WHEAT. 193 



As to the number of years during which the greater por- 

 tion of the rich prairie lands of America have been broken 

 up for the growth of wheat, it may be observed that a series 

 of unproductive seasons, not only in our own country but in 

 Western Europe generally, which culminated in 1879, but 

 continued for some years later, led to a more rapid reduction 

 in our own area under the crop, and concurrently to the 

 opening up of large wheat-growing areas in various parts of 

 the world, and at the same time to greatly increased imports ; 

 a much larger amount coming from the United States than 

 from any other country, indeed generally more than from all 

 other countries put together. Thus, the area under wheat in 

 the United States increased from under 21 million acres in 

 1872, to more than 27£ million in 1876, with an average for 

 the 5 years of nearly 24£ million. Over the next 5 years the 

 area increased from 26£ million in 1877 to 37f million in 

 1881, with an average over the 5 years of 33 £ million. Over 

 the next 10 years, from 1882 to 1891, the area averaged 37| 

 million acres ; and it was 39.9 million in 1891, and more 

 than 38J million in 1892. l There was an increase, therefore, 

 from less than 21 million in 1872, to an average of 37£ 

 million over the 10 years ending 1891, or by about 79 per 

 cent. In fact, this great increase in the area under the crop 

 took place within a period of about 20 years; the actual 

 increase during that period amounting to about 16^ million 

 acres, by far the greater proportion of which was rich prairie 

 land. Of this the larger proportion was brought under 

 cultivation within a period of about 15 years. Bearing 

 in mind the results obtained at Rothamsted without manure 

 for 50 years, on a comparatively very poor soil, it does in- 

 deed seem incredible that a period of about 15 years should 

 be sufficient to bring about palpable exhaustion of the in- 

 comparably richer prairie soils. 



Within the same period of 20 years, the home consump- United 

 tion of wheat in the United States, according to the rec- jS**2 

 ords, increased from rather under 200 million Winchester auction 

 bushels in 1872-73, to an average of nearly 334 million over ««<*«3»»*' 

 the 10 years from 1882-83 to 1891-92; whilst the exports 

 have increased from 52£ million bushels in 1872-73 to an 

 average of 146£ million over the 5 years 1877-78 to 1881-82 ; 

 but they amounted to an average of rather less than 130 mil- 

 lion over the 10 years 1882-83 to 1891-92. The maximum 

 amount in any one year was, however, 227i million in 

 1891-92. 



It has been estimated that, judging from the increase of 



1 Subsequent records show that the area was reduced to 34.6 million acres 

 in 1893, and to 34.8 in 1894. 



VOL. VII. N 



