FRUITS AND THEIR USES 



59 



our (-orn crop has increased over 350 per cent. Illinois and Iowa 

 arc tlie sroatcst com-producing states, each having a yearly record 

 of o\-er lour hundred million bushels. The Figure on page 58 

 shows the principal corn-producing areas in the United States. 



Indian corn is put to many uses. It is a valuable food. It con- 

 tains a large proportion of starch, from which glucose and alcohol 

 are made. Machine oil and soap arc made from it. The leaves 

 and stalk are an excellent fodder ; they can be made into paper and 

 packing material. Mattresses can be stuffed with the husks. The 

 liith is usctl as a protective belt placed below the water line of our 

 huge battleships. C'orn cobs are used for fuel, one hundred bushels 

 having the fuel value of a ton of coal. 



Wheat. — ^^^lcat is the crop of next greatest importance in size, 

 and is of even greater money value to this comitry. Nearly seven 



<: 





WHEAT ^, ,^ 



E^ /rft' .V t'-lO hu^^cJs per 20U3IV nvk \ 



^^ orer ti40 . , , . 



Wheat Crop in United States — Percentage Source 



?p 30 4,0 5p ^ 7,0 SO 



I y \ I ::mj*» ■ -, 



X 



zm: 



iviinnesuu K.insas Is Dak. S. Dak. Neb. O. Cal.lnd.^lo.Pa. 



Other States 



hundred millions of bushels were raised in this country in 1910, 

 representing a total money value of over 8700,000,000. 8event.\- 

 two per cent of all the wheat raised comes from the North Central 

 States and California. About three fourths of the wheat crop is 



