Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-09-05
AMERIuAN nnsApsrUFrs.
The Production 81 Cereals - Gem.
pared witch Foreign C0untrles
-rhe Present et.te - che
Trade ana ITS FutuFe

Accounting W ECCcuI St6LlSIlC6l cXs
hibit made by the French govern
ment, the annual cereal product of
Europe averages at present 4, 1894, O00,-
200 bushels. OF this Russia furnishes
| COG, 100000 bushels, Germany 742,-
SOC, 600 bushels, and Austria AGO, Co.,
900. DIR. Edward Young, chief Of the
bureau of statistics, Washington, es-
Inmates the product of cereals of these |
United States at about 600, 0OO, 600. |
At this present writing the United
States is the greatest grain producing
aud grain-exporting country of the
world. Since 1867 we have been rap
idly driving our chief competitor,
Russia, from British and European
markets. In 1867 we supplied Eng
land with but IA per cent. Of her total
imports of wheat, as against "A per
cent. in 1873. Meantime, Russia sup
piled her with A per cent. in 1867, as
against 81 per cent in 1873.
With undiminised resources Ofland
for the production of wheat and corn,
there would seem to be no conceiva-
Bile limit TO our production and ex-
port of both. Our machinery, rail-
road system, and elevators enable us
to place grain on shipboard Is per
cent. less than can be done in the ports
of Russia. For over twenty-five
years past the millions of Europe have
looked confidently to this country for
cheap food when short Of breadstuffs.
From present appearances it would
seem that the United States can hence
forth control to a large extent the
grain markets of Europe. Russia and
Turkey have heretofore furnished
22.6 per cent. of the supplies required
by England. The gigantic war in
which those nations are engaged must
naturally cause an increased demand
for American breadstuffs. In India
famine prevails this year. Egypt,
subject to the suzerainty Of the Porte,
will be affected by the Russo-Turkish
| war, and whether the war be confined
to the present combatants, or whether
it draws into it other European pow
ers, it Is evident that the demand for
American brcadstuffs will be in
creased in the neighborhood Of Is
per cent. in the case OF the cutting off
of the Russian and Turkish supplies
from market, and the war at present
does not promise to be of short dura-
ton. Italy draws large supplies from
Russian and Turkish grain centres on
the Black sea; the failure of those
supplies will create an active demand
for our breadstuffs in Italian, French,
aud other Mediterranean ports.
| For the last four years we have ex-
ported wheat flour, and Indian corn
/ m tho orororo rolun Of ,,,oro tho n
one hundred million dollars per an
mum. Though our exports of raw
cotton-the great American staple
Exceed by nearly two-thirds in value
the combined exports Of wheat, -four
and Indian corn, the ratio Of increase
is enormously in favor of the latter
articles. If we look at the natural
percentage Of increase, estimating the
value of exported cereals at 800. OOO.-
600, roughly stated, as against $l6l, )
100000 of cotton for the year ending
Sept. l, 1876, we find that, as com.
,, pared with the previous year, the in.
creased exports of wheat, -four, and
corn added last year SIS, 334, 448 to the
wealth of the country, while the in
creased exports of raw cotton only
. / LVuilLC0 TS,OAO,OOt. Hc cApOTCS vi
,, wheat from all United States ports te
all foreign countries increased from
1857 ,5S5 bushels in 1868 to $780,, 80.
bushels in 1876. During the five
: years ending June 30, 1876, the tota
grain exports have increased from
, sc, las, lGG 10 125,959, COL bushels. Oh
an average of A, 74l, 37l, the total corr
!. crop of the United States in 1876 wa
|. ,32O, O69, 600 bushels, while, on an av
: erage of 26,3Sl 1858, the total whea
: crop reached 292, l36, 900 bushels.
' In order, however, to appreciate
the advantage of the United States a.
a grain-growing country, its popula
!. ton should be taken into account
;. 100000 of people producing A
. bushels per head. Europe, with {
population of not quite 3OO,OOO,O0O
produces only 16 bushels per head
! Russia, 26 bushels per head, and Grea
!, Britain only bushels per head. A
: the average quantity of grain con
sumed per head is Is bushels, we pro
; duce nearly three times as much o
we require Russia scarcely twice it
wants; Europe, on an average, al
needed, but Great Britain not mucl
!, over one-fourth. 1t will be seen tina
the general production far surpasse
the consumption, but this excess
. absorbed by breweries and distille
ries all over the world. which d.
more to keep the price Of breadstufl
r at high figure than anything else.
: The demand for foreign food j
. constantly increasing in England
Some valuable statistics recently sub
7 mitted to the Manchester Statistica
t Society by Mr.. Stephen Bourne, o
Q her majesty's customs, show that eacl
: member of the community now con
: sumes to the value of two and hal
: times as much foreign food as he di'
: twenty years back, and that the tota
J, cost of such food in the past twent
:. years has been over f2,OOO, OOO,O 90
I oslo, 600, 100000. The true index t
l what this means is found in the guam
j. titles, rather than the values, becaus
vi prices are to some extent deceptive
9 being liable to imitation or depression
/. as the case may be. OF the E3l9, 600
Q 600 worth Of imports imported int
s Great Britain last year, one-half rep
l. resented food supplies-thus fl59
r 100000 were for food, Ell9,OOO,O0
: for raw material, and E4l, 10000 TO
!, manufactured and miscellaneous al
: ticles. During the past ten years tn
# growth of imports has been mos
o rapid in articles of food. OF the So
# 39O,54 cwt. of wheat imported int
|, the United Kingdom from Sept.
Il 1875, to Aug. 81, 1876, POSSE, LIS wen
/. from this country. The imports O
t maize into the United Kingdom i
1876 were S0yOO0,OO0 bushels, compris
G ing about 6O,OOO.O 600 from the Unite,
j States and 100000 bushels fror
e southeastern Europe, includin
France.
It Anticipating the future course an
Q further rapid growth of this trade
:. British capitalists are now buildin
il six of the largest-sized iron vessel
J. for the transportation of breadstuff
j. from our shore on English account
oil We should not only strain ever
10 nerve to meet the increased demand
= of Europe for breadstufIs, but "
y should also supply ships to carr
c them. The aggregate wheat crop
b of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin ant
IS Kansas for the year 1877 foot up III,
u 100000 bushels, against 81, 100000 il
Ie 1876, while the aggregate wheat crop
II of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentuck
" and Tennessee will exceed the aggre
le gate of last year by probably iron
If 81, 100000 to 100000 bushels.
le Assuming that the farmers will sci
If their wheat freely at 80 cents Tin TIL
q, country, these figures show that il
ii the nine states the farmers will re
% ceive the enormous sum of $50, 400 GO
8. more for their wheat crop Of 1877
&c than for that of 1876. Making oil
% reasonable allowance for unforseel
d contingencies, we may safely estimat
that they will receive an increase O
say Is per cent. in money value owe
i last year. At no former time in tn
history of Oregon as an agriculture
= state has the prospect for abundan
e harvests of grain Of all kinds been S,
bright as at this season. 1t is esti
= mated that the surplus of bread stuff
- this season will be from 25 to 30 pc
= cent. greater than in 1856. With
u largely increased acrea 90 there will