The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-01-08
WHEAT.

One of the things which should give rise to seri-
thought is brought out in the reports of wheat
production in the United States, as compared with
the increase in population. Among all the wheat
producing countries on the GLOBE the United States
is one of two whose production has not kept pace
with the increase in population Argentina is the
other. The figures given that the population of
the United States in the twenty-five years from 1881
to 1906 increased 68 per cent while the production
of wheat increased but go per cent The figures for
Argentina are approximately the same. In the
same period the thirteen European wheat-produc-
ing countries increased in population 26 per cent,
and wheat production increased % per cent, show
ing that Europe has taken of itself in the rela
tive proportion of increase in wheat and popula-
ton. In Canada and Australia the wheat yield
has increased 100 per cent and the population
only 81 per cent the increased production of wheat
showing not only an increased acreage of that
cereal. but indicates the sources of much of the
wealth of those countries
Notwithstanding this sorry showing for the
United States and Argentine, this country Is still
the largest producer of wheat on the face of the
earth, with approximately one-ffth of the worlds
product raised here. Russia in some years
passes u.s. but not often and this is due primarily
to the much larger acreage planted than to better
methods Indeed, in the matter of methods, if the
yield per acre be considered the farmers of our
own country are far below the average standard of
excellence of other nations. Statistics gathered by
James ]. Hill of the Great Northern railway show
that our yield per acre is but fourteen bushels to the
acre, whereas the average yield of Great Britain
is no less than thirty-two bushels-more than twice
ada is more than twenty bushels to the acres, and
all the European countries except Russia have a
higher average yield to the acre than America.
Mr. Hill has made than superficial study
of the subject of wheat production and population
and has issued warnings to the people of America
based on the results of his studies He takes
rather pessimstic view of the situation, which may
be warranted by existing conditions. Nevertheless,
there is very great fear felt that better results
may not be attained by the adoption of better meth
DDS of cultivation. America has been new coun-
try The boundless areas of the west have held out
inducements to the holders of wornout farm lands
in the eastern states to desert the old place and
make a new home where the soil would yield more
without the necessity of fertilization. Thus the
center of wheat production has moved from Ohio.
fields are not measured by the acre but by the mile
and where the crops have been harvested without
giving back to the soil the elements which have
been taken from it. The subject of soil treatment
has been neglected as long virgin soil remained
to be settled upon. Now that the west has been
pretty well taken up the country has about reached
the end of its rope and necessity will compel more
scientific mode of procedure to increase the produc
ton per acre rather than increase the acreage
Mr. Hills warning is valuable in this that it
shows the lack of enterprise which will permit land
to deteriorate that it will produce less than half
what land in other less favored lands will produce
1t ought to be possible to increase the average yield
in the United States to the same figures produced
by our northern neighbors. If the next quarter of
a century does not see this accomplished the anon
ally of importing wheat into the greatest wheat
producing country of the world will be presented
a condition which would indicate lack of enter
prise and thrift unworthy of great people