The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-21
INTERESTING REPORT

s4 BHN0tSuE fnn "oHAS
BEING PRODUCED IN INCREAs-
W ING QUANTITIES.
A Knockout blow Is given economists
and politicians who have been arguing
with an T-toId- you-so tone OF voice
that the high and increasing cost OF
living ~ due to a shortage OF pro-
inctson of the staple food products
throughout the world by bulletin 1ust
issued by the United states secretary
OF agriculture,
Recent investigations made through
the consular service or the depart
psent OF State. and other sources. ac-
cordipg TO the Bulletin. show con-
clusiyely that In the last ten or ffteen
wears substantial increases IN the
prices OF agricultural products nave
occurred in every important country
of the world: that Is. that the phenoi'i
encn or recent so-cailed high cost OF
living IL world wide IN Its scope. II
~ not so generally recognized. how
eyer that coipcident with this up
ward trend OF prices, the world pro
iuction OF the staple food prodncts
has also been increasing ana at Iate
faster Tran the increase OF popuiatioh-
The worlds per capita cohsuihp.ion
~ Agricultural products in the last
few years has probably oeeh 'iS e'
than at any former PERIOD
The nom,lation OF the civilized world.
excluding China. has been increasing
=, the rate OF about l per cent.
vaar. Therefore. production shouio IN
crease at that rate to Keep the PCT
rap.ta consumption constant. but ,ne
annual increase In the worlds prodnc-
.iny, of staple products In the last NJ
@aan wears has been muen greater sha's
that.
AnonS the Caucasian race tne wheat
/. tho greatest staufe. In the
s.sasyaar- nertrd. ikac 20 1Ss4. incih-
.,ve the yearly worlds production OF
w.heat averaged about s.fI ,eooVvV
hp.he,s: in the next five-year periou.
tsas-1sso n was 2,6l4.o oo:eov busheis.
!. .,e relieving period. ia0o-lse4. IL
was I. COS, coo 600, ana IN the III 81, p nna
sod le65-19o9. II was o'o@''Vo''epS,
the increase between the hrst aHs
second five-year periods was heaiis
80 CONT: between the second anu
.St.a II per cent; and between .he
!. .n,rd and fourth. 10 per cent ihe
a,,ars ee annual production In the zen zen
-ssr~ Iseo-1s99. was 2.hfo,oov go
h,,.heis. In the ten years, isoV-i'o",
- WAS 3.16s, oo0, GOO bushels, an ,hotease
~ ahout "a per cent. or an h naa 90
annual Increase of about oA'"o'''''
nrsheis or - per cent; gro
The production In l?lo was $50
o01,. 900 bushels. The increase IN ~heae
nroduction Ia the result OF netter sie.us
mar acre and partly OF the eApah1ion
h area. The worlds wheat crop a 40
now produced upon about 2Ao,oou,oov
acres. practically the same as me .oea1
l.rd area of Texas and New Mexico
combined. In 10 years there mas peeh
- average increase in the yleio per
ere ~ about 8 per cent. an an expah'
sinr IN area OF about Is per cent. Inc
world Weld per acre Is somewhat near
1ss bushels: In 1907. when the pro
auction was comparatively SNORT tne
average yield was approximately lI''
bushels per acre; In 1909, wnen tlie
rorid production was bounti1ul' tne
average Yield was about 1a.7 busneis.
The tendency toward better yields per
ARE In observed In practically All
.heat-rroytng countries. If we COM
rara the average yields per acre in the
l0-year period 1osl-l9oe with those y,
the l0-year period 19ol-1sli we hhu
that In the United Kingdom there mas
been an increase Of per cent, that H.
from SOL bushels to 3l.9 ousheis' he
Netherlands increased 10 per cent,
from PIT to SO bushels; New Zealand
Increased % per cent, from 2i.e to SD
bushels: Sweden increased Ia per
cent. from 24.2 to 276 bushels; Ger
many Increased 20 per cent, from za,o
Ia o91 bushels; Ontario Increased AZ
per cent. from 1914 to Ills bushels,
France increased s per cent, from 1871
To 1875 bushels, Hungary Increased
per cent, from 17.3 TO IT'S bushels,
Manitoba increased per cent, from
II to 1872 bushels. Japan increased
over . per cent, from IL 10 ia bush
els. Poland increased ) per cent, from
1875 to 1873 bushels Roumania In
creased q per cent. from ID to 1863
bushels: the United States increased
per cent, from 129 tn 1873 bushels;
India increased JIG per cent, from 81
"a ll.3 bushels: CaHcasia Increased ID
per cent, from s.a TO H. bushels. and
Russia, excluding Poland and Caueasia,
increased IA per cent. from s.a To 80
bushels. The only Important surplus
wheat growing country not included
here Ia Argentina. y hich had not de-
ycloped sufficiently in the first period,
lSs1-ISS9, TO have satisfactory data OF
yield for comparison. The countries
are given above in the order of their
relative rank in y-ieits per acre fn-,isst+
1899. II may be observed from these
figures that the increases in yield per
acre have been as great in countries
where the high yields had already been
obtained as In countries of low yield per
per acre is lowest In those countries
which are expanding the most rapidly
In wheat area. The low yields, to- a
large extent are due to extensive sys-
TENS OF agriculture. land being rela-
lively cheaper than labor. A material
increase In yield per acre may be nc
Scepted as possible and also probable
n rs population expands and the demand
for wheat increases.
Corn.
Outside the United States the maize
crop OF the world liz less important
than barley. oats, or rye. In the Ave-
year period lSs5-l69S the worlds
corn. or maize. crop was about 2.75s.-
OOO, 900 bushels: In the next five years
I900-1804. 1t was 2.stb. 100000 bush.
els: and in the last period. l905-lg09
II was 3.64a.0o0.0 900 bushels. The in.
rFAaan fr0fr the nrst period flGe5.