246 ESSAYS ON "WHEAT 



From the Table it becomes evident that the total crop 

 value of Marquis wheat in North America was upwards 

 of $500,000,000 in 1917 and upwards of $600,000,000 

 in 1918. It is to be doubted whether any other single 

 variety of wheat ever had such a high crop value as this. 



Marquis wheat, as we have seen, originated in Canada 

 and was first grown there on a large scale. It is inter- 

 esting to note, however, that this year, 1918, more Mar- 

 quis has been grown in the United States than in Canada. 

 Whereas the Canadian crop of Marquis, owing to adverse 

 weather conditions, was only about 130,000,000 bushels, 

 that of the United States was upwards of 180,000,000 

 bushels. As a consequence, the crop value of Marquis in 

 the United States will this year, for the first time, con- 

 siderably exceed that in Canada. 



The years 1917 and 1918 are war years, and the price 

 of wheat is abnormally high. Soon after peace is de- 

 clared, there can be little doubt that the price of wheat 

 will decline and the yearly crop value of Marquis suffer 

 accordingly. However, Marquis is still increasing in 

 popularity with American farmers, and the acreage de- 

 voted to spring wheat in North America is still being con- 

 siderably extended. Even should pre-war prices again 

 come to prevail, the annual crop value of Marquis will 

 probably not fall below an average of $300,000,000 a year 

 for some years at least. 



XXXII. The Increased Wealth Brought hy Marquis to 

 the United States 



We shall now endeavor to make an estimate of the in- 

 creased wealth which has accrued to the United States 

 through the replacement of the older lesser-yielding varie- 

 ties of wheat, such as Bluestem, Fife, and Velvet Chaff, 

 by the newer variety from Canada. 



