18 
BULLETIN 1399, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
growth of cities, if for no other reason, because of nearness to markets. 
In addition, still greater benefits were bestowed upon German agri- 
culture by a friendly tariff. 
The population grew from 45,222,113 in 1882 to 64,925,993 in 1910. 
The increased buying power which was passed on to the farmer 
from the industrial sections by higher prices received at the farm 
made remunerative the expensive intensive methods that were 
employed. 
The more immediate factors which contributed to German agri- 
cultural prosperity should include: (1) Greatly increased use of com- 
mercial fertilizers; 5 (2) large livestock production built up to a great 
extent on imported feedstuffs, contributing to increase soil fertility; 
(3) application of scientific methods of ±(H>d selection, tillage, crop 
rotation, and farm management; 6 and (4) a cheap supply of com- 
petent labor and the introduction of labor-saving machinery. 7 
AGRICULTURAL TARIFF 
The German agricultural tariff which was first applied in 1879 and 
which was frequently increased gave great impetus to agricultural 
development. By a drawback system some products received what 
amounted to a bonus on export, as well as protection in home markets. 
This accounts, to a large extent, for the remarkable expansion in rye 
production, especially in northeastern Germany. It also accounts 
for the large export rye balance at a time when Germany was really 
a deficit grain-producing country. This rye-tariff policy was a happy 
one for the eastern farmer because the growing home demand was 
for wheat, whereas the land in the east was particularly suitable for 
This tariff also made possible a good margin of profit in the feeding 
of animals for slaughter on account of the relationship of the tariff 
> The extensive use of potash in Germany as contrasted with its use in the United States is given in the 
following: 
Potash use per 100 acres, in pounds 
Vear 
Germany 
United 
States 
1895 
1900 
1905 
1910 
1913 
152.2 
298. ;< 
514.3 
914.6 
1,364.4 
18.0 
34.6 
58.0 
130.3 
106.8 
Source: Krische, Paul, Das Kali, * * * Stuttgart, Verlag von Ferdinand Enko, 1923, Teil I. 
The large importations of barley, oil cake, and other feeding stuffs meant, ina large sense, an importation 
of fertilizer. Several estimates that agree quite closely indicate, that animal fertilizer was fully as important 
as the commercial. 
6 Regarding the application of scientific methods of farming in Germany volumes might be written. 
By BUCb methods as seed selection, crop rotation, etc., a greal deal was undoubtedly accomplished which 
did not greatly increase production costs. 'The intensive cultivation for the most part, however, caused 
a direct increase in costs and was profitable only because of the remunerative prices received for commodi- 
! wheal were cultivated during the growing season as corn is cultivated in Amer- 
ica. Fields were often plowed three or four times per year and green manure, sown after early crops, was 
plowed under. 
residenl rural population decreased during this period of development, but a large seasonal labor 
supply wis imported each year. 'Phis began with a small seasonal migration from the east to take care 
ay's sugar-beel crop. The term "Saxon Ganger" is a very old one. This Nearly migration so 
d( veloped that, jusl before the war, about km), (MM) Poles yearly migrated to Germany. They returned to 
Poland when the work was finished, and were consequently not Included in the statistics of agricultural 
population. Such labor was no! onl\ imported into Sa\on\ but into all central and northeastern terri- 
tory. The introduction of agricultural machinery from abroad and the development of the farm imple- 
ment manufacture within Germany itself did much to lower the cost of production. 
