UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTU 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1399 
Washington, D. C. 
May, 1926 
AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF EUROPE: 
GERMANY 
By Louis G. Michael, Foreign Agricultural Economist, Bureau of Agricultural 
Economics 1 
CONTENTS 
Page 
A survey of German agriculture 1 
Wheal 32 
Rye 40 
Spelt 46 
Barley , 47 
Oats m 
Potato...- ._„ 53 
Sugar beet and sugar 58 
Fodder beet 66 
Page 
Hay 67 
Livestock industry 69 
Horses ._ 82 
Cattle 86 
Swine 92 
Sheep 98 
German market for American agricultural 
products 104 
A SURVEY OF GERMAN AGRICULTURE 
The development of German agriculture during the 40 years 
preceding the war presents one of the most striking illustrations in 
world history of what may be accomplished in a country w T hose farm 
area is sharply limited by natural conditions, and whose expansion 
in production has been possible only by intensive cultural methods, 
the scientific use of fertilizers, and the closest attention to breeding 
and feeding. The stupendous accomplishments of German agri- 
culture are illustrated in Figure 1. 
Before the war German agricultural production increased at a 
more rapid rate than the population, in pursuance of a national 
policy to render the German people as nearly as possible independent 
of outside sources of supply. In the late nineties the upper limit of 
agricultural land that could be tilled at a profit, even under a system 
oi State encouragement, had been practically reached. Ten years 
reviously cereal production as the major agricultural activity had 
)een abandoned and pork production as an adjunct to the potato 
industry took its place. The steady expansion in production con- 
tinued until the outbreak of the war, the nigh point in the production 
of cereals, potatoes, and swine being reached in 1913. 
1 With the collaboration of E. C. Squire, former Agricultural Commissioner, U. S. Departmenl of Agri- 
culture, Berlin, now Trade Commissioner, l". S. Departmenl of Commerce; and G. B, L, A.rner, Agricul- 
tural statistician, L. Thompson, Assistant Economic Analyst, and 1'. A. McDonnell, Assistant Clerk, 
all of the Bureau of Agricultural Economies. 
73727°— 26f 1 
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