An Interesting Article on our Bread Supply

Bruce Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 2955, 26 April 1898, Page 6

An Interesting Article on our Bread Supply

t » Tbe holiday number of the 'North Western Miller' (Minneapoli) contains an interesting statistical paper on the world's bread, by Mr. C. Wood. Davis. He comes to a rather starling conclusion tint the area under all the bread-making grains is absolutely 2 2 per cent, leas than thirteen years ago, notwithstanding au increase of two fifths in requirements for breid. He sayp; — Since 1871 the bread eaters of European lineage inhabiting the United States, Canada, Australasia, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Chili, South Africa, Siberia , Europe, and tbe European colonies, have increased from 871,000,000 to 510,000,000. S.) great has been the increase, that tbe annual additions 4,300,000 ia thee^rly seventies have given place to the more than 5,400,000 per annum, thes^ necessitating at.nual addition to the bread supply nearly onehalf gre»t«r th*n sufficed tweny years ago; and yet, despite this increase of annnal requirements, no additions havebeen made to th 9 aggregate of the breadbearing areas since 1880, aud not an acre haß been added to the combined area under wheat and rye since 1884 From 1871 to 1884 the United States contributed about 20,800,000 to the wheat and rye fields as againbt 8,800000 in other regions. In 1884 we ceased to add to the wheat field-*, but those of other regiocs have since expandtd somewhat, though iv less measure than tbe rye fie'ds have shrunk, the result being au increase in the last 13 yearn. In tbe United States there are some 5,400,000 acres less of wheat, and 500,000 less of rye, in 1897 than in 1884. Bill Nye contributes an amusing Htticle on Milling and My thology, taking as his texi : - Tbe mills of the gods grind slowly, | But they pulverise puddlingg fioe.