The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-10

ing, and a better one, an end that can not be attained by sudden high pro- duction per acre large enough in the aggregate to be over production, with unprofitable if not loosing prices for the farmer.
 Increased Production
 A marked change in the production per acre of all crops appeared in the decade 1896-1905 in comparison with the mean of the proceeding ten years. The production per acre of corn in creased 7.7 per cent; of wheat, 6.3 per cent; of oats, 15.6 per cent; of barley, III per cent: of rye, 21.3 per cent; of buck wheat, 23.1 per cent; of hay, 22 per cent; of potatoes, 15.3 per cent; of cotton. 3.8 per cent, and of tobacco, 5.2 per cent.
 The weather and other crop condi- tions of the .our years 1906-1909 were not as favorable for crop production as they were in the preceding ten years, so that the production of oats per acre declined. that of hay remained stationary, and that of cotton and bar ley barely increased. In the case of other crops the mean production per acre continued to show large increases. the mean of these four years over that of the preceding ten years being an in crease of Fl per cent for corn, 76 per cent for wheat 6.5 per cent for rye. 6.6 per cent for buckwheat, l55 per cent for potatoes, and 9.7 per cent for tobacco.
 Actual Population Increase
 Corn production per acre increased from 18S6-1895 to 1S96-1905 at a rate which quite or vory nearly equaled the actual increase of population in ten states The list for wheat contains 22 states distribu- ted in all parts of the United States. In A1n oto For ox.Io 15 states; for rye. 21 states:for buckwheat. IS states: for cotton, only 1 state, Okla homa, containing new land; for tobacco, only Wisconsin; for potatoes, 15 states, all in the potato belt, and for hay, 25 states. The average for the four years following 1905 is not based on number of years large enough for comparison.
 Decrcnsing Birth Rate
 There is a prevalent misunderstanding with regard to the nature of the increase of population in this country. It seems to be assumed that the net immigration is to continue indefinitely at the rate of 500,000 to 750,000 people annually. How quickly immigration can be reduced was shown by the industrial depression of 1908. No one who would take far sight into the future would reckon upon an indefinite continuance Of considerable immigra- ton.
 Normal Population Increase
 A prevalent oversight in consideration of this subject concerns the birth rate. The census of 1900 points to the conclu- sion that the birth rate of this country, after eliminating the influence of the for eign born, is about 1A per cent year, or 12h per cent foI decade.
 comparison of production per acre with the normal increase of population that Is to say, with the increase unaf- fected by immigration and the high birth rate of the immigrants. is the form of the problem as 1t will present itself more and more closely as the years elapse.
 From 1SS6-1S95 to 1S9s-1905 the mean pro duction per acre of wehat increased in a greater degree than the normal increase of population in B states. Two other states are very near inclusion.
 In the case of corn production, in crease production per acre has exceeded tho normal increase of population in 14 states and very nearly the required in- creased production was made by five other states.
 A long list of states gained in produc- ton of oats per acre in a greater degree than the normal increase in population. They are found in New England and along the Atlantic coast to Georgia; in important states of the Ohio valley, north and south: in the Mountain states, and in Washington.
 with regard to barley. N states are found In . similar list: for rye the ist