i 





ADVOCATE AND GUIDE. 65 



"Production : 2,000 quintals, of which 25 per cent goes to the owner 

 of the land. The 1,500 quintals, or about 5,513 bushels, have thus cost 

 the tenant about $1.24 per bushel, allowing the owner of the land 1,838 

 bushels, or 3.38 bushels per acre as rental, the tenant furnishing seed, 

 tools, animals, insurance, and paying threshing bill and family expenses. 

 The estimate is based upon the presumption of a yield of approximately 

 14.87 bushels per acre for the land actually cultivated. 



"The figures throw some light upon methods of wheat raising in 

 Argentina, upon prevailing prices, and indicate the outfit considered 

 necessary and the status of the tenant. The prices of machinery may 

 appear high, but are actually based upon the prices prevailing before 

 the war, and are lower than the present prices. The low price of farm 

 horses is an interesting feature of the estimate, and the primitive ar- 

 rangements for the living accommodations of the tenant are also sug- 

 gested. The rental of the bare land, amounting to 3.38 bushels per acre, 

 or more than $7.00 per acre at prevailing prices for cash wheat, may ap- 

 pear high for naked land without house, well, fence, barn, or stock, the 

 landlord furnishing nothing except the use of the land. The amount 

 of land worked by one family is large, and if a good crop and a good 

 price is realized, both landlord and tenant are usually satisfied. The 

 figures indicate the amount of capital which the tenant farmer of Argen- 

 tina is supposed to command, although as a matter of fact it is commonly 

 advanced to him by some one interested in his operations, and as it is 

 advanced without other security than the crop, an element of specula- 

 tion is injected into the activities of the farmer, whose effort is directed 

 to raising wheat to the exclusion of poultry, vegetables, fruits, and all 

 other side-products incidental to farming in older countries. The rais- 

 ing of wheat is an industrial undertaking and is not associated with the 

 idea of a homestead or permanent residence. Having only one product 

 to sell, a failure of the wheat crop places the wheat farmer in a distressing 

 position, and also embarrasses those who have advanced capital to him, 

 and is reflected in the general trade situation, in railroad receipts, and 

 in public revenues. 



"Over against the estimate of $1.24 for the cost of producing wheat, 

 .ust be sent the claim of millers to the effect that wheat can be pro- 

 duced under normal conditions for eighty cents per bushel, and the 

 further fact that the cost depends largely upon the personal equation 

 of the producer. 



"A true copy of the signed original. S. R. P." 



The millers there evidently want an export duty on wheat, 

 but not on flour or other mill products. That would give 

 them a fine monopoly of the wheat at their own price, and 

 shows the need of wheat growers there unionizing. 



