GRAIN CROPS 51 



Prices. — The pric6 of wheat is subject to many varjdng 

 conditions. From 1906 to 1915 inclusive the price in this 

 country averaged about 87 cents. From 1908 to 1917 

 inclusive it averaged $1.07. In July 1918, on account of 

 war conditions, the price of wheat in Chicago was $2.26. 

 Aside from quality, distance and, especially, demand are 

 price factors. Attempts to fix the price by proclamation or 

 law are justified only in emergencies. 



Cost of Production. — The cost of production varies also 

 ^n account of local or accidental conditions. The usual 

 items of cost are rent of land, price of seed, labor, fertilizers, 

 machinery, marketing, etc. Recent and reliable data are 

 not available to determine the cost with accuracy. In 1911 

 it was estimated to be, on an average, for the United States, 

 $11.15. The cost must have increased at least in propor- 

 tion to the upward trend of prices. The amount of wheat 

 that we can raise on an acre, therefore, becomes very im- 

 portant. In the United States this has been said to be 

 about 15 bushels on an average. In France it is 20; in 

 Germany, 30; and in the United Kingdom 33. Low yields 

 are mainly the result of the use of poor or diseased seed, 

 poor cultivation, insects or diseases, and climatic conditions. 

 Practically three fourths of the unfavorable conditions are 

 in the control of the farmer. 



Rotation. — ^A three-year rotation in which wheat is in- 

 volved is: First year, corn; second year, wheat; third 

 year, clover. This is a good rotation for light or run-down 

 soils or where the other crops are fed to stock and the man- 

 ure is returned to the soil. 



A five-year rotation is: First year, wheat; second year, 

 hay; third year, pasture; fourth year, corn; fifth year, oats. 

 This is suitable where more diversified farming is practiced. 



Rotation of crops is discussed on pages 320, 324, 329, 

 332 and 334. 



Uses. — Wheat is used chiefly as a human food. The 

 gluten in it makes an elastic dough which is preferable for 

 bread making. It is seldom, therefore, fed to stock, except 

 that screenings are fed to fowls. The by-products in the 

 manufacture of flour, however, such as bran, shorts, and 

 middlings are commonly fed to live stock. 



