The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-15
THE FOOD SUPPLY OF
THE UNITED KINGDOM
Can Great Britain Do Without American Wheat and
Flour?-Revival Of the British Milling Industry
Canada and Argentine Sources of Grain Supply
The Acreage and Yield of the United Kingdom.
Copyright, 1906, by Rollin E. Smith,

Copyright 1906, by Rollin B. Smith,
London April 3.-Rapid develop
ment of flour milling in the United
Kingdom the last three years, in con-
nection with short crops in and largely
decreased exports from America, and
increased wheat supplies in the Argen-
tine and Canada, may well cause some
alarm to the trade in the United States,
and suggest the query: Can the United
Kingdom do without American. wheat
and fourq
An. American Triumph.
One of the greatest triumphs Of COM
merce in America has been the devel-
opment of the milling industry and Of
it would have been impossible to build
great milling centers like those at Min
neapolis. Milwaukee, Duluth, St. Louis
and Kansas City, besides the many
large mills at other points thruout the
western and central states and the Pa
cific coast. Owing to the export trade,
the milling capacity in the United
States has grown until it exceeds home
requirements by fully one-third. The
less of material part of this. trade,
therefore, would be seriously felt in
commercial circles.
The U. K. Our Best Customer.
port -four trade the United Kingdom
has been our best customer, both for
wheat and flour. Fifteen years ago the
imports into the United Kingdom were
principally from America, and in 1901
the flour imports, largely American,
some Canadian, amounted to 1921 900
barrels. The wheat imports in 1901
years mentioned are milling years, -
beginning Sept. l and ending Aug. 81.
The flour imports in 1901 were the
largest the country has ever had, and
it is altogether improbabl that they
will ever be equaled. Since 1901 the
-four imports have decreased while those
of wheat have increased. In 1902 there
bushels. and of -four, 100000 barrels.
I IL 1908, 1876, 100000 bushels and TO-
$4,000 barrels, respectively. In 1904,
173OO0,OOO bushels and 10,S62,OO0 bar,
rels. The summer Of 1904 witnessed a
short crop in America, and that Of 1908
only a moderate one. The full effect
Of the 1904 crop on imports into the
for 1905, when the imports were 1914:
100000 bushels Of wheat and only
6,223,0OO barrels Of -four.
The imports of 1905 were the largest
in wheat ever transacted. and the foul
imports were the smallest for. ovo1
twenty years. The total, 222, 1925 ,OOC
bushels, is the largest excepting 1904
amounted to 2S3,ooo,ooo bushels. II
these two years the United States sup
piled but a small percentage of these
totals.
Growth Of American Export Flou1
The first direct export -four business
from Minneapolis was in 1873, and was
the result of the efforts of c.. c. Wash
burn. W. II. ~Dunwoody came to Lon
don to establish the business. Previou!
to this some consignment business hae
been done, mostly by New York export
ers. The direct export business wa
rather slow at first, but the improve
ments in American milling method
soon made the -four m, very popular wit!
can enterprise and progress was, in
few years, large and profitable Aou
trade with the United Kingdom. Com
petition among American mills, who's
capacity increased rapidly, reduced tn
profits of this trade, but the volume 0
business steadily Increased until tn
record year Of 1901.
British Milling Languished.
During the twenty years of mill dc
velopment in America and the upbuilC
Ing of the export trade, the milling bus
ness languished in the British isles [
1880 there were 10000 mills in tn
United Kingdom, including windmill!
old methods, particularly the buhrs; bu
by 1890 there were few -four mills tina
had not discarded the stones for tn
rolls. Those that had not, wer
changed into meal and feed mills.
From 1881 to 1891 the number of ma
ter flour millers decreased from 1000
to 1000. =
Altho the larger mills were change
over to the roller process and new mil
were built, and while British miller
lad the same opportunities to bu
modern machinery that Americans ha
there seemed something lacking in the
methods. They. were not serious con
petitors of American millers in the ma
kets of the United Kingdom.
Decrease of Wheat Growing.
A factor in the wiping out Of IL
small mills was the decreasing acreas
Of wheat from year to year.
H ne E N ne is
r and it is very noticeable that much
this grass land has at some time be-
4 under cultivation. Its uneven surfa
! shows the old burrows.
Z The greatest crop Of wheat t.
United Kingdom ever raised was l
100000 quarters, or 1876 100000 bushe
4 This was a "bumper' year, and IL
) 100000 bushels may be given as a go
{. crop in the wheat-raising days
I The crop of 1905 was 6O,OOO.OOO bus
I els: or 100000 acres, and that is
1 full crop now.
I There is a partial crop failure abo
( every six or eight years, owing to &C
z and wet. In 1879 there was total ia
ure. The grain never matured. It f
quently happens that a consideral
i percentage of the crop is wet and un
for milling
! Large Yields Per Acre
i The high average yields per acre
wheat are something hard to und
stand in America. In 1905 the avera
for the United Kingdom was over thirt
three bushels an acre, and in l9(
when there was short crop, 28.5 bu.
J els. In Minnesota and the Dakot
twelve bushels is a good average.
The high average maintained in Ri
land is largely due to fertilizati
4