Middletown transcript., 1884-02-22
Wheat Fields of the World.

The Mississippi Valley is at presen
the greatest wheat field of the world
and produces larger surplus to feet
other portions of the United States ant
of Europe. California has evidently
arrived at about her highest production
and must now gradually decline, as nc
soil can stand constant cropping
of this cereal which SO rapidly
exhausts the soil. Labor in California
is as high as it is in this valley, but
California is three thousand miles
farther from home or foreign markets,
even if she takes the most expensive
way by railroad across the continent to
tide water. By water route it is 10000
miles farther from the markets. So it
can never become successful competi-
tor with the Mississippi Valley.
Russia isa wheat producing country,
but their fields are far removed from
cheap and efficient transportation.
They are ages behind us in skill and
machinery but it is really our strongest
competitor for supplying the European
demand. 1t has not the capacity to
supply the full demand, so we become
natural contestants, with the certainty
when wheat is cheap at home, and the
transportation lines are in favorable
mood, we can drive Russia from the
English market.
India. however, has the capacity in
amount and richness of soil, as well as
cheapness of labor, to supply all of the
deficiencies of all other nations. But
their labor is stupid, unskilled, and
they are deficient in labor-saving i'm
plements. In fact, labor is so cheap
they do not desire such machinery.
And although labor in India for saving
and preparing the wheat crop is not
one-eighth as much as it is here, our
great advantage over them is in dis
tance and cheapness of transportation.
The wheat fields of the Mississippi Val
ley are about 1000 miles from Liver
pool. The fields of India are 5000
miles from the same market. The
freight on wheat from the Mississippi
to Liverpool isabout 50 per ton. From
the principal grainfelds of India,
which are from 700 to ], 200 miles inland
from Bombay, freight is about SIS per
ton to Liverpool. The long distance
by water and the limited railroad facili-
ties in India will probably continue as
long as the United States will have any
surplus wheat. This event is not far
distant in the future. The extension
Of our wheat belt toward the frontier is
but little faster than its contraction in
the older portions of the States.
While we consume three-fourths of our
production with population of $780,,
600, ,000inhabitants, soon our population
will be double that amount, with but
slight increase in production. In all
probability some of our present business
men will live to see the time when
there will be, even with average crops,
deficiency of wheat to supply home
demand. One hundred million of in
habitants will require five hundred
million bushels of wheat-at least one
hundred millions over our present full
crop. January 1st, 1884, the popula-
tion of the United States was twenty
five Notwithstanding in twenty-six
years. AT this rate in 19O6-twenty-
six years from 188O-our population
will be one hundred millions, only
twenty-five years hence. Then the
wheat question will be one of more
interest than it is now.-IolCa State
Register.