The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-03-30

cate there Is scarcely any increase Ia s .lie
west OF middle states. In the south the
percentage OF the crop remaining Is 43 IN
stead of 80. Taking all the states together
seven surplus corn states from Ohio west to
Nebraska and Kansas, iVlusiye, had .S per
cent. of crop on hand, gainst "a per cent.
last March and 81 per cent. or the crop OF
1880, on the LIST of March 1888, when the es-
The present total is about 800, 0O0, 600 against
20O, 900, 600 bushels last March,, In Illinois
and Iowa the proportion on hand Is less
than the average Of the previous five yea 5.
In Missouri and Kansas 1t is greater. The
distribution OF the quantity already con-
sumed illustrates the rural economy OF DIFF
ferent sections. In all the south about one
fifth Is used for the food of man, over one
half for the feed OF work animals, the re-
mainder for feeding swine and cattle. In
the west half is used for feeding for meat
one-fifth for feeding work animals, and a
proportion not much larger Is shipped to
distant markets. The proportion of wheat
on hand March Is 70 per cent of the crop,
or about lao, DOC, 900 bushels. The proper
ton of the last five years at that date is
nearly the same. In the states of the CEN
trail basin the total reported on hand Is 1N,-
O00, 900 bushels. The proportion remaining
in the southern states is 5per cent, instead
OF % In the average OF previous years. In
the Pacific states the percentage is 23, IN
ste"d of the former average OF 20 per cent;
T etails of distribution will be given at
length in the March report
A PROFITABLE BUSINESS.
The week after congress adjOurns alw'
sees brisk trade in public documents,
piles of them are now lying heaped W 4
the second hand book stores. When a, l.
gress draws to an end the members find 1t
how they stand on the books at the docu-
ment-rOOm and take good care that their
credit is exhausted before their term OF Of
fetal life has ended. Many of these books
are rubbish and many of them are docu-
ments of considerable value. They have al
so, of course, a greater or less local value.
Thus city member will have very. little
use for an agricultural report and Will swap
his quota Of these volumes for documents
on manufacturing industries and the like
which fellOw-member from rural dis
trict will have no use for. Sometimes meme
bers will buy documents in large numbers,
so as to comply with the desires of cOnstlt-
uents. The public document most in de-
mand Is the agricultural reports, OF which
an annual edition of 300, 900 copies is print
ed. Each member of course has toward Q
thousand volumes for distribution, but, not
satisfied with this, some members buy the
document by the thousands at the rate OF
10 cents copy and send them broadcast
through the districts to make them solid
with their farmer constituents. Many
members make practice of supplying their
constituents with all public documents they
ask for. When a request for some volume
comes to hand, they either get copy from
fellOw.member In exchange, or, II neces-
sary, go out among the book stores and buy
a copy. They say it is cheaper to do this
than to 60 into long explanation and per-
haps make an enemy. Thus there is 9, con-
slant and large demand by members them
selves for all sorts OF public documents,
not to speak of business brought by the
sales to public libraries and Individual col
lectors. The business is vast in its proper
tions, as will readily be understood If we
reflect that congress orders So, 100000 worth
of printing done annually, and the middle,
almoners of this country and the reading
public reap rich harvest.