CHAPTER VI. 



FIELD CROPS. 



The commanding position occupied in the world today 

 by American agriculture, is due in a large measure to the 

 new plants native to this country, and to the old ones 

 which so readily adapt themselves to our soil and climate 

 conditions. This list includes cotton, corn, potatoes, to- 

 bacco, wheat, oats, sugar cane, and many grasses and 

 other crops. Without our cotton, corn, wheat, and other 

 agricultural exports the balance of trade would be against 

 us, and the world would be denied its present abundance 

 of cheap clothing and food. 



Statistics of Corn. 



284. The total production of corn in 1889 was 2,122,- 

 000,000 bushels ; in 1899, 2.666,000,000 bushels, and in 

 1909, 2,552,000,000. What was the per cent of increase 

 or decrease during each ten years ? The twenty years ? 



285. The value of the 1899 corn crop was $828,000,- 

 000, and of the 1909 crop $1,439,000,000. What was the 

 average price per bushel for each year? Ans. 31 cents 

 in 1899, and 56 cents in 1909. 



286. The average yield of corn per acre in 1899 was 

 28.1 bushels ; and in 1909, 25.9 bushels. How many acres 

 were in corn each year? Per cent decrease in yield per 

 acre? 



287. A South Carolina farmer in 1899 produced 255 

 bushels of corn on one acre of land. How many times 

 greater is this yield than the average for the United States 

 for the same year ? Than for 1909 ? 



