Crop production in the Soviet Arctic

The northern limit of agriculture depends not on physiographical conditions but on economic considerations. This truism is frequently emphasized by Soviet writers, who point out that it is possible to provide the requisite conditions for plant life at any point on the earth's surface. What determines whether or not a crop is to be grown is the extent to which agriculturalists are willing to provide the plant with its appropriate environment. The latter very rarely coincides with the natural environment, and in some cases, as in the far north, may differ greatly from it. The following survey attempts to outline the extent to which Soviet agriculturalists have gone in providing plants with suitable growing conditions north of the arctic circle. The question whether the objective of arctic agriculture, food and fodder for the arctic zone, could not be realized more conveniently by transporting produce from a milder clime, will also be discussed.