Plant Industries and Climatic Plant Formations 359 



I 



f. .S'. Dept. of Agriculture 



Fig. 224. Map showing the spring wheat acreage in the United States. 



The Great Plains. Originally the plains were the grazing lands 

 of the continent, and as the buffaloes were killed off cattle took 

 their place. At first the cattle were driven from one locality to 

 another, whenever the grass gave out or water became scarce; 

 and they were generally driven southward in the winter and north- 

 ward in the summer. But as the land came into private owner- 

 ship, ranches were established, and in addition to grazing at- 

 tempts were made to grow crops. Durum or " hard " wheat 

 was introduced from the steppes of Russia ; thus wheat growing 

 became possible 300 miles farther west than previously. From 

 Africa came a grain-producing sorghum known as " kafir 

 corn " and the millet called " milo," both of which thrive under 

 plains conditions. The growing of broomcorn, another variety 

 of sorghum, has become centralized in Texas, Oklahoma, and 

 Kansas. The flowering branches of this plant furnish the straws 

 for brooms. 



The greatest forage crop of the central plains is alfalfa. This 

 is a perennial, deep-rooted clover that thrives on well-drained 



