io8 



BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS 



possible fertilizer consumption have been made:- 



The broad result of the application of these four 

 methods during the past fifty years has been to raise 

 the efficiency of the production processes rather than 

 to increase the yield. Prices of produce were low 

 until recently and wages were rising; without these 

 improvements corn production would have been im- 

 possible in this country. Thus, in the 'sixties the 

 golden days of farming for the farmer wages were 

 only 8s. to i$s. per week, and the price of wheat was 

 round about 55^. per quarter. Just before the war the 

 price was only 32^. per quarter, and wages had risen 

 from ijs. to 25^. per week. The cost of production 

 had therefore to be considerably diminished. Yet the 

 average produce per acre was kept up indeed it was 

 somewhat increased. 



Strictly comparable statistics for the yield of wheat 

 are only obtainable since 1885; they are plotted in 

 the diagram opposite. The curve fluctuates a great 

 deal, and its peaks are no better than they were in 

 the 'eighties, nor apparently than they were in the 

 'sixties: we do no better in the good years than our 

 forefathers did. But for the last fifteen years the 

 crops have never fallen as low as they used periodi- 

 cally to go: we do better in the bad years. I am 

 inclined to think that there is a real improvement: 



