The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-29

usdAO supply Va SViSoiS'
About a year ago Sir William Crookes
delivered an address in London in
which he made the somewhat startling
announcement that within at least two
generations the supply OF grain for the
worlds consumption would be consid-
erably below the probable demand He
claimed that the acreage of land suit
able for wheat raising was becoming
rapidly exhausted. and that unless the
creased in some way there would be
an actual shortage in this cereal as a
food supply This address created
mild sensation in certain circles and
called forth good deal Of criticism
from statisticians. economists, students.
statesmen and thoughtful agricultur-
lists. AZ an answer to these critics
book has recently been published, en-
titled 1.-The Wheat Problem 1t is
divided into three parts, one edited by
Sir William Crookes, another by c.
Wood Davis. OF Kansas. and third by
John Hyde. chief statistician in the de-
partment of agriculture at Washington.
Sir William prophesies that in ten
years. at the present rate OF consump-
ton. the annual wheat shortage of the
world will be $4,000. 900 bushels, and that
under the present system of farming
with the average yield sufficiently
large area of land cannot be found
which. If put under cultivation. might
supply the deficiency To support this
prophecy he presents statistics to show
the growth of the worlds population in
the past, and adds to them tables show
ing the increased wheat production ne
cessitated in later years by the enlarged
demands of the world. Mr.. Woods
work is along the same lines, and he
draws conclusions similar to those
reached by Sir William Crookes.
Mr.. Hyde has devoted his attention
almost exclusively to the food-produc-
ing capabilities OF the United States
alone. He shows that generation ago,
with population of about "a, 000, 900, the
largest wheat crop recorded in this
country was 191. 600. 900 bushels. At the
present time. with a population of 75,-
100000. the average annual production
is about 54O.0oO0oo bushels Assuming
that the population of the United States
in 1881 will be 100, 100000 Mr. Hyde esti-
mates that it will require for local con-
sumption alone 700,0OO,0OO bushels of
wheat. 3,450,00O,OOo of corn, 1850, O0O. 900
of oats and 100 100000 tons of hay.
To meet this enlarged demand the
wheat production must be increased 160,-
900. 900 bushels, corn 1.450, 900. 900 bushels
and oats and hay proportionally. In
order to secure this increase the produce
tive acreage of the country must be in.
creased IL per cent. This would mean
that in 1881 the home consumption at
the present rate of production would
require the following Increased area for
the growth of cereals: For wheat. 49,
100000 acres; for corn, sc. 000, 900 acres;
for oats, 2S.o00,0oO acres: for hay and
minor cereals, 50,5OO.O 900 acres This is
an increase over the present areas Gull
tivated of 1913, 100000 acres
Mr.. Hyde examines the country state
by state in order To ascertain what
additional land is available for the rails
ing of cereals. He finds that the pro-
ductive capacity of the nation can be
increased by only los, COS -uv acres, ieav-
ing a shortage of 100000 acres. And
he argues that in all probability it will
be greater than this, for. even allowing
for improved methods of cultivation, ac-
count should also be taken of the fact
that the new lands to be the last select
ed and made productive must most GER
tainly prove less fertile than those
which were first settled upon and titled
The better lands have already been
taken up, and IL cannot be expected
that the area now unused will prove