Twenty Years' Agricultural Development. 185 



In rye, as already stated, there is an absolute decrease, 

 and the decrease is exclusively in the European countries. 



As regards potatoes, the effect of the tables is to show that 

 production has disproportionately increased, the increase 

 being exceptionally marked in Russia, while it is also notice- 

 able in France, Germany, and Austria. It is interesting to 

 note that while certain countries, especially Russia, are 

 comparatively stationary as regards wheat culture, the pro- 

 duction and consumption of the potato appear to be 

 increasing. 



It appears that if minuter or more exact comparisons were 

 attempted as regards cereals, it would no doubt be found 

 that while the growth of acreage is much less than the 

 growth of the consuming population the growth of produc- 

 tion would be less still. 



" It may well be asked then/' says Sir Robert Giffen, 

 ^^what is the cause of the decline in the price of wheat, since 

 it can hardly be excessive production ? Apart from the 

 question of the change of the level of all prices arising 

 through a relative change in the measure of value, as 

 compared with a previous period — a question which need not 

 be discussed here — it may be suggested that, as the fall in 

 cereals cannot be ascribed to an excessive growth of the 

 production of the cereals themselves, it must be ascribed, 

 seeing that there has been a great increase of the resources 

 of the consuming peoples themselves, to a diminution of 

 demand arising fiom various causes. What can be these 

 causes ? Why do people as they grow richer consume less 

 wheat, etc., instead of more ? '* 



The answer to the last question is to be found, he thinks, in 

 an examination of the figures as to live stock, which he 

 proceeds to make. People consume less cereals per . head 

 because, with their increase of resources, they consume more 

 meat, which pro tanto displaces the cereals. 



In this connection the suggestion of the figures is 

 especially remarkable as regards cattle, where the increase 

 is 37 per cent., as compared with an increase of 26 per cent, 

 only in population. And here the impression conveyed by 

 the figures is enhanced by an examination in detail of the 



