FACTORS IN WHEAT PRODUCTION 119 



though the cost of production is greatly increased, 

 the yield is not only large but certain, thus making 

 satisfactory returns possible. This method in- 

 volves very intensive farming and a much greater 

 amount of manual labor. For this reason acreages 

 are not high. Under such conditions other crops 

 are often more profitable and wheat is crowded 

 out. In many such districts it has given way to 

 fruit and alfalfa. 



The Cost of Production. - The cost of produc- 

 ing a bushel of wheat differs greatly in the various 

 states. The table on p. 118, made up of states 

 chosen as typical of the different sections, clearly 

 illustrates this fact. 



The data in the foregoing table are of interest 

 chiefly to show the importance of several factors, 

 (i) where fertilizers are used the yield is relatively 

 high and thus compensates for the extra cost ; (2) 

 farm values per bushel are highest near the Eastern 

 markets ; (3) land rentals are lowest where yields 

 are low, thus offsetting, in part, the disadvantage ; 

 (4) land rental is everywhere an important factor 

 in the cost per bushel of wheat production. 



Special investigations were carried on by the 

 Nebraska Experiment Station in 1909 and 1910 

 for the purpose of determining, as accurately as 

 possible, the cost of producing wheat in that 

 state. The results are given in the following de- 

 tailed form : 



