CROP YIELDS AND PRICES 117 



knows how to greatly increase his crops, but each added bushel 

 costs more per bushel. The crop yields will continue to be in- 

 creased if prices rise. They will be decreased if prices fall. There 

 is much land to be reclaimed, but always at much cost. Land that 

 must be drained or irrigated or fertilized or green-manured is ex- 

 pensive. The bushels grown on it are costly bushels. By heavy 

 fertilization or other intensive methods, we can easily increase 

 crops ; but after a fair crop is secured every bushel that we get 

 costs more than the preceding bushel. The limit of yield per acre 

 is far from reached, but the period of low cost of production per 

 bushel is passed, 



Europe secures larger yields per acre, but even with the low 

 wages the cost per bushel is more. Europe has to pay the farmer 

 much higher prices for nearly all products in order to secure her 

 large yields. 



WAYS OF REDUCING THE COST OF FOOD 



Reducing the cost of distribution. We cannot look to the farms 

 for any great reduction in the cost of food. But there appears to 

 be one way in which prices may be lowered to the consumer. 

 From a half to two thirds of the money paid by the consumer 

 never reaches the farmer. Most of this amount is consumed by 

 the exceedingly cumbersome machinery of distribution in cities. 

 Probably half of this excessive increase in price after the cities are 

 reached can be eliminated. But if this is to be done, some per- 

 sons who are a part of the present system will have to change 

 their occupations. These persons naturally object to any change. 

 The city dweller will also have to learn that when he telephones 

 for a quart of potatoes to be delivered, what he pays the farmer 

 for the potatoes is practically nothing. What he calls the high 

 cost of potatoes is the high cost of delivery and bookkeeping. 

 The first step in reducing the cost of living is to buy more than a 

 quart of potatoes at one time. 



Use of cheaper food. As our population is becoming larger we 

 are being forced to use cheaper kinds of food. Beef is one of the 

 most expensive foods, because so much feed is required in order 



