Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-09-27
AMERICAN AGRIcUL TURE.


AMERICAN AGRIcUL TURE.
The people of the British Isles consum
about "quarter," or s bushels OF whea
per capita each year. The figures are larg'
but none the less true. The poorest classes
eat bread made of wheat -four. A fooisf
pride or lack ofappreciation prevents tnei'
using corn meal. Efforts to introduce 'nis
nutritious, cheap, and economicat 1000
have all failed. John Stuart Mill long age
no;nted out the advantage to them OF thl:
chanSc@ In their diet, but they will no
change. Oatmeal forms a part OF thu
food nsed in Scotland. The fact has beer
made historic by the Scotohman's retort tt
DR.. Johpson's rough speech: They feet
horses in England and men in Scotland
with the same food" The canny Scot re-
piled: "And where else will we see SIC
horses and sic menP' Wheat, however
Is the staple diet, even north of the Tweed
The supply of the enormous mercan'lie
marine of England consume great dear
of the grain. The emigant-carrying steam
ships have to take heavy loads OF 1t.
England garrisons all over the world
outside of America and Australia, are sup
piled with hour by England. These
causes combine to produce an enormous
consumption.
Since the repeal Of the Corn laws, the
British farmer has not been able to get an
artificial price tor his grain. He must
sell in competition with the other grain
growers of the world. Every nation that
has peck Of wheat to spare ships it to an
English port. The result of this is, that
cattle-growing pays better than wheat
growing. The acreage OF wheat. there
fore, steadily diminishes and pasturage in
creases. At the same time. the popula-
ton increases at the rate Of 40O. 900 year.
There are mouths to feed and fewer bush
els with which to ill them. Thus the
British Isles import every year about 81
coo 600 bushels more than they did the
year before. They necessarily import
more cattle, too. The increase in pasture
land has not kept pace with the increased
demand for meat England is nation OF
beef-eaters. Where are its beef and bread
to come from?
The Continent cannot supply this hun
cry country. Holland has hitherto pro-
duced an exportable surplus Of meat,
cheese, and butter, but this surplus is de-
creasing year by year. That country still
supplies quantities of cattle. but they are
importers. not exporters, of wheat. The
American shipments to Rotterdam and
Amsterdam do not by any means show
how much American grain is entered al
those ports. England is our farmers
commission merchant. She buys their
grain, uses most of it herself, but ships
the rest to Ireland. Belgium, Holland. and,
in bad seasons. to France. France has be-
come manufacturing. as well as an agri-
CULTURAL. country, and the nature of her
agriculture is changing. Wheat is giving
way to mulberry trees, vines. and pastur-
age. Her exportable surplus is decreas-
ing. This IL true Of Germany also. Her
population is concentrating in the great
cities. Her manufactures have been
stimulated by q free.trade tariff, and she
now exports large quantities of manufac-
tured wares and goods. She probably
produces no more wheat than she con.
sumes, importing from the south as much
as she exports from her Baltic cities.
It Is evident that the English demand
for bread and beef is not likely to be as
fully supplied in the future as it has been
in the past by the Continent. The Unit
ed Kingdom now imports from America
about half Of the grain entered at her
ports. She will probably hereafter make
still larger drafts upon our grain-fields.
As soon as q safe and cheap method Of
carrying fresh meat across the Atlantic is
devised. she will became purchaser of
our cattle. The conclus on of the whole
matter is, that American agriculture will
probably pay even better in the future
than it has been in the past. The in
creased demand for beef and bread will
outstrip the increased supply. Chicago
Tribune.