet. These plants re- 

 quire the richest of agricultural land. Michigan was at one time 

 the leading beet-sugar state ; but there are now scattered fac- 

 tories from California and Washington to Ohio, and irrigation 

 has recently made Colorado the leader in the production of beet 

 sugar. 



Certain soils of the deciduous forest region, from Kentucky and 

 Pennsylvania to North Carolina and Virginia, are much utilized 

 for the growing of tobacco. This is a highly profitable crop and 

 gives a large return for each acre planted. In growing leaves 

 for cigar wrappers it is important that they be large, thin, and 

 have small bundles in the veins. Such leaves are secured, par- 

 ticularly in the Connecticut Valley, by growing the plants under 

 canvas ; this reduces the transpiration rate of the leaves, increases 

 the size, and insures all the desired qualities. Burley tobacco 



