New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-27
WREdT.::

CENSUS SURPRISES AND THE CONSUMPTION
EXPORTS CHECKED BY HIGH PRICES.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: All estimates of wheat consumption are
thrown into confusion by census report which
puts the population very much lower than any
one had anticipated: If the population is but
100000 now, and has been correspondinsly
lower than estimates every year since $780, the
consumption per capita must have been decidedly
larger than has been supposed. Until corrected
census returns appear, the population must be
computed at l.5 per cent increase yearly besides
immigration, and on that basis the mean pOpula-
ton for the last eight years has beel 7,513,176
The crops for those years, according to official
reports, have aggregated 3,6l5,12363o bushels,
and the net exports, including flour, have been
equal to 8jS 1857 bushels wheat, while the
quantity used for seed has been officially re-
ported as 26,746,1Ss bushels Deducting these
quantities, there remain for consumption as food
and in manufactures and for addition TO stocks
2,23G,210,455 bushels, and the Government fsti-
mate substantially agrees with that of Brad
streets" that about 100000 bushels was
brought over July from previous crops. II So,
the consumption as food and in manufactures dur
ing eight years was about AGA bushels per
capita yearly, substantially what Mr.. Dodge, Of
the Bureau Of Agriculture, has been allowing
though with different estimate Of population.
The $4,000, 900 bushels brought over, and the
402, 900, 900 bushels estimated production this
year, make the supply 456, 100000 bushels TAX
ing the mean population for the year at 64,7OO,-
oo0 and the consumption at Aga bushels per
capita, with the usual allowance Of 54,400,000
bushels for seed, there would remain about l0l,-
600 900 bushels for export against 9,44S,63O
bushels actually exported last year. But the en-
ports for the first quarter of the crop year show
a decrease Complete official statements for July
and August make net exports equal to l7,32s,29
bushels wheat, and the preliminary statement for
September adds 5,327,l0 bushels, against :, 49,
$50 last year, making for three months s%'S65,-
months last year. II the available stock is OIL
COO 900 bushels, the quantity remaining October
/ for export was about 70,O0O,OO0, against actual
exports of nearly SO, 0OO,0OO bushels during the
remainder of the last crop year.
These figures do not justify expectations Of
famine. The most complete estimates yet pub
listed Of the wheat crop outside this country
j $50 ,6oo, 900 bushels last year. an increase Of
so 600, 600 bushels, which clearly indicates u
probable decrease in the foreign demand to be
met by this country. British wheat Is now
YEAR ago, and the Liverpool quotation for
American wheat is but to IL cents higher
than last March, though the New;York price
has advanced l2 cents since tnat tune me-. mhere
buyers abroad do not expect TO be compelled to
take much wheat from the Atlantic coast The
average export price in September for oil Atlantic
was o. :. e .n ons pse
from ali Pacific ports was but SAB cents. against
Ts2 cents for the same month last year. 1t is
the old story II Americans OF the Atlantic states
wish to keep their wheat they will oe pesm'nf!ed'