CHAPTER II. 



ACREAGE, DISTRIBUTION, PRODUCTION 

 AND VALUATION 



ACREAGE DEVOTED TO CORN GROWING 



The world's corn crop at present occupies annually 170 million acres. 

 The total area of land devoted to corn growing in the United States in 

 1914 amounted to *103,435,000 acres. If combined into a single field it 

 would cover the entire land surface of the three states, Iowa, Illinois and Mis- 

 souri. Since 1870 an acreage equal to nearly 12 per cent of all land classed 

 as farm land and over 20 per cent of all improved farm land has been planted 

 with corn each year. This would be equivalent to an 80 acre field in every 

 section of farm land, or a 130 acre field in every section of improved farm 

 land. 



The increase in acreage of corn has been for the past fifty years uniformly 

 parallel to the increase in the area of farm land. The following chart illus- 

 trates this increase from 1866 to 1914 inclusive. 



CHART NO. I. 



Acreage in Corn in the United States from 1866 to 1914. 

 Millions of Acres. 



NOTE — The acreage designated in the above chart represents the averaee 

 acreage for the periods indicated m the margin to the left. 



From the foregoing it is seen that the period of greatest increase was 

 from 1881 to 1890, inclusive, being 55.1 per cent, and the period of slightest 

 variation was from 1 89 1 to 1900, being only 7.3 per cent. Climatic con- 

 ditions and the state of the general market have been, perhaps, the most 

 important factors in this increase. 



•1914 Year Book 



