A tobacco plant.
5. Corn is raised in even greater quantity than wheat. The region in which corn grows best is sometimes called the corn belt. It extends across the middle portion of the Central states. Here for miles and miles the fields are planted with corn.
6. Tobacco is one of the important crops. Kentucky raises more than any other state.
When white men came over to the New World, they saw the Indians smoking tobacco, and learned this habit from them. Sir Walter Raleigh made it fashionable in England.
7. Stock-raising is an important industry. Many cattle are raised and many are brought in from the West. Fresh beef is sent in refrigerator cars to the East and in refrigerator ships to Europe.
Many horses and mules are raised in these states. The thoroughbred horses of Kentucky are famous all over the world.
8. Pork-packing—Millions of hogs are killed in these states. Much of the pork is salted. Bacon and hams, as well as salt pork are sent to various parts of the Union and are also exported to other countries.
 | |||
 |
Home of a wealthy ranch in Dakota. | ||
 |
From photo by Sanders Publishing Co. Poland-China hogs on a farm in Iowa. | ||
| From photo by Prof. H. Garman. A stock farm in Kentucky, where the finest breeds of horses are raised. | |||
Lard and lard-oil are made from the fat. The bristles are used in making brushes.
Chicago, Cincinnati, Kansas City (Kansas), and South Omaha are noted for pork-packing.
A lump of pure copper from Rockland, Mich., cut from a mass weighing 36 tons.
9. The Minerals of the Central states are very valuable. The copper and iron mines of Michigan are very rich. The iron mines of Minnesota are among the richest in the world. Missouri, Kansas, and Wisconsin abound in lead and zinc.
Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri have coal-beds. South Dakota has mines of gold and silver; Ohio, Indiana, and Kansas, wells of oil and natural gas. Michigan and Kansas are famous for their salt.
For Recitation.—Describe the surface of the Central states. What is the leading occupation of the Central states? What are the great crops of the Central states? What animals are largely raised in the Central states? What are the chief mineral products?
LESSON XL.
1. The manufactures of the Central states are important. Large sawmills are busily employed in the great forests of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Those of Minneapolis, at the Falls of St. Anthony, are the largest.
