CORN 



327 



has a large proportion of starch, from which glucose (grape sugar) 

 and alcohol are made. Machine oil and soap are made from it. 

 The leaves and stalks are excellent fodder; they can be made 

 into paper and packing material. Mattresses can be stuffed with 

 the husks. The pith is used as a protective belt placed below the 

 water line of our huge battleships. Corn cobs are used for fuel, 

 one hundred bushels having the fuel value of a ton of coal. 



Corn-producing regions in the United States. Each dot = 300,000 bushels. 



Wheat. — Wheat is the crop of next greatest importance in 

 this country. Nearly 900,000,000 bushels were raised in this 

 country in 1923, representing a total money value of over 

 $725,000,000, although during the World War our farmers received 

 nearly $2,000,000,000 yearly for a crop of less than 1,000,000,000 

 bushels. Seventy-two per cent of all the wheat raised comes from 

 the North Central states and the far West. Much of the wheat 

 crop is exported, thus indirectly giving employment to thousand-j 

 of people on railways and steamships. Wheat is used chiefly for 

 manufacture into flour. The germ, or young wheat plant, is sifted 

 out during this process and made into breakfast foods. Flour 

 making forms the chief industry of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and 

 of several other large and wealthy cities in this country. 



