In addition to food plants, the production of fibers for textiles is an important part of American agriculture, although such artificial fibers as nylon and polyester have taken a share of the market. Cotton and flax also are important sources of natural fibers. Cotton requires a long growing season and relatively high rainfall levels, therefore, it generally is grown in an area in the southern United States often referred to as the Cotton Belt. Flax has a shorter growing season and is often planted in rotation with such small grains as wheat and oats. Flax stems are used to produce linen, and edible oils and meal are obtained from its seeds.
Trees have become a cultivated species, although their long growth cycle has limited the ability of humans to create particular varieties. During the twentieth century, concerns about the environmental damage done by the clear-cutting of virgin forests for lumber and paper encouraged many companies to reseed the cut areas with tree species that could be harvested thirty or forty years later. Another form of tree farming, although on a much smaller scale, is the production of small evergreens for Christmas trees.
See also: Regional Crops and Cultivation, The Business of Farming
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