656 Cost of Producing Wheat, etc., in U.S. [Nov., 



ground for seed included the cost of applying manure where 

 this was done; and the cost of cultivation included all costs 

 from the time the crop was planted until ready for harvesting. 

 With the cost of preparing for market was included all 

 expenses between harvesting and marketing. The informa- 

 tion received by the Bureau from its correspondents referred 

 either to their own farms or to typical farms in their vicinity. 



As a result of this inquiry the following estimates have been 

 obtained (a dollar has been reckoned at 4s. 2d.) : — 





Wheat. 



Oats. 



Maize. 







d. 



5. d. 



s. d. 



Cost per acre, excluding rent... 



32 



8 



29 8 



35 6 



,, including rent ... ... ... ... 



46 



6 



45 ° 



C T T 



Value of grain, per bushel 



4 



0 



1 8 



2 7 



„ per acre 



68 



8 



58 8 



83 8 



Cost per bushel, excluding rent 



2 



0 



0 10 



1 1 



,, including rent 



2 



9 



1 4 



1 7 * 



Value of grain, less cost (i.e. profit) per acre exclud- 











ing rent 



36 



5 



29 0 



48 2 



Value of grain, less cost (i.e. profit) per acre, includ- 











ing rent 



22 



8 



13 2 



32 7 



Value of grain, less cost (i. e. profit) per bushel, 











excluding rent ... ... ... ... 



Value of grain, less cost (i.e. profit) per bushel, 



2 



1 



O 10 



1 6 











including rent 



1 



4 



0 5 



1 0 





Per 



Per 



Per 





cent. 



cent. 



cent. 



Excess of value over cost (i.e. profit) excluding rent 





116 



97 



136 



,, ,, „ ,, including rent 







29 



64 





Acres. 



Acres. 



Acres. 



Average size of fields .. . 



59-6 



25*5 



3 0"2 





s.' 



d. 



s. d. 



s. d. 



Value per acre of land... 



227 



6 



293 8 



247 8 







Per 



Per 



Per 





cent. 



cent. 



cent. 



Percentage of rental to land value 





6-3 



5'4 



6-3 



Cost of Producing Wheat. — The cost of producing wheat 

 is thus £2 6s. 6d. per acre, or 2s. gd. per bushel. The cost 

 per acre is made up of the following items (all per acre) : — 

 Artificial manures, 2s. $d.; preparation of land, 8s. iod.; 

 seed, $s. nd.; planting, is. nd.; harvesting, 55. 6d.; pre- 

 paring for market, 6s. 2d.; miscellaneous, is. nd.; rent, 

 135. iod. The cost of production of wheat per acre varies 

 from £/[ 18s. 8d. in Maine to £1 ijs. $d. in South Dakota; 

 the chief reasons for the difference being the higher rent and 

 cost of fertilisers in the former State ; the cost of production 

 per bushel is again greatest in the case of Maine, with an 

 equally large cost in South Carolina, while a bushel of wheat 

 is produced with least expense in Montana. 



Yield of Wheat.- —The yield of wheat varies from 36*2 



