4 THE WHEAT PLANT 



: 5 ,TIte> only parts of the world from which it is absent are the hot, low- 

 lying regions of the Tropics. 



The greatest wheat-growing countries are Russia, the United States, 

 India, France, Canada, Italy, and Argentina. With the exception of 

 France and Italy, all these produce more than they require, and export 

 the surplus to regions which do not grow enough for their needs. Larger 

 or smaller imports enter every country in Western Europe, by far the 

 largest amount being taken by the British Isles. 



The crop is being harvested in one country or another all the year round 

 as indicated below : 



January. Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chili. 



February . India . 



March. India, Upper Egypt. 



April. India, Persia, Asia Minor, Lower Egypt, Mexico, Cuba. 



May. Japan, China, Central Asia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, Texas. 



June. South France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Japan, United 

 States south of 40. 



July. France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Roumania, Bulgaria, 

 Southern Russia, Canada, Northern United States. 



August. England, Northern France, Belgium, Holland, Central 

 Russia, Canada, United States. 



September. Scotland, Sweden, Norway, Canada. 



October. Northern Russia, Finland. 



November. South Africa, Argentina, Peru. 



December. Bdrma, Australia, Argentina. 



The great wheat-producing areas of the world are found in the tem- 

 perate regions between the parallels of latitude 3O-6o N. and 27-4O S. 



Wheat can, however, be grown from beyond the Arctic circle to the 

 Equator. 



In Europe it has yielded ripe grain as far north as 69 28' N. at Skibotten 

 on the Lyngenfjord in Western Norway, and in European Russia it is 

 cultivated around Archangel in latitude 64 33' N. The northern limit 

 of growth in Great Britain is the Orkney Isles about 59 N., though its 

 profitable culture does not extend beyond 51 or 52 N. 



In Asiatic Russia Flaksberger reports the growth of spring wheat 

 at Verkhoyansk in Siberia, within the Arctic circle. 



In the Western Hemisphere spring wheats mature in Alaska up to 

 60 N. In the Peace River valley in Canada a flour-mill is maintained 

 at Fort Vermilion, and ripe grain has been produced up to 65 N. on the 

 Mackenzie River. 



It is grown at the Equator on the high lands of Ecuador and Colombia, 

 and its cultivation is carried on in British East Africa and Nigeria. 



Other countries within the Tropics in which the cereal is grown are 



