VI INTRODUCTION TO THIKD EDITION. 



Statistics show the fact that within the last half dozen years 

 the average yield per acre has been raised two to three bushels 

 in many of the States, which is of more value than the entire 

 profits of most growers it being believed that many farmers do 

 not realize in clear profit the price of two bushels per acre. This 

 increased yield of two to three bushels per acre is wholly the 

 result of care and improved methods with both soil and seed, 

 which better way, if observed and practised, will insure similar 

 desirable results wherever adopted ; and all this improved cul- 

 tivation is what is plainly and earnestly urged and explained in 

 this work. 



From various statistics we learn that the annual export of 

 wheat from the United States for several years has ranged from 

 about one hundred and thirty million bushels to one hundred 

 and forty-five million bushels ; and the demand must continue 

 to increase for many years, and the United States will be the 

 main supply. In the Annual Report of the Agricultural De- 

 partment it may be seen where most of the wheat is purchased 

 and consumed. The following table, in those reports recently, 

 ehows the following quantity of wheat and of flour reduced to 

 wheat purchased by Great Britain during the last fifteen years, 

 in bushels of sixty pounds : 



Countries. Total Quantity. Yearly Average. 



United States 929,656,838 61,977,122 



Russia 246,991,629 16,466,109 



India 143,528,146 9,568,543 



Australasia 70,309,557 4,687,304 



Otber countries- 428,362,405 28,557,494 



Total.. ....1,818,848,575 121,256,573 



By these figures it appears that the United States supplies 

 Great Britain with as much wheat and flour as all other coun- 

 tries combined ; and it is hoped and believed that the .knowledge 

 of the above important facts will be sufficient to stimulate our 

 farmers to make all honorable efforts to create the most fertile 

 wheat soils, and secure the largest yields and richly paying 

 profits in their grain growing operations, which it is possible 

 for human intelligence and industry to achieve, in a country 

 and climate so favorable and extensive as ours. 



D. S. CURTISS. 

 Washington, D. C., August, 1888, 



