THE WHEAT PROBLEM AGAIN. 767 



I do not give the data of the Eastern and Southern States, and I 

 have selected only the most complete data of the other States, choosing 

 the more conservative where two returns have been made from one 

 State. . 



The foregoing States produced a little over one third of the wheat 

 crop of 1897. They comprise a little over one third the area of the 

 land of the United States, excluding Alaska. 



The list covers States like Illinois, Minnesota, and "Wisconsin, now 

 very fully occupied relatively to Texas, Montana, and Idaho, as yet 

 but sparsely settled. 



Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon, and 

 Washington combined far exceed the above list in wheat production ; 

 but, as I have no complete data from these States, I can only say that 

 the national or census statistics, as far as they go, develop correspond- 

 ing conditions to those above given. The very small product of 

 Texas and Montana, even of Idaho, as compared with the claimed 

 potential, will attract notice, and perhaps excite incredulity. But 

 let it be remembered that in 1880 the Territory of Dakota yielded 

 less than 3,000,000 bushels of wheat, while in 1898 the two States 

 of North and South Dakota, formerly in one Territory, claim to have 

 produced 100,000,000 bushels. Perhaps it will then be admitted 

 that the potential of Montana, and even of Idaho, may be attained in 

 some measure corresponding to the reports from those States; but as 

 yet their product is a negligible quantity, as that of Dakota was only 

 twenty years since.* 



* I have been permitted to review the detailed statements of the accounts of one of the 

 great enterprises which I have called the manufacture of wheat on a large scale on various 

 large farms, separated one from another but under one control, aggregating more than 

 twenty thousand acres, in North Dakota. They are managed mainly from a long distance 

 through agents and foremen, therefore at a relative disadvantage compared to a farmer 

 owning his own land, acting as his own foreman, and saving heavily in expense. Such 

 farmers, making no charge for their own time, are computed to have a cash advantage of 

 one dollar an acre. 



A large part of this land has been cropped in wheat for twenty-four years, one farm of 

 six thousand acres showing an average in excess of eighteen bushels per acre for the term 

 of seventeen years. The details of the product of other farms are not given, but this may 

 be considered a rule. Of course, this cropping can not be carried on indefinitely. The land 

 is now being allowed to rest, and other crops, such as maize, oats, barley, millet, and timothy, 

 are to some extent being raised in rotation, but not to the extent in which individual wheat 

 farms are now passing into rotation, especially in Minnesota. 



In this enterprise the manufacture of wheat is the main purpose, but under the changed 

 conditions on the small farms in Minnesota wheat is becoming rather the cash or excess 

 crop in a rotation of four ; at present, in North Dakota, wheat constitutes about three 

 fourths the total product. 



In these accounts of this great farm are included all charges of every name and nature 

 except what might be called the rent of land : the labor, the harvesting and thrashing, the 

 general expense including the foreman and all other charges ; the office expenses, the taxes, 



