Agriculture in Germany

I N forty-five minutes I am to give you an outline of agricultural conditions in Germany and of the problems arising out of these conditions.In so short a time I can, of course, only state the most important facts ~nd can only touch upon a few problems.Germany comprises 470,000 square kilometres (181,000 sq.miles) with a population of 66• l millions.That means the size of Germany is only 6 per cent. of that of the United States, but the population is over 5 o per cent.The density of population is 139•4 per square kilometre (370 per sq.mile).This is a very high figure.Already before the war Germany was one of the most densely populated countries, and now that the treaty of Versailles has deprived Germany of l 5 per cent. of her territory but only of 9 per cent. of her population, the accumulation of a high population on a close area has been aggravated.Few countries are more densely populated than Germany.These countries either command extremely favourable conditions of economic production-for instance Belgium-or they possess great colonies to amplify the home country, for example Great Britain and Holland.In the case of Germany the density of the population