YIELD AND 



'101 



which acreage had increased or decreased by end of decade, 

 in round thousands. The bushel is the unit in this table. x 



France is a good example of an older country where the 

 yield is being increased by intensive cultivation. In 1840 

 the yield was 14.6 bushels per acre, and in 1850, 15.6. The 

 constant and regular rise in the yield per acre for nearly three 

 quarters of a century in France is remarkable. The acreage 

 rose gradually from about 12,500,000 acres in 1831 to about 

 17,500,000 acres in 1898. If poorer wheat land was brought 

 under cultivation, the advance in methods of culture more than 

 counterbalanced its effect. It is very interesting to compare 

 the United Kingdom with France. The data cover the years 

 from 1871 to 1898 inclusive. In this period the acreage of the 



1 Data taken from Yearbook U. S. Dept. Agr., 1902, 1905. Mo. 

 Summary of Commerce and Finance, Jan., 1900, pp. 2039-2065. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr., Bu. of Sta., Bui. 42, 1906, p. 26. 



2 1866. 



3 1905. 



4 All dates for Australia begin in 1873 and end in 1898. 



5 1883, 



