New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
THE FUTURE WHEAT SUPPLY
EDWARD ATKINSON ANSWERS SIR WILL
IAN CROOKES.
AREAS NOT YET UNDER CULTIVATION
OTHER NUTRITIOUS Rooms

fhe future supply or wheat made In his presi-
aential address to the British Association for
the Advancement Of Science in September he
will probably discover how serious was his mis-
take when he reads Edward Atkinson's article
on the at-growing capacity OF the United
c,ates in the December number Of 1.-THE Popular
Science Monthly"
Sir William assumed that the present supply
&c a little short of 1000. 600 600 bushels. and
mat in the next thirty three years the demand
will increase about 1870. 600, 900 bushels, and by
that time all the available arabic land in the
world not devoted to other crops will be so fully
utilized In wheat production that all Of 1t will
no needed to give the breadeaters their food
Then he asks. Where be grown the addi-
,,onal 500. 100000 bushels required ten years
LATER by a hungry world?" His only apparent
hone Of relNf is IN the use Of artihcially pro-
duced nitrogen for fertilizing purposes, and he
considers at some length, and with much detail,
the possibility Of obtaining this agent from the
mir by electrical means. incidentally. he points
ont that England's annual shortage Of wheat Is
600 bushels and in view Of the impend-
ting scarcity he mentions proposition that has
,sen advanced to build national granaries, in
which wheat enough to last for more than three
months shall be stored
The production and price Of wheat have been
subjects of study by Mr. Atkinson for two or
,hree decades. In 1880 he ventured the predic-
zion that the price Of this grain In London
..o,,d fall in the near future to from so shilings
n "a shings per quarter. The latter price is
equivalent to 81 o3 a bushel OF sixty pounds
That prediction was long ago verified The
poston economist moreover. is much more IA
rniliar with the resources Of this country than
Sir William Crookes, and is therefore far better
he rrOhlems of American pro-
Suc,,on than the distinguished chemist who has
,res,ded over the British Association for the
last year.
Before taking up the main question, Mr. Atkin-
ann calls attention briefly 10 the fact that corn
contains the same amount of nutrlment as
wheat. and oatmeal more. And the fondnesS
Of the people OF New England for cornoreau
and baked beans, and Of the Scotch for oatmeal
AFFORD suggestions Of the magnificent food sup
NV that would still remain If all the wheat in
the world were wiped out Of existence
Rrt the most satisfactory answer to Sir Will
,.r, &c afforded by what Mr.. Atkinson has TO
say about the arabic area Of America. TWO
thirds Of the LAM in the United states not
counting Alaska nor the newly acquired terri
tory is susceptible Of cultivation. ON one --ehth'
though. wheat enough could be raised to supply
,,. vrhole demand Of the whole world without
having q kernel OF IL SIOW HSiN N+"N' 49,
ready America produces from 6Oo'"OO.O~ to
100000 900 bushels (one-third or one-quarter OF
The total consumption, fraction over per
zen, Of its soil. or about Il 900 square miles
DOLLAR WHEAT IN LONDON
The possible results Of a contract, entered INTO
nv English capitalists. to continue to pay 81
bushel for wheat in London for number OF
wears 70 come for the 1s0000,000 bushels need
= no home production are
considered by Mr. Atkinson There are In Ind
Gan Territory alone acres enough, not yet open
o. entry 70 furnish all the wheat required or
raxos might do so without impairing in the
.rgb,est degree it's present supply OF WOOL cot
,on grain and meats and Without encroachinG
more than trine on the area there which has
NOT been fenced in or subjected 10 the plough.
So could Idaho.
Sill another way TO meet the demand woulu
be 10 divide up the contract between eigh' states
and Territories. which should not raise ""edt
alone. but indulge in diversified farming anu
grow wheat only once in four years. lie "ouiu
assign five thousand square miles each 10 OKla-
honna and Indian Territory. give the five other
nor,,ons ~ the same size to Kentucky, Tennes-
see Virginia and Pennsylvania. and let haisas'
Nebraska Minnesota and the DakOtas compete
for the eighth share in the bargain. This would
leave California. oregon. Texas. the o'hei "0u'i'-
ern and the Eastern States out in the coN.
But disregarding the remainder OF the couh-
try Mr.. Atkinson shows what might DC uoiie III
Minnesota and the two Dakotas' i"oSe Univ
s,s,Ae have nroduced this year 100 100000 bush
els OF wheat or more than enough TO meet E"s-
lands deficit. This amount grown on TWEEN
" thousand square miles, or one-elghth Oh '"e
arabic land of the States in question. In other
and
wheat growing as thoroughly as 'hey "iis"''
they could az tho present rate Of production rur-
nish more than double the whole amount no"
raised in the United States. and four-hiths OF
the worlds present consumption
Some data supplied by l.. G. Powers, Chlef OF
the Bureau Of Labor in Minnesota, are quo'eu
10 show that the business Of wheat-raisi'is III
that State has been remuneratve. This Is SHOWN
by the navment Of mortgages on farms. ~ 10
then demonstrated that several influences no"
tend to increase the profits or wheat-iaisiie'
provided that the price in London can De KEPT
UP 10 81 A bushel. The cost OF transpor 'a''on'
for instance. is likely TO be reduced by from hVe
to seven cents ere long Says MI Powers
PROGRESS IN MINNESOTA FARMING.
"a careful study OF farm methods among Min
nesota farmers dsclcses this fact: Some wheat
growers with the best farm machinery ana CHE
tloying the best methods Of agriculture ihaHe
profit in eat-raisirg Of from 10 to 10 Genus
bushel more than do their less Intelligent anu
less progressive neighbOrs Now, the tehoen.S
In the State and throughout the Northwest 10 20
bring. by education and general eHchansT1 %
Methods tho noorer farmers up to the Level OF
The best This change is rapidly taxing plaV &c.
ii will not require fifteen years 70 reai Seoui9
oonsummation. When the methous anu i"0' -.
ties Of the average farmer are prouent ur Nc
the level Of the best of the present tlhle' '"i'
change. with the change above noted III 'Ia nS,
portation charges will add to the average ploni
OF Minnesota farmers in growing "ne e Oh oonts
OF no, Ice than Il and possibly Of over ~ Genus
busheL such change would more thah
of the Wheat