The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-01-20

''A1L a SMUT crop any year VIII make
production less than consumption. How
40 know this? BY the application Of
simple mathematical calculation ap.
piled 70 known conditions.
| With our present population of about
/ 9O,000.000, the increase by birth and i'm
migration will be- about two and a haIi
millions per year. say for the next Ave
years. AT six and a half bushels pei
capita 1t viii require about 1880 ,OOC
bushels per year for each additional
year, or S1,25O,000 bushels more at the
end of FIVE years than il requires to-
day.
Our 1908 crop which was probably a
fair average crop was 664,202, 900 bush
els. Our present population of co.
100000 would consume this year about
5S5, 600, 900 bushels, leaving about To-
100000 bushels surplus on this average
crop. Therefore, If we did not increase
our production 1t would be over taken
by consumption in about five years.
OF course If we can hold our average
crop 70 say 700, 100000 bushels IT would
take, say three years longer for the two
to meet. But 1t lis safe to say that that
700,000000 bushels is about the limit
of our wheat production while popula-
ton will continue to increase at an
accelerated speed.
Our population. in 1880 was In round
numbers about 50000OOO. Estimating
the present population at 90, 600. 600. the
increasesw win be eighty per cent. Com
pairing the crop of 1880 with the crop
of 1907 which was, an average crop the
increase in production during those
years was twenty seven per cent. Com
pairing it with the 1908 crop. which was
above normal the increase would be
per cent. Our population, therefore
increases nearly three times as rapidly
as our production. But 1t must be re-
membered that we increased the pro
duction of wheat from 81 to SO per cent
during a period of the greatest possible
expension of wheat acreage, when we
had practically all of western Minne-
sofa, all of North Dakota, South pa
kota, Oklahoma, western Kansas. Ne
braska and large sections of Texas and
Washington to put under the pillow.
We now have about exhausted our
wheat growing public lands. When we
open up a. new acre for wheat we must
utilize more than an acre of old wheat
lands for diversified farming
Climax Reached in 1901.
/ find from statistics that we reached
the climax of wheat acreage in 1901,
when we sowed about 100000 acres
TO that crop. Since then the acreage
has gradually decreased until, in 1908
when 1t was 47,500,O00 acres.
When we reach that period when
will fall below CONSUMPTION.
and which will occur in very few
years, and may occur any year with a
short crop, wheat will be king. When
that time arrives wheat should bring
at least $3.50 per bushel, and when we
the value of our farming lands, |
the price of labor, the chances of hail, 4
1routh, rust, ETC., II ought to be more |
han that. And remember also that as |
population increases other products be- |
sides wheat will CORRESPONDENCE in |
crease. l
And then what is going to happen? |
Right here is the danger that will stare
he unorganized farming public in the
ace. The wall of protection on food |
PRODUCTS will beleveled to the ground |
The wheat and farm products of all of |
south America and Canada will flow |
'ver this country like the Zuyder Zee
when the dykes are leveled and your |
prices viii again be leveIled to the /
worlds demands which may be cheaper,
than ever before.
I know some people who speak twice
While they think once, say that the
american farmer need not fear, the in
rease Of population without CORES
onding increase in acreage. is bound
0 maintain high prices. With proper
rail- Of protection around the United
tates which will fence out foreign ag-
tcultural productions, yes; without it
o. How long will the farmer be able
D guard this. wall against breach when
is products have doubled their pres
Mt price? That depends. With or
anization, as long as he needs 1T: with.
ut organization not single year.
Others Taking European Markets.
You can scarcely comprehend the OPP
orutnities for agricultural develop
lent in South America. The Argentine
epublic is about one-third as large as
ne United States. The want of a re-
able system Of grain inspection in the |
nited States and the frauds perpe- /
'ated upon the foreign purchaser un-
er the present system have forced I
uropean capital into that country to
evelop the wheat raising industry un- 1
that Republic Is rapidly taking our
uropean markets. {
Brazil, with an area about the same &
! that OF the United States, Is capable {
becoming another granary of the +
GRID. Mexico with an area one-third | d
great as thar of the United States T
capable of producing everything +
hich we produce in this country and 4
any other food products besides. The e
Iii