The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-29
AMERICiN BREfDSTUII'S.

present 99i 900 900 bushels. OF this Russia
furnishes 500 900 bushels, Germany 7i2.-
100000 bushels. and Austria 4jOOOOupO Dr.
Edward Young. Chief Of the Bureau OF Statis-
tics. Washington. estimates the product Of
Ger ,als Of these United States at about 1000
OoO.0OO bushels. At this present writing the
United States il the greatest grain producing
and grain-cXporting country in the world
Since 1867 we have been rapidly driving our
chief competitor. Russia. from British and
European markets. In 1867 We supplied Eng
land with but IA per cent. of hcf total imports
Of wheat. ms against Al per cont. in 1913. Mean
time, Russia supplied her with ~ per cent in
1867, az against II pnr cont. In 1873.
with undiminishcd resources Of land for the
production of wheat and corn. there would
seem to be- no conceivable limit TO our produc-
ton and export OF both. Our machinery. rail
road system and elevators enable us to plncc
grain on shipboard fifteen per cent less than
can be- done in the ports of Russia. For over
twenty five years past tho millions of Europe
have looked confidently to this country for cheap
food when short Of breadstuff4.
From present Appearances IL would seem that
the nited States can hencefprth control to a
large extent the grain markets 81 Europe. Rus
-ia and Turkey have heretofore furnished 22.6
per cent. OF the supplies required 10y England.
The gigantic war in which those nations are en-
gal,ed must naturally cause an increased de-
mand for American breadstuffs. In India
famine prevails this year. Egypt. subIc" 10 the
suznrninty Of the Porte. will be affected 10y the
| Russo-Turkish war. and whether the war be-
! confined to the present combatants. or whether
it draws into 1t other European powers. it IL
| evident that tho demand for American bread
stufIs will be- increased in the ncighborhood OF
twenty five per cent. IN the case OF tho cutting
| III Of the Russian and Turkish supplies from
market and the war ~ present docs not promis"
| TO be- Of short duration. Itlly draws large sup
| plies from Russian and Turkish grain centres
| On the Black sen: the failure of those supplies
will create an active demand for our brcads,uils
| in Italian, French. and other Mediterranean
ports.
For tho last four years We have exported
| wheat lour and Indian corn to the average
value OF moro than one hundred million dol
| lars per annum. Though our exports OF raw
cotton-the great American staple-cxcecd 10y
| nearly two-thrds in value the combined ex-
| ports Of wheat -four and Indian corn. tho ratio
| Of increase Is enormously in favor OF the
| latter articles. If we look at the natural per
| ccntage of Increase estimating the value OF eN-
! ported cereals AT 500 900. 0OO. roughly stated.
~ against sl61 100000 of cotton for the year
| ending Sept. /, 1876 we ind that. as compared
| with the previous year. the increased exports
Of wheat, Hour ana corn addeu lust year tlN3bf,-
| AS to the wealth OF the country. while the in
cr"asel exports Of raw cotton only realized
| s2.u20.O37 The exports of wheat from all
United States ports to all foreign countries in
creased from 1857 5s5 bushels in 1868 to
| 80 6g7 3gl bushels in 1876. During the five
| years ending June 80 1876. the total grain eX-
ports have increased from Sc. li3 66 70 l25,9b9.-
| dOl bushels. On an average OF 44.I4l3H the
total corn crop Of the United States in 1875 was
800 O69 900 bushels while. On an average of
&C. sl SOS. the total wheat crop reached 292.-
1876. 900 bushels.
In order. however to appreciate the advantage
II the United States as grain growing country.
ts population should be taken into account
100000 Of people producing forty bushels
per head Europe. with "a population OF not
quite BOO 900 uOO prOlu 'eS only sixteen bushels
per head Russia twcnty-siX bushels per head,
and Great Britain only four bushels per head,
As the average quantity of grain consumed per
head is fifteen bushels we produce nearly three
times ~ much ~ we require; Russia scarcely
twice lis wants Europe. on AN average, all
ua...i...i bat p-..-s- a
FOURTH 1t will be seen that the general pro-
duoton far SURPRISES the consumption. but
this excess is absorbed by brcwerics and dis
tillcrcs al over the world. which do more 10
keep the price Of breadstuils at "a high figure
than anything "l-o.
The demand for foreign food Is constantly in
'rrasing in England. Some valuable stat sti, 3
recently submitted To- tn Man hester Statlsti-
cal Society hy Mr.. tcihcn urne, Of her Ma
lesty's customs. shows that each member of IN,
community now consumes To- the value OF two
and half times as much foreign food rs be-
did twenty years back and that the total cost
Of such food iu the pasi twenty years has been
over - OUpOlnu 900 fsluOuOuluU OOl The true
ndoN g. what this means l- found in the quln-