CHAPTER XIII 



^■■rHE wisest distribution of an annual crop of 

 / 1 1 com, exceeding two billion bushels, is no less 

 V^ important to farmers as a whole and to the 

 maize grower in particular than is its economic 

 production. Fortunately for all, our splendid corn 

 crop never "goes a begging." There is always an 

 outlet for every bushel. The amount carried over 

 from one crop year to another is never burdensome, 

 except in the mind of the bearish operator, whose 

 wish is father to the thought when he says the surplus 

 is too large. 



As shown on other pages, the states growing 

 more com than needed for home use are located prin- 

 cipally in the Ohio valley and the Mississippi basin. 

 Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Indiana 

 and Ohio are popularly known as the seven great sur- 

 plus corn states, because they grow enough for their 

 enormous home consumption and also have liberal 

 quantities to ship outside their borders. In recent years 

 Texas has also greatly increased the corn area, but the 

 product goes principally toward maintaining her exten- 

 sive live stock interests. 



The splendid home demand in these states, as well 

 as in every state where corn is grown, is one of the 

 most satisfactory features in crop distribution. Com 

 grown at home and converted into beef, pork, mutton 

 and dairy products is a commonplace, yet none the less 

 a valuable example of the merit of changing over raw 

 material into finished product, adding directly to the 

 gain of the farmer and to the wealth of the country. 



