WHEAT. 103 



which caused primitive man to begin and continue its 

 cultivation. In addition, its wide adaptation to dif- 

 ferent soils and climates has made it one of the prin- 

 cipal foods of mankind. 



Prodaction. — The average wheat production of the 

 world is from 1,500 to 1,700 million bushels annually. 

 Europe produces annually about 1,200 million bushels; 

 about 3.5 bushels per inhabitant. 



The largest live wheat producing countries of 

 Europe, are, in order of importance, France, Russia, 

 Austro-Hungary, Spain and Italy. Germany and 

 Great Britain were formerly more important wheat 

 producers than at present. The United States and 

 India are the only other large wheat producing coun- 

 tries. 



The United States produces a large surplus of 

 wheat annually, and must compete in the markets of 

 the world with other nations. Europe is our foreign 

 market. She requires nearly four bushels per inhabi- 

 tant, or about a half-bushel per inhabitant more than 

 she produces. 



Each country of Europe, however,, does not import 

 equally and some export in considerable quantities. 

 The principal importing countries are Great Britain, 

 France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Nether- 

 lands. The average total net import of wheat of the 

 various countries of Europe for the ten years, 1880 to , 

 18S9, was 203 million bushels annually. Half of this 

 import went to Great Britain. During the same ten 

 years, the average net export has been 88 million 

 bushels, most of it coming from Russia and Roumania. 



Outside of Europe the principal wheat exporting 

 countries are the United States and India. Australasia, 

 Canada, Algeria and Egypt export small quantities. 



