Agriculture In Germany.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 March 1914, Page 3

Agriculture In Germany.

(Abridged lor The Chronicle). The report of the British COll- - Dusseldorf contains interesting news regarding progress of agriculture in Germany. In the three years to there lias been an increase of 300,0U0 tons in the wheat crop, and 732,000 in the. rye crop, and the potato crop of the same year exceeded that of the previous year by 16,000,000 tons. These larger crops are due largely to better methods of farming; the average per acre showing an increase. The sugar beet crop of 1912 surpassed that of 1911 by 7,000,000 tons; in 1912 it amounted to 10,470,000 tons. The rise in the price of meat has been such that in 1912 the Prussian Government was compelled to'admit meat to be imported and the imported fresh meat show an appreciable increase for 1912. The imported beef and pork came from Russia, Denmark and Holland. During the last quarter of 1912, 9282 head of cattle were imported from the latter country. A large number of municipalities have also imported meat and sold it at cost price, and it is due to this action and that of the Government in reducing the duties that the price of meat lias been somewhat reduced. Many of the municipalities have also imported fresh fish, which is sold by retail who are supplied by the municipalities with large amounts at cost price. In •1880 Germany's imports amounted to £800,000,000, against £950,000,000 in 1012. Germany imported £150,000,000 worth of foodstuffs, whereas the TTnited Kingdom imports twice as much in spite of the fact that Germany has 50 per cent more population. Germany is, therefore, from an agricultural point of view far more self-supporting. In 1880 Germany's cereal harvests was 14,700000 tons, and in 1910 25,100,000 tons chiefly owing to better and more scentific farming. Miners' wages rose from £40 per annum in 188(5 to close on £80 in 1.9 1 ?.