The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-23
At That Time the Population win
Probably be Six Thousand
Millions.
The Productive Ares May be Enlarged IN
tho Meantime, and Thus Forestsu
Famine.


the computations Of the most authoritative
comparatively fertile land Of the earth
comprises q, 0O0,0O0 square miles, the bare
grass land or steppe II, 100000 and the bare
desert 100000, making about 1900, 600
square miles in all. They also say that the
present population Of the world is 1,46s.-
100000, and that it increases eight per cent.
every ten years. Taking these data for
granted, and also assuming that the average
yield of all the cultivated land upon the
globe will not exceed the present average of
European productiveness, Mr.. Ravenstein
reaches the conclusion that 1872 years hence
the population of the earth will amount to
about G, OOO, O00,O 600, and that this will be the
utmost number Of people which the earth
can feed.
The objection to this pessimistic conclu-
sion is that two of the assumptions are OBJ
viously disputable. Il is by no means prop-
able that as population presses on the
means of subsistence, the present rate of
increase will be maintained. The expert
point. and even that of the United States
pointN in the same direction. In the
decade between 1900 and 1910, although
there was but little immigration, our popu.
lation increased BY. thirty-seven per cent.
On the other hand, between 1880 and 1880,
Of immigration, the percentage of
increase was materially lower. In
South America, in Africa, in the Russian
possessions, in Australia, and in British
North America the conditions are no doubt
favorable to large expansion. On the
other hand, in China proper and in India,
according to competent observers, the limit
of population has nearly been reached. On
the whole, judging BY the change that has
taken place since 100, we must deem it ex-
population of the earth will approach six
thousand millions.
Admitting, however, that 1872 years hence
the earth may contain the number of inhab
itants computed by Mr.. Ravenstein, we
must consider it unreasonable to assume
will not exceed the present European aver
age. There is an enormous difference be-
tween the produce of highly cultivated
garden and that of the best Of farms. and,
given vast increase Of population, it
would become worth while to cultivate huge
tracts Of the earth's surface like a garden. It
ispointed out by the London Economist that
tho food production Of tho world might be
doubled without any great drain upon the
known supplies Of heterogeneous and phos-
material may at any time be hit upon. The
extraction Of nitrogen from the atmosphere
now seems q chemists dream, but Who can
say that it will not one day be realized? Al
ready we have ascertained that leguminous
crops, with the aid Of micro-orRanisms
IN collecting atmospheric nitrogen. We are
further reminded by the Economist that if
all Europe had a. many square miles of
glass houses in proportion to area as there
: are in the little island Of Guernsey, the veg
etables and fruit produced in them would
augment the food supply sufficiently to sup
port very large increase in population.
We may add that, il we compare Europe
and America with China, we must see that
in the former quarters Of the globe fish cul-
tivation Of food under glass.
Mr.. Ravenstein himself suggested that
the assumed disproportion Of population to
nutriment might be corrected BY the aban-
donment Of animal food, which, compared
With fruit and vegetables, is wasteful pro
leguminous vegetables and nuts are rich in
heterogeneous substances and that chemists
and cooks might between them concoct a
highly nourishing and palatable diet With
out reference 70 animal tissues. But fish
oo oant;. DO :. relied upon to furnish large
ing on the cultivable soil. II should also
be remembered that the almost complete
suppression of horses for drauQht pur-
poses by electricity-a feature for the fu-
lure ALREADY oleCernlble-Will set free
the considerable fraction Of produc-
tive land now applied to the support Of
the equine race. Although, moreover, in
view Of these consideration the use Of cattle
and sheep for food seems likely TO long out
last the epoch to which Mr.. kavenstein A.
signs population of six thousand miliIons,
it 10 certain that when human beings are
once convinced that the consumption Of
animal tissues involves too great drain on
the earth's productive resources, the Bovine
and ovine races will have to 20. The earth
was made Tor man. At all events, that ia 4
Fundamental article of the Christian creed.
il not Of the Buddhist.
Mr.. Ravenstein's address to tia Britiah
association ended with the admisaion Chat
We need not worry ourselves about his cal-
culations, seeing that mono of 10 viii IN 10
see the day when there will be no mors
room upon tho earth. We NAV 20 further
and predict that 1S2 years hence there viii
be as little cause to worry about the dispro-
portion Of population to food a. there i
now, 30 long az climate conditions are not
materially changed. The state of thinQe r
scarcely conceivable under which the brain
of man would not devise tho means Of sup
porting the human racs upon this planet.