So MAIZE 



CHAP, in greenhouses for the very early market (Rane, i). Virginia, 

 ln " North Carolina, and Georgia are the only ones of the Atlantic 

 States which produce any quantity of maize grain. The im- 

 mediate coast region of the South Atlantic States is not much 

 of a maize zone, partly on account of the character of the soil. 



42. Canada. — The Canadian climate, speaking broadly, is 

 better suited to wheat than to maize. But a number of the 

 earlier-maturing breeds are grown and ripen grain in the 

 eastern portion of Ontario Province, and the southern part of 

 the Provinces of Montreal and Quebec. Ontario has about 

 332,000 acres, and Quebec 33,000 under maize. 



43. Mexico. — As is the case in most of the Latin-American 

 countries, the agricultural resources of Mexico are by no means 

 well developed. The topography and consequent climatic 

 conditions stand in the way, but a good deal more could be 

 done by the development of irrigation. The north-western 

 States of Lower California, Sonora, and Chihuahua are very 

 dry, the average (twenty-two years) rainfall in the case of 

 Lower California being only iO'5 inches. In most parts of the 

 country maize and beans (frijoles) form the staple article of 

 diet. The principal maize areas are south of the States of 

 Sinaloa, Durango, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas. 



In the drier States, such as Lower California, Coahuila, 

 Durango, Nuevo Leon, and Yucatan, maize is mainly grown 

 under irrigation, yet even in some of these, especially Sinaloa 

 and Chihuahua, the maize area is considerable and is in- 

 creasing. In others the crop might be doubled by irrigation. 

 The strip of coast land is largely devoted to special tropical 

 crops. The Maize-belt lies between this and the dry interior, 

 at an altitude of 3,000 to 6,000 feet, where the climate re- 

 sembles that of Southern Italy. Maize is the chief product 

 of the States of Aguas Calientes and Colima. The estimated 

 yields per acre range from 4^ to 14 muids (15 to 50 bushels). 

 In some parts two crops a year are produced. In some States 

 American capital, machinery, and enterprise are being applied 

 with promising results to maize- and cattle-growing. 



44. Central America and the West Indies. — Maize is grown 

 to a limited extent throughout Central America, but though 

 used as an article of diet, it does not form an important article 

 of commerce, other tropical products paying better. 



