FRUITS 65 



of even greater money value to this country. Nearly six hundred and sixty 

 miUion of bushels were raised in this country in 1900, representing a total 

 money value of $ 500,000,000. Seventy-two per cent of all the wheat raised 

 comes from the North Central States and California. About three fourths 

 of the wheat crop is exported, nearly one half of it to Great Britain. Wheat 

 has its chief use in its manufacture into flour. This forms the chief industry 

 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and several other large and wealthy cities in this 

 country. The germ, or young wheat plant, is sifted from the flour and 

 made into breakfast foods. 



Other Fruits. — Of the other grain and cereals raised in this country, 

 oats are the most important crop. Hay as a fodder crop is of great value 

 next to that of corn, nearly $500,000,000 worth being raised every year. 

 Buckwheat, barley, and rye are also raised in considerable amounts, but are 

 relatively unimportant commercially. Among our fruits cotton is probably 

 that of the most importance to the outside w^orld. Over ten million bales 

 of five hundred pounds each are raised annually. Of this amount a large 

 amount is exported, the United States producing over three fourths of 

 the world's cotton supply. The relation of source and distribution of the 

 cotton crop can be seen by a glance at the accompanying diagram. 



Other important fruit crops might be mentioned. There are over one 

 hundred and seventy-five million bushels of apples produced every year in 

 the United States. Pears, peaches, plums, cherries, and grapes play an 

 important part in the crop, especially in California, which produces yearly 

 over seven hundred million pounds of grapes, over fifty per cent of the total 

 yield in the United States. 



Reference Books 



for the pupil 



Dana, Plants and Their Children, pages 27-49. American Book Company. 

 Goff and Mayne, First Principles of Agriculture. American Book Company. 

 Atkinson, First Studies of Plant Life, Chap. XXIII. Ginn and Company. 

 Bailey, Lessons with Plants, pages 251-314. The Macmillan Company. 

 Bailey, Botany, Chaps. XXI, XXII. The Macmillan Company. 

 Coulter, Plant Studies, Chap. VI. D. Appleton and Company. 

 Beal, Seed Dispersal. Ginn and Company. 

 Newell, Reader in Botanij, pages 97-137. Ginn and Company. 



FOR THE TEACHER 



Bailey, The Evolution of our Native Fruits. The Macmillan Company. 

 Bailey, Plant Breeding. The Macmillan Company. 

 Hodge, Nature Study and Life, Chaps. X, XI. Ginn and Company. 

 Sargent, Corn Plants. Houghton, Mifflin, and Company. 



Kerner (translated by Oliver), Natural History of Plants. Henry Holt and Com- 

 pany. 4 Vols. Vol. II, Part 2. 

 hunter's BIOL. — 5 



