NOTEBOOK “μ” (“MU”)

Grain in World Trade , published by the Imperial Ministry of Agriculture, etc., Vienna , 1900.

A monumental work ( 860 + 188 pp., 8° format)- a most painstaking summary of very rich data ((a mass of basic figures)) on grain production, consumption and trade for 1878-97 (in some cases other years). I know of nothing of comparable value. Apparently, the best in this field. [N.B. Borrows much from Neumann - Spallart , Surveys of World Economy (and Juraschek)].

I select the most important (*).

(*) Units of measurement: metric centner = 1 double centner. Metric quintal = double centner = 100 kilograms (double centner).

In other words, the unit used is metric quintal = 1 double centner = 1 metric centner .

Ton = 1,000 kilograms.

Acre = 40.467 ares

Quarter = 2.09 hectolitres .

Pood = 16.379 kilograms.

Cf. p. 8, note 2: 3.674 bushels = 1 quintal (= 1 double centner).

p. 6, note 2: 1 hectolitre of wheat = 78 kilograms , etc. (oats, 1 hectolitre = 45 kilograms), etc

[e.g. p. 271: 49,348 poods = 8,083 quintals.]

Per-capita consumption (kg.)

The authors’ general conclusions:

| “As already indicated, grain production in the last decades has developed very unevenly in the various countries owing to differences in population and communications factors. In the centre of Western Europe, where development is towards, so to say, urbanisation—in Great Britain, Belgium, Holland, etc.—the decline in crop areas and the increase in relative yields have resulted in diminishing produc- tion of wheat, rye, barley and maize, whereas produc- tion of oats, used mainly for livestock, has increased. | |
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| “In all other parts of Western Europe, except for the border regions, a certain fluctuation is to be observed; expansion of crop areas has stopped, but yields are increasing considerably, and production of almost all cereal crops continues to increase. In the border regions between Western and Eastern Europe, in Sweden, Poland, Galicia, Hungary, etc., total production is growing very considerably owing to expansion of crop areas, and still more to much higher yields. In Eastern Europe, chiefly as a result of larger crop areas, grain production has risen enormously, but only in the main cereals, not the secondary ones. | |
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| “In overseas areas, a distinction should be drawn between such countries as the United States, Canada, Argentina and Uruguay, whose geographical position and the development of communications and the railway system have brought them into much closer contact with the densely populated centres of Western Europe, and all the other areas. The former have developed their grain production chiefly by extending crop areas, sometimes very rapidly- among the latter, however, only a few have increased production. Limit- ed production has obliged Egypt and Japan to import grain; Algeria and Tunisia, as a result of French eco- nomic policy, mainly supply France, while India, South Africa and Australia, because of their popu- lation conditions and underdeveloped communications system, have not produced any stable, big surpluses over and above domestic requirements” (p. 36). | |
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Notes:
[1] See pp. 478-81 of this volume.— Ed .

[2] See p. 483 of this volume.— Ed .