The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-27
AMERICAN WHEAT AND MEAT.
Competition with British Farmers,
Comparative Cost of Production.

Competition With British Farmers.-
Comparative Cost of Production.
London papers report the proceedings oil
recent meeting OF the London Farmers
Club, at which Mr.. Finley Dunn read a
paper on American production OF wheat
and meat. He pointed out that the Unit
ed States at present produced about one
fourth the wheat grown in the world. Ac-
cording to the official statistics, the wheat
area is upward OF 100000 acres, or ten
times that of the British Islands. He en-
tered into the cost OF production OF food
in the States, and gave figures showing
that they were quarter less than in Eng
land, and he gave the cost OF cultivating
an acre in America Mt 37s, as against GS
in England. He proceeded to show
that the American farmers were
beginning TO increase their yield OF
wheat per acre, and he calculated that
they obtained l4s. an acre profit, giving
an annual gain over the 32,000000 acres
OF wheat area OF E22, 900, 000-a gain which
has resulted in sending more land into
wheat cultivation. He entered at length
into the means by which the Americans
were endeayoring, and successfully, to
cheaper the cost OF bringing the produce
to the consumer, and stated that from
Minneapolis, 1900 miles west OF the At
lantic, barrel OF flour was conveyed to
Liverpool, Cardiff, or Glasgow, for rs,
while from st. Louis it cost only IS. Wheat.
could be produced in America for 25s. per
quarter, forwarded 800 miles by railroad,
lake, or canal, and 5000 miles across the
ocean to Liverpool, or other United King
dom ports, for los. and 20s. for landing,
insurance, and commission charges, a
total Of 42s. a quarter, afording profit to
farmer, carrier and shipper. In contrast
to this, he gave the position OF the British
farmer. when the sun shines in Eng
land and good crop OF wheat is properly
matured, the farmer expects to make
on his iuller-berried wheats about 2s. per
quarter more than can be got for the thin
ner ordinary No. American. With the
risks OF indifferent seasons there can BIO
only slender and precarious profit in grow
ing wheat in this country at AIS. or 45s.
What can be substituted for 1t on poor
clays and thin, weak soils, which produce
at best about three.quarters an acre, comes
not within my subject. With better pros.
peCt, it will continue'to be grown on soil
where four.quarters can generally be
counted on, where no restriction il laid on
the sale OF the straw, and where, in addi-
ton to the grain, the straw will realize ca
or G5 an acre. 1t is only under such fav-
orable circumstances that British farmers
eau depend upon profitatly producing
wheat at 45s. per quarter, which, with ex-
tending cultivation throughout the world
and tolerably good crops, will probably be
its average value for years to come"
The Speaker then entered fully into the
question OF meat production in the United
States, and, while he held that the Ameri-
can Estates aud Csnadian) pig breeders
were masters OF the situation in proluc.
ing pork and bacon at Sd u pound, he ac-
knowledged that in sheep English flock
masters would hold their own. In con-
clusion, he said: "For years to come
America must certainly be able to furnish
enormous supplies OF her surplus, both OF
wheat and meat. The exports OF butcher
meat, although hitherto limited, must I'M
dergo considerable augmentation. OF the
beef, as OF other food, the United King
dom will takc the largest share. Live cat
tie will come freely duriug summer, while
finer weather can be counted on. The
ocean charges are Is to "a per head, while
eos. to sos. extra covers the cost OF
food and attendance during the voy-
age. For about GS bullock,
which would be purchased at I'd per
pound deal weight, can thus be brought
from hisnative ranges on the eastern slopes
OF the Rocky Mountains and landed in
Liverpool. This transit charge would add
less than ed. per pound 10 his carcass Of
beef. The transport Of dead meat is still
less. The superior beef slaughtered in
New York and other Atlantic ports and
brought over in ice cooled chambers,
reaching Great Britain in excellent con-
dition, ia disposed Of at the landing ports
at Cd. Largo foreign supplies OF really
good meat, offered wholesale at 3d., must
pull down the price OF ordinary English
meat to I'D. or I'd. Tho British farmer
was able some years ago to make meat at
I'd. or less. We must do so again"