Wheat 7 



Under normal conditions the chief wheat-growing 

 countries in order of quantity produced before the 

 world war were : United States, Russia, France, India, 

 Italy, in the first rank ; Spain, Austria-Hungary, Ger- 

 many, in the second; followed by Canada, Argentina, 

 Turkey and the United Kingdom. The latter is the 

 chief importing country. The order, however, varies 

 with the period considered. The wheat production of 

 Canada and of Argentina has been steadily rising. 

 Northern India, China, and Australia produce wheat 

 in considerable quantities. In order of normal per 

 capita consumption of wheat, France came first, then 

 New Zealand, Australia, United States, Great Britain, 

 Austria-Hungary, Germany and Canada. 



The statement is not infrequently made that the 

 world's wheat production has reached its limit, but 

 this is far from the truth. While the older method of 

 milling prevailed, pulverizing the entire wheat for 

 flour, the softer wheats were preferred and wheat 

 growing was largely restricted to regions producing 

 them. With the introduction into the flour mills of 

 the steel roller process, by which the contents of the 

 kernel are simply squeezed out of the husk, it was 

 found that a most desirable, better keeping flour could 

 be produced from hard, northern and western wheats. 

 Wheat growing in the United States thereby received 

 a great impetus and the producing area was vastly 

 expanded over the great plains. By the opening of 

 new regions like Siberia and by the introduction of 

 suitable, perhaps new, varieties such as undoubtedly 

 will result from scientifically conducted, systematic 

 breeding experiments, the world's wheat production 

 certainly is capable of considerable further expansion. 



B. E. Dahlgren. 



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