138 The \Vorld’s Prodvction mid Consnmidion of Food. 
These figures exhibit “an increase of 20'4 per cent, in the aggre- 
gate acreage of all food staples, as against an increase of 27 per 
cent, in the bread-eating populations,” but, “ taking into considera- 
tion only the two principal bread-making grains — wheat and rye — 
the increase has been but 10’4 per cent., from which it appears that 
during the twenty years the bread-eaters have increased more than 
two and-a-half limes as fast as the material from which bread is 
made.” From 1870 to 1880 the acreage of wheat increased 15 6 
per cent, against an increase of population of 11 '4 per cent., the 
result being an abnormal production of wheat, “ a part of which 
was consumed to make up for the diminishing production of rye, 
and the remainder accumulated as a reserve which has sufficed to 
tide over later years, when both acreage and current production 
have been less than current needs.” Also, “during the earlier 
years of the ninth decade the acreage in food staples continued to 
increase more rapidly than population, although the rate of such 
increase was progressively lessening,” and about 1885 fell behind 
the population rate of increase, which rose from 11 ‘4 per cent, in 
the eighth decade to 14 per cent, in the ninth. This position of the 
subject is well observed in the following table : — 
Year 
Brcarl-eating 
populatiou 
Increase 
per cent. 
World's area 
in 
food staples 
Aggregate 
increase 
in acres 
Increase 
per cent. 
Acreage 
quota 
per 
capita 
1870 . . 
369,000,000 

492,467,000 


1-37 
1880 . . 
400,000,000 
n-4 
664,031,000 
01,564,000 
12-5 
1-39 
1890 . . 
450,000,000 
14-0 
593,047,000 
39,016,000 
70 
1-30 
20 years’ 
increase 
— 
270 
— 
100,580,000 
20-4 
- 
It will now be perceived that, as the percentage increase in 
acreage was one-tenth greater than that of population during the 
eighth decade of the century, agricultural depression was unavoid- 
able ; but it was postponed several years in Great Britain, while 
the inflation caused by the Franco-German War was evaporating. 
The researches which Mr. Davis has made have convinced him that 
the tide has turned, for he goes on to say ; — 
“ During the ninth decade, on the contrary, population increased 
at a rate double that obtaining as to acreage in food staples, the 
result now being an ascending scale of prices for farm products, an 
advance in land values, coming scarcity, and a very brisk demand 
for farm products.” 
“ A most significant fact, made very clear by the foregoing table, 
is that with a seventh more people to feed the increase in the acre- 
age devoted to food production, during the ninth decade, was but a 
little more than half what it was in the eighth, when to have kept 
pace with the increase in population it should have been 36 per cent, 
greater, and there can be no reasonable doubt that but for the acreage 
in excess of current needs, existing at the beginning of the ninth 
decade, the pinch of scarcity would long since have been felt.” 
