Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-06-17
WHEAT GROWING DECLINES.
Development of Industry Discussed
in University Bulletin.

in University Bulletin.
An interesting discussion of "The
Rise and Decline of the Wheat Grow
ing Industry in Wisconsin, has been
published under that title as bulle-
tin of the economics series of the
University of Wisconsin by John G..
Thompson Phi. D., '07 The fact
that Wisconsin is unique among the
states of this country for meteoric
wheat growing, makes study of the
causes of the change of special inter
est.
The bulletin does not confine itself
entirely to the past, but devotes
considerable space to discussion OF
the future of wheat growing in this
state. giving as a reason for the opin-
ion that there will be no cOnsidera-
able revival of the industry in Wis
consin, the fact that the state offers
relatively more exclusive advantages
for dairying than for wheat growing.
Reckless use of the soil in wheat
growing by pioneer farmers, without
any attempt at crop rotation, depleted
fertility and increased the cost of pro-
duction. Railroads made local rate
determinations and the depression of
the wheat market for many years &C
cented the unfortunate conditions
which led many of the early settlers
to move farther west, where there
were still quantities of rich new pub
lie lands to be obtained. Many of
those who remained in Wisconsin
were forced to raise other crops than
wheat, in order to renew the fertility
of their farms, or to raise stock, and
later to adopt dairying, which became
the characteristic farm industry of
the state.
"Dairying led to the renovation of
the soil and to greatly increased val
ues of land, and these conditions re-
acted still more against the growing
of wheat until the latter industry has
been almost entirely driven from the
state" the author explains. Dairy
ing required the exercise of far
more discriminating intelligence and
unremitting care than the growing Of
wheat and afforded a much larger
sphere for the application of techni-
cal knowledge. The compact Organi-
cation of the dairy farmers, which
the cooperative nature of the indus
i0L1 IF inf
among dairymen furthered, afforded
another telling advantage over wheat
growing as a pursuit. Favorable
rates for transportation were secured
for dairy products and a permanent
market insured by the development of
a high-grade product of uniform quail
ity. The tobacco crop played a SINH
lar though far less important part in
the displacement Of wheat growing
in certain sections Of the state, while
insect pests and other causes contrib
uted to the same result.
"a considerable revival of wheat
growing at least according to the
extensive method-appears unlikely
in Wisconsin, Dr. Thompson de-
clares, because of the relatively
more exclusive advantages for dairy
ing than for the growing of wheat.
In accordance with past experience
we may expect a continued move
ment of the wheat growing area of
the world generally into the relative
Iy less developed regions that are
adapted to that crop until the tenden-
cies that operate toward the equali-
cation of economic conditions be-
tween competing areas have worked
out their ultimate effects, and such a
consideration probably points to
relative decline in the extent of
wheat growing within the United
States as a whole for an indefinite
period in the future."-