410 



KEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



2.— PRESENT ACREAGE. 



The estimated acreage of winter wheat now growing, and of spring 

 wheat sown, or to be sown (the latter from data not sufficiently full 

 on the 1st of May to determine with precision), in comparison with 

 the area harvested in four preceding seasons, is as follows: 



The estimate for spring wheat of the present year is obviously sub- 

 ject to revision, as the sowing was not entirely completed on the 1st 

 of May. Dakota is assumed to have five-sixths of its i^roposed area 

 (2,400,000 acres) seeded at that datQ. Minnesota reports indicate some 

 decrease of area. 



The acres of former years are those harvested. In 1883, and very 

 notably in 1885, the acreage seeded was larger than the figures above, 

 being reduced by extensive substitution of other crops for wheat de- 

 stroyed l)y the freezing and thawing. 



The requirements of present consumption will be met by a breadth 

 of 27,000,000 acres with an average yield, leaving about 9,500,000 

 acres for the production of wheat for export; sufficient to produce, 

 with an average yield, 114,000.000 bushels. A large yield like that 

 of 1884 would allow 150,000,000 bushels for exportation. 



3.— (a) FOREIGN PRODUCTION. 



The rec[uirements of Euroj)ean demand can be better indicated by 

 a statement of the average production and consumption for a period 

 of years, in connection with the latest facts of product and supply. 

 A collection of the facts of production between 1874 and 1881, so far 

 as obtained for consecutive years, makes the average j^roduction of 

 Europe 1,144,000,000 bushels; the consumiDtion, in food and seed, 

 1,312,000,000 bushels, requiring a supply from other continents of 

 108,000,000 bushels. 



The rate of European consumption, though varying from a single 

 bushel in Norway to 9 in France, averaged (very nearly) 4 bushels 

 per capita, or 3^ bushels exclusive of seed. 



The rate of yield in the last five years has been larger than for eight 

 years preceding, upon a somewhat larger area; so that the average 

 product, as shown by a collection of data more nearly complete than 

 is often presented in similar statements, makes an aggregate produc- 

 tion of 1,210,000,000 bushels; an increase of about 66,000,000 bushels. 

 There is a small increase of population and some advance in rate of 

 consumption, yet some portion of the former European deficiency is 

 provided for at home, reducing the quantity to be obtained from 

 America and elsewhere, and also aiding slightly in the reduction of 

 the price of wheat throughout the world. 



The following table gives, as far as possible, the official returns of 

 the product of the last five years in all the countries of Europe, and 



