WINNIPEG, 1909. 751 
Supplementing the details of the existing wheat areas of the world by 
estimates from other countries, and employing in certain cases later 
statistics now available, it seems probable that approximately 242,000,000 
acres are at the present time devoted to the growth of this cereal, three 
great States or combinations of States supplying 150,000,000 acres of this 
total. Roughly, the distribution of the surface may be analysed as under, 
indicating the development of the last decade :-— 
Regions About 1898-99 | About 1908-09 
Acres | Acres 
British Empire : ; - : a 35,000,000 42,000,000 
Russian Empire - : : J ei 47,000,000 60,000,000 
United States : : ‘ : c 40,000,000 48,000,000 
European States (not included above) . 60,000,000 64,000,000 
South America : E : : = 7,000,000 16,000,000 
Minor States (partly estimated) . : 12,000,000 12,000,000 
201,000,000 242,000,000 
So far as the defective records of still earlier periods than the above may 
be quoted, the total acreage of the wheat-fields of the world in 1883 may 
have been slightly over 170,000,000 acres, and in 1893 about 190,000,000 
acres, Since it may be assumed that no appreciable increase is shown in 
the 26,000,000 acres of wheat in India, included above in the total for the 
British Empire, and no increase in the estimates of the last line of this 
table is presumed to have taken place, the localities where the greatest 
development of wheat-growing has occurred may be readily traced, and 
the accelerated rate of the extension in the most recent decade offers an 
assurance that the apprehended shortage of bread-supplies is not yet in 
sight. 
Estimates of the world’s aggregate production are even less complete 
and reliable than those of acreage, but, comparing the figures forthcoming 
for the average of the three years 1895-97 with those for the last three 
harvests 1907-09, a total of 2,444,000,000 bushels of wheat would appear 
to have risen to 3,236,000,000 bushels, an advance of nearly 33 per cent. 
in this interval. This movement is certainly much greater than that of 
population in the period covered. 
In view of the concern of the United Kingdom in the expanding 
imports of wheat, the following statement emphasises the changes which 
have occurred in the chief sources whence its supplies have been received, 
and illustrates the growing importance of the Canadian contribution to 
the needs of the Mother Country. 
' Annual Average Imports of Wheat and Wheat Flour (expressed as Grain) into 
the United Kingdom and the Countries from which these Imports were recorded 
in the Trade Accounts in millions of ewts. 
| Of which from 
Periods Total Pacaeal ii ea ; _— 
| Feceived U.8.a,Atgen- Higa) Taare ee ee other 
1881-85 (6 years) .| 773 | 414| 01] 90| 94 | 40 | 27) 107 | 
1886-90 ,, "| ag | s741 12) 145] 92) 19 | 34 | 10-2 
1891-95 _,, ‘| 966 | 607] 77] 1398] 92] 29 | 49) 74 | 
1896-1900 ,, ‘| g¢0 | 673 | 81) 92] 41) 16 | 75] 82 
1901-05 , ‘| ave | 4931 146| 150] 165 | 71 | 105] 66 
1906-08 (3 years) .| 1125 | 368| 244) 102} 113) 77 | 162] 69 
