AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES 129 



having reduced wheat-growing until one-half the 

 local consumption had to be supplied from outside, 

 the State can not only return to eating her own 

 bread, but can produce also for export, preferably not 

 wheat but flour., for the milling of which she is well 

 equipped and the exportation of which was large and 

 active even when the wheat had to be brought from 

 other states for the grinding. 



When wheat-growing in California fell to its low- 

 est output, production was only about one-half of the 

 local consumption. World experience indicates that 

 no highly developed commonwealth where natural 

 conditions favor the growth of wheat departs so 

 far from a home supply. The ratio of imported to 

 home-grown wheat in European countries is, in nor- 

 mal times, as follows: Great Britain, three-fourths 

 imported; Germany, one-third; France, one-ninth; 

 Italy, one-fourth ; Spain, one-fifth imported. 



Great Britain is in a group by herself because of 

 large population of trading, manufacturing and lei- 

 sure classes and enforced idleness of so much land. 

 The other countries are better instances of small 

 farms and intensive agriculture and they are largely 

 producing their own wheat, as the fractions show. In 

 their cases, the grain is produced chiefly as a part 

 of the output of small and diversified farming. Of 

 the several countries, France most resembles Cali- 

 fornia in area and farm products. To support her 

 population, which is fifteen times larger, France only 

 needs to import one-ninth of her bread requirements, 

 although giving much land to high-class special prod- 



