THE PRODUCTION OF WHEAT 21 
actual area possible for grain is taken as 80 per cent. of 
column (1), because about one-fifth of the total crop 
each year is devoted to the production of hay and chaff. 
Column (5) is the product of columns (8) and (4). 
The actual wheat production for Australia is given 
in the following table :— 
TABLE VI. 
WHEAT PRODUCTION IN AUSTRALIA, 1916-17. 
AREA YIELD YIELD PER 
STATE (Millions of (in Million ACRE 
Acres) Bushels) (in Bushels) 
New South Wales 3:5 86°7 10°4 
Victoria 8-1 511 16°4 
Queensland ... 2 2.5 10:8 
South Australia 28 43°8 15-8 
West Australia wes 1.6 16:1 1¢°3 
Tasmania... ae wet 03 85 12°6 
Total see or wie 11°23 150°55 13°4 
(b) European Area.—tThis area, extending over the 
whole of Western and Central Europe, comprises almost 
all the importing countries, while Roumania is the only 
exporting country of any importance. The whole of 
the area has been cultivated for the production of 
wheat for several centuries, and consequently cultivation 
assumes the mark of intensity in opposition to the 
extensive methods prevalent in the other countries which 
we have been considering. The law of diminishing 
returns has for some time been in operation, but owing 
to the greatly increased demand which has pressed down 
the margin, wheat growing is still a highly remunerative 
pursuit, and the area produces more than half the 
world’s supply. 
The conditions under which the cereal is produced are 
much the same over the whole area. A favourable rain- 
fall in the growing season with a hot sun in the ripening 
period goes far to counterbalance any disadvantages 
which are experienced on account of soil exhaustion. 
Moreover, this latter difficulty is overcome to a con- 
siderable extent by artificial manuring, a skilful rotation 
