CORN 



135 



161. Production and distribution. Corn is the most produc- 

 tive plant known. The world's corn crop is from 3,500,000,000 

 to 4,000,000,000 bushels a year. North America produces ap- 

 proximately 78 per cent of this yield ; Europe, about 1 5 per cent ; 

 and South America and Australia, the remaining 7 per cent. 

 The principal corn-producing countries outside the United 

 States are Austria-Hungary, Mexico, and Argentina, in the 

 order named. These three countries, together with the United 

 States, produce nearly nine tenths 



of the world's corn. Seven states, 

 Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, 

 Indiana, Kansas, and Ohio, produce 

 about three fifths of the corn of the 

 United States. 



162. The uses of corn. Nine 

 tenths of the corn grown in the 

 United States is fed to live stock. 

 The grain is unequaled for fatten- 

 ing all classes of farm stock. The 

 stalks, leaves, and husks are utilized 

 as roughage, either field-cured, pre- 

 served in the silo, or fed green. 

 A great variety of products come 

 from the corn plant : corn oil, for 

 salads, paints, lubricating purposes, 

 and rubber substitutes ; starch, for 



laundry purposes ; glucose, in the form of sugars, sirups, or can- 

 dies ; breakfast foods ; alcohol ; by-products, as germ meal, gluten 

 meal, and corn cake (some of which is used for feeding live stock) ; 

 paper, mattresses, collars, and packing materials, from the stalk 

 and leaves ; also part of the materials for powder, dynamite, cel- 

 lulose, mucilage, and films for cameras and for moving pictures. 



163. Adaptations to climate and soil. Corn is a temperate- 

 zone plant and, like barley and wheat, has a wide range of 

 growth. During the growing season it requires a high temper- 

 ature, bright but not too intense sunshine, and a heavy rainfall, 



FIG. 57. Reid's Yellow Dent 

 corn 



The middle one of these excellent 

 ears is claimed to be the most nearly 

 perfect ear which has been found. 

 (Photograph from Iowa State 

 College) 



