178 ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



exported, either as grain or as flour. This has an impor- 

 tant significance. It means that nearly all of our corn is 

 fed in this country, so that it results in manure-produc- 

 tion for the maintenance of the productiveness of our 

 farms. A relatively small amount of wheat is used for 

 animals, so that wheat farms usually have too little manure 

 to keep up the productivity. 



WHEAT 



166. Importance of Wheat. Long before men began 

 to record history, they learned to raise wheat. It is the 

 most important human food and the one that is most 

 universally liked. 



Europe 1,765 

 North 

 America 760 



Asia . . 446 



South 

 America 155 



Austral- 

 asia .. 64 



Africa. . 51 



FIG. 85. Wheat crop of the world in millions of bushels. Average for five 

 years (1903-07). 



Nearly all of the wheat crop of the world is used as 

 human food. This is not because it is not good for domes- 

 tic animals, but because men prefer it to other grain, 

 and hence make the price too high to allow of its general 

 use as a stock food. The demand for it as human food is 

 constantly increasing. As fast as men or nations become 

 wealthy enough to afford it, they seem instinctively to 

 demand " white bread." The peasants of Russia and of 

 parts of Europe are compelled to eat rye, barley, millet, 

 etc., because they are cheaper; those of Asia eat rice, 



