The Dickinson press., 1898-11-05

and men. but we omit to take necessary
precautions to supply ourselves with
thelvery first and supremacy important
munition Of war-food."
Having thus impressed upon his hear.
srs the vital Importance his subject had
for them. he took them by the hand, a.
it were. all over the wheat growing and
wheat consuming portions Of the globe.
First Of all, he considered the worlds
supply and demand.
Wheat is the most sustaining food
grain Of the great Caucasian race, which
includes the peoples Of Europe, United
States, British America, the white in.
habitants Of South Africa, Australasia,
parts Of South America and the white
population Of the European colonies. OF
late years the individual consumption
of wheat has almost universally in
creased. In Scandinavia it has risen
100 per cent in 90 years, in Austria.
Hungary 80 per cent. in France 30 per
cent, while in Belgium it has increased
80 per cent
"Only in Russia and Italy, and pos
zibly Turkey, has the consumption Of
wheat per head declined.
I'm 1871 the bread eaters Of the
world numbered 871, 600, 600. In 1881
the number rose to 416, 600, O0O, in
1891 to 472, 600, 600 and at the present
time they number SIG, 500, 600. The
augmentation of the worlds bread eat.
ing population in a geometrical ratio is
evidenced by the fact that the yearly
aggregates grow progressively larger.
In the early seventies they rose 4, S00,-
600 per annum, while in the eighties
they increased bv more than $1,000, 900
per annum, necessitating annual addi-
tions to the bread supply nearly one
half greater than sufficed 25 years ago.
To supply sic, 500, 600 bread eaters, if
each bread eating unit is to have his
usual ration, will require a total Of
1894, 900, 900 bushels for seed and food.
According to the best authorities the
total supplies from the 1878 harvest
are I, 921, 900, 900 bushels. The require
ments Of the SIG, 500, 900 bread eaters
for seed and food are 1884, 600, 600
bushels. There is thus a deficit of 4O8,.
600, O00 bushels, which has not been
urgently apparent owing to a surplus Of
300, 900, 900 bushels carried over from
the last harvest.
Respecting the prospects Of the har.
vest year just beginning, it must be
borne in mind that there are no re-
mainders to bring over from last har.
vest. We start with a deficit Of 1885,
600, 900 bushels and have 6, 500, 900
more mouths to feed. The majority of
the wheat crops between 1889 and 1895
were in excess Of current needs, and
thus considerable reserves of wheat were
available for experimenting small def
ioits from the four deficient harvests.
But bread eaters have almost eaten up
the reserves of wheat, and, the 1897 har-
vest being under average, the conditions
become seriousL That scarcity and high
prices have not prevailed in recent years
Is due to the fact that since 1889 we
have had seven world crops Of wheat
and six Of rye abundantly In excess Of
the average. These generous crops in
creased accumulations to such an extent
as to obscure the fact that the harvests
Of 1895 and 1895 were each much be-
low current requirements"
From this Sir William concluded that,
reserves being practically exhausted.
bread eaters must be fed from current
harvests. Even a harvest equal to the
record one Of 1894 would yield less than
current needs.
Having drawn this gloomy picture Of
the present, Sir William considered the
future prospects. First Of all, he exam
ined the two chief wheat exporting
countries Of the world, the United
States and Russia. The former he de-
scribed az having been for 30 years the
dominant factor in the foreign supply
Of wheat, exporting no less than 1885,
000. 900 bushels Thus the bread eating
world has depended and still depends
on the United States for the means Of
subsistence. But Sir William warns us
that the bread eating world cannot for
long rely upon this supply. He says:
1.-THE entire worlds oontributiops 10
the food bearing area have averaged
but 4, 600, 900 acres yearly since 1869.
It is scarcely possible that such an aver:
age, under existing conditions, can be
doubled Tor the coming rs years. Prac-!
tically there remains no unoultivated
prairie land In the United statss spita7.
BILE for wheat growing. The virgin land
has been rapidly absorbed until at
present! there Is no land left for wheat
without reducing the area for maize,
hay and other necessary crops. It Is al
most certain that within a generation