Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-21
FACTS AND FIGURES.
May Report of the s Sintistician of the
Agricultural Department..

Agricultural Department.
WAsHISGToN, May 20.--The May report Of
the statlstician of the agricultural depart
ment contains the result of the investigations
of the deficiencies of tho surplus of each
European nation, especially in the production
OF the agricultural products that America
sends to foreign markets. The question of
the possible enlargement of expectation in
quantity and variety is canvassed aud the
opportunities for displacing any Importation
by enlarged production are pointed out. The
investigation was made pursuant to reso-
luton passed ut meeting of the National
Grange held in Topeka, Kan, last fall.
Some OF the figures given in the statement
prepared are startling. AS to wheat, it says
Europe is practically the only market Amer
lea can have for this cereal and she imports
only 14i, 600 bushels year, raising POO
000, 600 bushels hersclf-more than half of the
worlds crop and twice that of all America.
OF the European deficiency the United States
supplies 5000, 900 bushels.
In oats and barley there Is a very small in
ternational trade, Europe importing only
100000 bushels of oats and the United
States exporting 2, 800, 600 bushels.
or barley this country imports 100000
bushels
Rye is the great bread gram of eastern and
central Europe, and Russia alone produces
more than does the United States. Europe
imports not less than 1,50O,00O bushels,
and the United States exports less than
100000 bushels
European countries requiring maize, do
not take half the product of Illinois or of
Iowa or Missouri. Great Britain takes
nearly -fourths of the total, or e.
600 and this country exports 6S,000, 900
bushels. The deficiency of France could be
supplied by Mclean county, Illinois, and
Germany requires still less. Russia and
Roumania have a surplus and southern Eu-
rope grows enough for home consumption
Europe imports over LOO, ,000, 0O0 pounds of
rice, but none OF it comes from the United
States.
OF potatoes Europe grows more than she
needs, while the United States supplies a
deficiency from Canada and Germany. Only
Great Britain, Belgium and Portugal, of ali
the European nations, do not produce enough
butter and to spare to make up the de-
fciency-25, ,0O0,0.0 pounds, the United
States exports "a 00OO pounds, 1t requires
li0OO0,000 pounds of cheese to supply the
are furnished by the United States
OF course, Europe has to import all her
cotton, the annual average imports being
1895 900 pounds. The United States
sends $50, ,0O0,0O0 pounds.
Europe gets from South America, Asia,
Africa and Australia two or three times as
much wool as she imports from the United
States. The net deficiency of Europe is
1S0000,000 pounds, slightly more than what
is produced there.
The United States produces four-fifths of
the wool manufactured here. The aim of
the wool growers of this country Is to supply
the home manufacturer if possible; never to
export raw wool. If there ever shall be
surplus, it will bring more money to the wool
grower If sent abroad in manufactured form.
The United States imports a net so, 600 900
pounds of wool every year.
Europe produces about as much tobacco as
the United States-500, 600, 600 pounds an
| nually-and could easily produce all she needs
but American tobacco is desired for two
reasons, 1t is cheap and very desirable for for
| tifying the European product. So the United
| States furnishes 100000 pounds of the
| annual deficiency, 1924, 900, 900 pounds.
In conclusion the statlstician says: "About
one-tenth of our agricultural products are
exported. No other nation exports so large
| proportion, yet the articles shipped abroad
are few. They are cotton, tobacco, meats
| breadstuffs, butter and cheese. AL other
| articles together are about per cent of the
| exports. An enlargement of the surplus
must inevitably reduce prices, both at home
| and abroad"
In response to the inquiry: "What agrl-
| cultural products are now imported that our
country and climate are capable of produc-
| ingt" sugar is first suggested.
| "F'laX and hemp should be more eXten-
| sively grown displacng foreign fibres cost
| ing millions of money and furnishing materai
| for tho bagging of cotton, wool and hops,
| and other fibres of sub-tropical
regions should be produced along the gulf
| ture, altogether amount to the value of more
| than two-thirds as much as the munlticent
| and boasted cotton expectation of the United
| States. There is an expectation of fruits of
| the value of $2NO0O.0O0, half OF which at least
| should be produced in this country"