IMPORTANCE OF THE WHEAT CROP. 33 



about thirty-one million acres of land, being nearly an 

 average of fourteen bushels per acre. This quantity 

 gave our people, for home consumption, two hundred 

 million bushels, allowing five bushels per capita for the 

 entire population, estimated in round numbers at forty 

 millions, while the people of Europe have not more than 

 three to four bushels a head for all the population. For 

 seed, it likewise allowed us sixty million bushels for 

 thirty- two million acres the succeeding season, which is 

 the average, probably, sown that year, and then left about 

 one hundred and forty million bushels surplus for ex- 

 portation, which is the quantity shown by various statis- 

 tics to have been exported by the time the crop of 1879 

 was ready to go forward ; and for the crop of the latter 

 year we have even larger figures. The acreage harvested 

 in 1879 was about thirty-two million acres, and the en- 

 tire product was not far from four hundred and forty 

 million bushels, showing a trifle less than an average of 

 fourteen bushels per acre for the whole area sown, which 

 is an absurdly small yield for a new country and lands, 

 such as ours, and which ought to be, and easily can be, 

 doubled, if the farmers will all adopt the best known 

 methods, whereby they can likewise double their profits. 

 The Duke of Beaufort has made somewhat detailed 

 estimates of the cost of the growing and transportation 

 of wheat in America, and is very emphatic in his con- 

 clusions, saying: " As to the expense, I have no doubt 

 but wheat can be raised in the United States and be 

 landed at Liverpool, from the average of distance of 

 shipping points on the coast of the United States, at a 

 cost of four shillings per bushel, or thirty-two shillings 

 per quarter," and then asks, " Can you compete with this 

 price in England ? I say, certainly not." The Duke 

 sums up his letter as follows : " The result of my con- 

 sideration of the subject is this that climate, steam 

 transport by land and sea, with the labor question on 



