Morris tribune., 1898-11-12

4
was made to the fertile plains of Mani.
toba and the Northwest provinces:
Here were to be seen ], 900, 900 acres
OF fine wheat growing land yielding
1891, $50 bushels, one-fifth of which
comes to hungry England. Thus far
performances has Jagged behind promise,
the wheat barring area of all Canada
having increased less than 500, 600 acres
since 1884, while the exports have not
increased in greater proportion. AS the
wheat area of Manitoba and the North
west has increased the wheat area of
Ontario and the eastern provinces has
decreased, the added acres being little
more than sufficient to meet the grow
ing requirements of population We
have seen calculations showing that
Canada contains 500, 600, 900 acres of
profitable wheat land. The impossibility
OF such an estimate ever being fulfilled
will be apparent when it is remembered
that the whole area employed in both
temperate zones for growing all the
staple food crops is not more than $50, :
600, 600 acres, and that in no country
has more than 9 per cent of the area
been devoted to wheat culture. "
Turning to other sources of supply,
Australia was next considered. Climatic
conditions limit the Australian wheat
area to small portion of the southern
littoral belt Queensland seems to be
the most promising district, as, accord
ing to Professor Shelton, there are still
50,000,00 acres there suitable for
wheat, but hitherto it has never had
more than $50, 900 acres under cultiva-
tion. For the second season in success
sion the wheat crop last year was de-
stroyed over large areas in Victoria, and
in South Australia the harvest averaged
not more than about 81 bushels per
acre. After meeting colonial require
ments for food and seed only 684, 900
bushels were available for export. In
most other districts the yield falls to
such an extent as to cause Europeans to
wonder why the pursuit of wheat rails
ing is continued.
AS to New Zealand, it has suitable
climate, and only two countries in the
world yield as much wheat per acre
viz, Denmark and the United Kingdom
But notwithstanding the great yield of
wheat, due to an equable climate, New
Zealand finds fruit andedairy farming
still more profitable Thus the New
Zealander ships his butter more than
half way round the world and completes
successfully with western Europe.
ThesAustria Hungarian exports have
ceased. Roumania in 1896
exported "a, 900, 600 bushels, but for
many years now the wheat area is not
likely to exceed home requirements
Franco comes next to the United King.
dom asa wheat producer, but is depend
ent on foreign supply for an average
quantity of 4 per cent of her own pro-
duetion Germany is a gigantic inn
porterof wheat, her imports rising roo
per cent in the last % years, and now
averaging 50, 100000 bushels. x
1.-THE prospective supply of wheat
from Argentina and Uruguay has been
greatly overrated The agricultural area
includes less than 100, 900, 600 acres of I
good, bad and Indifferent land, much of
which. is best adapted for pastoral pur-
poses. There isno prospectof Argentina
ever being able to devote more than 3d.
900, 900 acres to wheat The present |
wheat area is about 5000, 900 acres, an
urea that may be doub1sd in the next IL
years, but the whole arabic region is
subject to great climatic yicissitudes, |
and to frosts that ravage the fields south |
If the thirty seventh parallel. 1t will |
Jake years to bring the surplus lands of !
Argentina into cultivation, and the pop,
1lation is even now insufficient to sup /
ply labor at seed time and harvest. Dur
ng the next IL years Uruguay may add I
/, 600, geo acres to the worlds wheat
fields, but social, political and economic
conditions seriously interfere with agri-
cultural development. .
Sir William Crookes practically dis
misses South Africa with the remark
hat wheat culture fails where the ba
lana ripens, In many parts of Africa,
90, insect pests render storage impossi-
lie, and without grain stores there can be
little hope of large exports. North At
lea, formerly the granary of Rome,
low exports less than 5000, 900 bushels
In Egypt cotton, in Algeria
nd Tunis wine, are successful ri.als of
wheat. In India an enormous acreage is
devoted to wheat. but it has been de
lining for years. In 1895 over 90, 600,
100 acres yielded 1856, 900, 900 bushels
ieven -eighths of this harvest is required
or native consumption, and only one
ighth on an average is available for
xpoFt. The annual increase of popula-
ion is more than 5000, 900, demand
ng all addition to the food bearing
ands of not less than 800, 900 acres
In recent years the increase
as been less than one-fourth of this
Sir William Crookes then sums up
nd gives the world until 1881 to feel
be acute pinch. He says
Should all the wheat growing coun-
ries add to their area to the utmost
apacity, on the most careful calcula-
ion the yield would give us only an
edition OF some 100, 900. 600 acres,
at the average world yield
1877 bushels to the acre, 1,270,000
90 bushels, just enough to supply the