CHAPTER XXVIir 



RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN NEW AND OLD DISTRICTS 



THE acres of land in the world capable of 

 producing crops can and must produce a 

 greater annual tonnage of food in order 

 to feed the people, unless there be some unfore- 

 seen calamity to stop the rate of increase of pop- 

 ulation. 



The production must be increased by better 

 methods in the countries now producing the great- 

 est total crops, and undeveloped and semi-devel- 

 oped countries and districts must be brought up to 

 the limit of their producing possibilities. 



That the potato has been and is given very high 

 consideration in Great Britain is very conclusively 

 shown in the article by David Young in the chap- 

 ter on "Seed Stocks and Varieties." 



During the past decade more attention has been 

 paid to the potato in America than at any period. 

 This interest must continue because of the increas- 

 ing importance to the world of all food crops. 



A number of educational factors are at work in 

 this country. Among these are the agricultural 

 colleges and experiment stations, the farmers' 

 institutes and the great transportation interests. 



Great good has been accomplished in the devel- 

 opment of districts by the railroads. It is true, of 

 course, that the reason for this is the increase in 

 tonnage, but the result has been of great benefit 

 to individual growers. 



