The Washington herald., 1909-02-14

duCtion Of y heat IN the British Empire
held at the Society Of Arts. Earl Caring
ton, president OF the board OF agriculture.
presiding. A. E. Humphries. a prominent
expert or all matters connected with
wheat and a practical miller and farmer.
gave some interesting facts relating 70
The worlds dema-f and supply OF wheat
He said that the world could be assured
Of a suf5cie1cy Of wheat at moderate
prices
Il might even get a suhscieacy az low
prices with the help OF the botanist, the
chemist, and the engineer. In the last
thirty years The population OF the United
kingdom had grown by 1a.00ooO. but the
acreage Of wheat had decreased by over
l.SSo,0o0 acres. OF. roughly. IS per cent
It had been the custom for many years
10 assume that wheat growing in Eng
land was not profitable, but on an aver
age OF years his personal experience did
not bear that out
In Australia an average OF 5000 900
acres had been attained Although the
increase in wheat acreage was arrived at
by irregular stages they found that il
nearly doubled the acreage under wheat
actually did so. The average yield per
acre in Australia for the last six years
was 9O5 bushels, al an average price Of
SIS Sd per quarter in London
Canadian and Indian Outlook.
In Canada every province grew some
wheat, and the average annual total
yield for the last FIVE crops had been T.
2o0,eoo. OF 81 per cent Of the worlds 5
wheat crop. Canada was not. however.
an ideal wheat-growing country. but Il
had tackled its difficulties in admirable
fashion. The reputation Of CANADIAN
wheat was deservedly high. The cost Of
production would. in his opinion. average
rs per quarter, and the yield IN the
Northwest would be about 135z bushels
per acre
The amount Of corn exported 10 the
United Kingdom from Canada had risen
~ per cent Of the total in 1S93-o7 10 I0iL
per cent in lSg-07
In India the conditions Of wheat grow
ing were very 5issiuiIar to those in Aus
tralia and Canada Only 10 per cent OF
the cultivated area was. under whea;
there. as against 50 and s. per cent in
Australia and Northwest Canada.
In the Punjab. the principal corn-grow-
ing area. the yield was an average Of
12S bushels. and throughout the country
il was Ills bushels per acre. Il was i'm
possible 70 foreteI1 what India could do in
the way Of exporting wheat. for the
grower in large districts had many
strings 10 his bow. In 1904 India headed
the British list OF wheat imports. the
quantity being substantially. more than
those from Australia. New Zealand. and
Canada combined; but that position had
not been maintained. and drought had
brought the surplus for export very low
in the current Indian fiscal year. New
Zealand had q decreasing area under
wheat, while the South African Colonies
could not supply their own requirements
and ''rust' was q great scourge there
The problem was TO find .rust-resist-
ing wheat
Passing TO the effect Of price on produc-
ton, Ar. Humphries said that. having
regard 70 the unexhausted acreage suit
able for wheat growing, ne did not an
ticipate IN normal circumstances any rise
in the price Of wheat above 31S. The ef
feet Of production on price was prompt
that Of price on production was mucf
slower The international grain markets
might be called a pool. into which ex
porting countries poured their surplus.
The margins Of profit on large trans
actions II wheat were exceedingly snaI
Ter quarter, and there was no room fOl
sentiment Three half-pence per quarter
was sufficient % decide the destination
OF any wheat from the pool. and Il am
T.
on wheat, il was the buyer who paid Il
apart from and beyond the price paiC
for the wheat in the international pool.
Effect of Preference
If country could avoid dealings IN tn,
international market and maintained {
duty on wheat its wheat markets followed
an Independent course. Al a higher-per
haps only slightly higher-level Of price!
than that OF the international pool. bu
so long SIS It depended for the sale o.
purchase OF a substantial part of il.
wheat on International trading the enecu
he had indicated followed. At presen
each country OF the British empire which
had a surplus TO get rid Of, or needed {,
supply by oversee imports. went as a sep
arate unit 70 the international graiI
erential treatment in fiscal matters wa
set I'D the empire would be one unit Il
the international market and until
was Self-sUppOrting the exporting part
OF II would realize an advantage in pricl
at the expense Of the importing parts o
II
II in the course OF time the empire. a
France had now done for some years
should rather more than balance its pro
duction and requirements. growers Woul,
lose some OF the advantage and ccnsum
ers be saved some Of the cost Of tn
preference set Up by law If. taking
very long view, the empire produce,
more than Il wanted and had 20 sell
surplus, either the whole advantsg
Of the preference would be lost 70 tn
grower in the British empire or foreign
ers would buy the surplus al lower cos
than our own consumers paid for thei
actual requirements
Even II all the wheats shipped from
Australia Canada, and India were take
by the British empire, Il would still b
a very long way from being self-sus
tanning so far as wheat was concerned
For many years 70 come. therefore, III
Colonial or Indian seller could, IN hi
view OF an imperial preference were given
rely on getting an extra price over ant
above the value OF wheat in the interna
tional pool equal 10 the amount OF IN
imperial preference. but equally certain
was he that the consumer OF bread "a
any rate in the United Kingdom) woul
have 10 pay.
b. & o. Deal Tn Ohio.