A Civic Biology, Presented in ProblemsHunter, George W. (George William)
Science
A Civic Biology, Presented in Problems
Hunter, George W. (George William)
Biology; Sanitation
Other Grains.--Of the other grain and cereals raised in this country, oats
are the most important crop, over one billion bushels having been produced
in 1910. Barley is another grain, a staple of some of the northern
countries of Europe and Asia. In this country, it is largely used in making
malt for the manufacture of beer. Rye is the most important cereal crop of
northern Europe, Russia, Germany, and Austro-Hungary producing over 50 per
cent of the world's supply. One of the most important grain crops for the
world (although relatively unimportant in the United States) is rice. The
fruit of this grasslike plant, after thrashing, screening, and milling,
forms the principal food of one third of the human race. Moreover, its
stems furnish straw, its husks make a bran used as food for cattle, and the
grain, when fermented and distilled, yields alcohol.
Garden Fruits.--Green plants and especially vegetables have
come to play an important part in the dietary of man. The
diseases known as scurvy and beri-beri, the latter the curse of the
far Eastern navies, have been largely prevented by adding vegetables
and fruit juices to the dietary of the sailors. People in
this country are beginning to find that more vegetables and less
meat are better than the meat diet so often used. Market gardening
forms the lucrative business of many thousands of people
near our great cities. Some of the more important fruits are
squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries,
raspberries, and blackberries. The latter fruits bring in
an annual income of $25,000,000 to our market gardeners. Beans
and peas are important as foods because of their relatively large
amount of protein. Canning green corn, peas, beans, and tomatoes
has become an important industry.
[Illustration: Picking apples, an important crop in some parts of the
United States.]
Orchard and Other Fruits.--In the United States over one hundred and
seventy-five million bushels of apples are grown every year. Pears, plums,
apricots, peaches, and nectarines also form large orchards, especially in
California. Nuts form one of our important articles of food, largely
because of the large amount of protein contained in them.
The grape crop of the world is commercially valuable, because of the
raisins and wine produced. The culture of lemons, oranges, and grapefruit
has come in recent years to give a living to many people in this country as
well as in other parts of the world. Figs, olives, and dates are staple
foods in the Mediterranean countries and are sources of wealth to the
people there, as are coconuts, bananas, and many other fruits in tropical
countries.
Beverages and Condiments.--The coffee and cacao beans, and leaves of the
tea plant, products of tropical regions, form the basis of very important
beverages of civilized man. Pepper, black and red, mustard, allspice,
nutmegs, cloves, and vanilla are all products manufactured from various
fruits or seeds of tropical plants.
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