714 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Another ])rovalont ovorsiirlit in a consideration of this subject con- 

 cerns the birth rale. It seems not to l)e <:;enerally known that the 

 birth rate of this country, as of all the countries of western and central 

 Europe, is a diminishinfj; one; so that while the increase of po])ulation 

 must be admitted to the reckonini; a diniinishini; rate of increase must 

 be recoo^nized. A former chief clerk of the liureau of the Census, 

 Mr. William S. Kossiter, made an examination of the population 

 statistics of the census of 1900 and the two precedino; ones for the 

 puii)ose of determinini:; the present increase of po])ulation of the older 

 race stocks. In other words, he eliminated the foreijjn-born element, 

 wliich has a considerably hiiiher birth rate than the older elements of 

 our population. The conclusion was that the increase of population 

 in this country, after eliminatini; tlie influence of the foreign-born 

 upon the con<2;lomerate national birth rate, was about IJ per cent for 

 the census year, or about 12^ ])er cent for a decade. 



The way is now prepared for a comparison of production per acre 

 in recent years with the normal increase of population; that is to say, 

 with the increase unaflected by immigration and the high birth rate 

 of the immigrants. This is the form of the problem as it will present 

 itself more and more closely as the years elapse. 



From 1886-1895 to 1896-1905 the mean production per acre of 

 wheat increased in a greater degree than the normal increase of popu- 

 lation in four New England States, New York, New Jersey, and 

 Pennsylvania, eleven Southern States, Wisconsin, Nebraska, seven 

 Mountain States and Territoiies, and Washington. Two States are 

 very near inclusion in this list — Wyoming and Oregon. 



In the case of corn production, increased production per acre has 

 exceeded the normal increase of population in Pennsylvania, Dela- 

 ware, Maryland, Virginia, West . Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 

 Michigan, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and three Mountain States, and 

 very nearly the required increased production was made by New 

 Jersey, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Arizona. 



A long list of States gained in production of oats per acre in a 

 greater degree than the normal increase in population. They are 

 round 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 twenty-one States and Territories are found 

 in the similar list; for rye the list of States numbers 30, buckwheat 19, 

 and Vermont, New York, and Delaware are near the requirement for 

 admission to the list. Wisconsin is the only State that has produced 

 tobacco with an increase during the time under consideration w^hich 

 is larger than the normal increase of population, but the increase is 

 very nearly equal to this population increase in the case of Maryland, 

 Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, and Illinois. Increase of cotton 

 production per acre above the normal increase of population is found 

 m North Carolina, South Carolina, and Oklahoma, with a supple- 

 mentary list of four States almost able to enter the list — Virginia, 

 Teimessee, Georgia, and Louisiana. 



The list of wStates that produced potatoes with an increase per acre 

 above the normal increase of population contains many of the States 

 in the potato belt, and the number is 24, with 4 States almost eligible 

 for admission. 



