PRODUCTION IN RELATION TO CONSUMPTION 259 



least able to bear long transport. It must be remembered, how- 

 ever, that vast areas of farm lands, especially in the newer and more 

 distant countries, will remain for a long time so far removed from 

 the centres of production of commercial fertilisers, that they may 

 have to depend increasingly for years to come upon animal indus- 

 tries as the principal means available for the preservation of fer- 

 tility. In these more distant areas, now largely engaged in grain 

 production or in stock-rearing on pastures, the population is, and 

 will remain for some time to come, relatively sparse, and from 

 them larger surplus supplies of meat, cheese and even butter, may 

 be expected to be available to meet the deficiency in the densety 

 populated industrial regions of Europe. 1 



The displacement of horses both on farms and in towns may 

 result in a diversion of grain consumption from horses to food- 

 producing animals or even to human beings, if wheat be substituted 

 for oats. 2 Motor traction is developing rapidly at the present time 

 for commercial vehicles and even for agricultural implements ; 

 for the latter purpose the movement is most marked in the more 

 important cereal -producing countries such as the United States, 

 Canada and Argentina, where there are extensive plains, and where 

 the holdings are large, but motor traction is also being applied to 

 agricultural operations in Europe, especially in Eastern Germany. 3 



In connection with the present discussion, it may be observed 

 that the more remote agricultural regions may be almost compelled, 

 in order to preserve soil fertility, to substitute food-producing 

 animals in farm economy, as fast as horses are displaced by motor 

 power ; thus the incidental production of animal foodstuffs may 

 be increased. In any case, every addition to the motor power 

 employed on farms increases the net agricultural resources avail- 

 able for the production of foodstuffs for human consumption 

 throughout the world ; and if some of the newer and more remote 

 agricultural regions continue to produce grain exclusively, the 

 increased surplus arising from the displacement of horses may be 

 sent to countries of the elaborating-commercial type, and be there 

 converted into animal foodstuffs, Incidentally, it is to be observed 



l It has been shown in Part I. that animal industries in the densely popu- 

 lated countries of Western Europe depend in no small measure upon imported 

 supplies of concentrated feedstuffs which may or may not be so readily 

 available in the future. These industries will tend to remain there on a large 

 scale, however, for two special reasons; first, because they enable efficient 

 use to be made of farm labour and of crop rotations, and second because of 

 quasi-political considerations, each nation desiring to assure as complete a 

 food-supply from its own territory as possible. 



! See Part I., Chap. xi.. p. 160. 



' The motor-driven farm tractor is not likely to be introduced so rapidly 

 in the more densely populated countries of Europe, because, firstly, it is not 

 economical as yet on small holdings ; secondly, labour is comparatively 

 cheap ; and thirdly, oats (which are the. chief feedstuff of working horses) 

 grow particularly well in Western and North Western Europe. On the other 

 hand, it is precisely in these countries that displacement of town horses by 

 motor power for vehicles ;s likely to be greatest, 



