190 Kansas Academy of Science. 



production for the years 1904 to 1913* inclusive, wheat has yielded 

 3,487,008,100 bushels, while the figures for corn for the same period are 

 3,662,229,400 bushels. The greatest yield of wheat in any one year was 

 obtained in 1913, and was 4,128,711,000 bushels. The greatest yield of 

 corn was in 1912, when it reached 4,371,888,000 bushels. It will be noted 

 that in the average and in the maximum corn outranks wheat if the 

 yield be stated in bushels. However, since wheat weighs sixty pounds to 

 the bushel, while corn weighs only fifty-six, the weights for wheat are 

 somewhat larger. The yield of oats is also about the same in bushels but 

 much less in weight, while rye and barley each furnish about one-half as 

 much. The fact that of the enormous total production of corn three- 

 fourths is harvested in this country is ample basis for the saying, "Corn 

 is king." Corn is easily the leading cereal of this country, and no other 

 country possesses so large an area of soil adapted to corn culture. Argen- 

 tine is next to us in production, but follows at a long distance. Hungary, 

 Roumania and Italy are third, fourth and fifth in rank. The study of 

 the nutritional value of corn is a problem commensurate in its impor- 

 tance with the magnitude of the world yield. 



If the composition of corn be compared with that of other cereals, we 

 may note that it is richer in fat than is wheat, and is somewhat lower in 

 protein and carbohydrates. Comparing bolted corn meal with wheat 

 flour it is seen that the superiority as to fat possessed by corn is not con- 

 ferred upon corn meal. This is because the germs are largely removed 

 by the bolting, and these carry more than three-fourths of the total fat 

 of the grain. Corn meal furnishes twice as much ash as does wheat flour, 

 and a somewhat greater quantity of carbohydrates. When we compare 

 corn or corn meal with the polished rice of commerce, we see that in 

 respect to all constituents except carbohydrates, corn is superior. Kafir 

 corn, which fairly represents the sorghums, is also of special interest in 

 this state, and is seen to be strikingly similar to corn in composition, but 

 is poorer in fat. On the whole it may be noted that the seeds of all of 

 these related plants have a strong general resemblance in composition. 



The composition and physical character of the grain of different 

 varieties of corn vary greatly. Sweet corn is one of the most delicious 

 of vegetables when cooked in a green state, and its attractiveness is 

 not altogether destroyed by canning or drying. The canning of sweet 

 corn constitutes an extensive industry in this country, and the product 

 adds much to the diversity of the bill of fare throughout the year. 

 Dried sweet corn has a more delicate flavor, though of harder texture. 

 Popcorn either with or without additions is a dainty of no mean order. 

 However important these varieties of corn might otherwise seem, they 

 are depressed into insignificance when brought into contrast with their 

 coarser but more luxuriant brother, common field corn. 



In utilizing the corn grain there is opportunity for still greater di- 

 versity of products than is the case with the stalks. The corn kernel 

 consists of three well-defined parts, namely, the thin wall or bran sur- 

 rounding the remainder of the kernel; the germ or embryo; and the 

 endosperm, which constitutes by far the greater part by weight. The 



* Year Book U. S. Dept. of Agr., 1914. 



