Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-21
FLOUR EXPORT TRADE.
Minnesota the Banner State as Compared
With California bya California Paper
EinfreS nS To Prices nnd SNpnIlf.

Figures as to Prices and supply.
A San Francisco paper recently contained a
carefully prepared article about the flour ex-
port trade, in which it was shown that Mime
sofa now boasts population of 7S0, ,S07, and
wheat crop of 40, ,000, 900 bushels; while Cali
fornia is credited with a population of S64 $780,
and wheat crop of 46, 200, 900 bushels. The
hard wheat of both States is especially adapt
ed for milling, and their flour competed for
many years side by side, first in the Eastern
States and afterward in Great Britain. Even
| so late as 1874 their flour product was about
the same. But since then the flour export
trade of California to Europe has steadily de-
clined, while that of Minnesota has as steadily
| increased. This season California will ship
say 25O,0OO barrels of flour to Eu-
rope, compared with Minnesota's 4,OOO,-
900 barrels. The result is that the Minnesota
| farmer finds a ready home market for his
crops, and obtains full prices, while the Cali
fornia farmer is deprived of both. 1t is a well
recognized economical fact, adds our authority,
that the farther wheat has to be shipped to
market, or, in other words, the higher the
cost of freight, to the greater extent should it
be reduced to -four. Some of our grain men
who served their apprenticeship to the busi-
ness in eastern cities are old enough to re-
member the time when America exported her
surplus almost exclusively in that way. But
according as freight rates across the Atlantic
declined so did the proportion of flour exports
until tie rise of Minnesota, the pioneer wheat
State of the west, whose long and expensive
inland carriage made the shipment of the
manufactured article again compulsory.
And now probably the most
hourishing manufacturing export business in
the United States is that of flour. Year after
year it makes fresh gains in competition with
vhaat md Eurnrlpon
ufacturer. The relative progress is fairly rep
resented by the exports of the last two calen-
der years, when -four increased from 5,SS5, 131
to 6,645, 1920 bbls, and wheat declined from
1875, us to 134, ,7O1 JAG bushels. This i'm
portant trade is almost exclusively in the |
hands of Minnesota, a State that in several re-
spects has been frequently COM
said to have begun their career in 1S49, |
when some of our pioneers before crossing the |
plains had actually assisted in organizing the |
new Territory. Both have. ranked since 1860 |
as wheat States, and as such maintained lead |
ing position together for years.
The same journal goes on to remark that |
good prices this season will be main |
tanned is tolerably certain from the course of |
the Chicago market, and the unusually small
stocks in the United Kingdom. A compari-
son of those on the 31st of December, with
the stocks held in former years, will throw
considerable light on the present SITUATION
there. The amounts represent quarters:
Year. June 80. Dec. 81.
1880 Observation-Disclosures. $4,000 100000
1879 -. .................1,70 900 $780,
1878 .....................1,S 1,S7O,oOO 1,35O,00O
1877 .....,...............1,S $4,000 2,3OO,00
1875 .....................2,60 &, 800 900 1,7O0,000
1875 .....................1, j, 300 ,0CO 5000, 900
These figures prove that the stock of wheat
in the hands of John Bull was remarkably
low on the opening OF the new year, and stocks
during the last five weeks have suffered still
further decline. The constant baroness and
firmness of the English market this season
is owing to the remarkable uniformity and
moderation of American supplies. The East
ern farmer has discovered the knack of selling
to the best advantage, and of holding on to his
crop, however large, till it suits the convent
ence of the buyer. The shipping season
is all the year round, and if his
deliveries are greater at one time than another,
it is because the demand is also more urgent.
But the main factor with regard to prices this
season is the worlds supply as whole which
it was at one time very generally believed would
be excessive. 1t is certain that the sum total
this cereal year has been much larger than in
the preceding one; but this of itself could be
no proof of excess, since 1889 was year of
famine, and the reserves, which were then en-
~ IL /