St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-14

the Philadelphia Journal, and that the
supply will fall away below the de-
mand. The highest estimate made of
the American wheat crop for the year
1880 is 420.000,000 bushels. The carried
over stock on July l, 1890, was 81
100000 bushels, which, added to this
years production, gives total of
417,O00,000 bushels. The lowest esti-
mate made by the statistician of the
agricultural department at Washington
OF the amount necessary for home con-
sumption is 100000 bushels. Gus
tomary allowances in calculations of
this kind include 53.000.000 bushels Of
wheat for seed and 100000 bushels
Tor use in the mechanical arts, which
points TO a total of 63.0u0.OOO bushels
that will be required for home uses.
This, subtracted from the aggregate
supply (old and new crop, would leave
only III 100000 bushels for expectation.
But when it is remembered that we are
Obliged to carry over some wheat on
July next, the export supply must
be still further reduced. Under fairly
normal conditions the reserve supply
must be placed at the lowest figure, at
from 20, 100000 to SO, 200. 900 bushels; con-
sequently. the amount that will be avail
able for export cannot exceed 10000, 900
bushels.
Still, these figures are encouraging.
AS long as the American supply is
below the foreign demand. just so long
will the price of wheat be kept up in
the neighborhood of 81 per bushel.
And with wheat worth a dollar, the
American will find profit in its pro-
duction. But the future of the Ameri-
can grain grower is radiant in another
direction. Heretofore wheat has been
our sole cereal export product. The
promise now is that in the near future
corn will cut as important figure in
the foreign market as wheat. In years
OF great corn production, such as the
two preceding the present season have
been, this wholesome and nutritious
food has been almost immovable in the
states where great surplus of it was
produced. Yet at the very time it was
being burned in stoves and CRATES in
Kansas and Nebraska. thousands of
people belonging to the lower classes in
Europe were using rye, buckwheat and
other cheap substitutes for flour, and
all of them greatly inferior to corn
meal. Hence the subject OF creating a
market for corn III Europe has been at
tracing more attention of late than
ever before, and is destined to result in
large practical effects.
An interesting paper on the introduc-
ton of corn into France appears in a
late volume of consular reports pre-
pared by Commercial Agent GRIFFINs
at Limoges. Mr.. GRIFFINs says that
corn cannot be successfully grown in
France, and that the quality of corn
raised In that country is much inferior
III quality to the American product,
which fact contributes much toward
Keeping the people IN ignorance of the
deslrability of it as food product. Most
of the corn now used in France is i'm
ported, and the supply limited, because
its use Is confined almost exclusively to
feeding animals and to the manufacture
| OF alcohol. glucose and starch. Con-
corning the problem of getting it to tie
| masses who would be benefited by its
use Mr.. GRIFFINs says:
1.-The chief difficulty lies in the nat
ural prejudice and dread of innovations
and the opposition of French grain pro-
! ducers, whose interest lie in keeping
the prices high. Could these prejudices
be overcome, other things would right
themselves. The most frequent objec-
ton to corn as an article of food is that
a taste for it has to be acquired; that
the Europeans find it distasteful. 1t is
a noticeable fact that in all cases where
such remarks have been made the eX-
perience has been with Spanish or ma
tive corn, both of which have a much
stronger and more bitter taste than our
American corn. But taste is a matter
OF cultivation, as, for example, the oys-
ter, tomato, tobacco, and potato will
| prove. 1t will require little care, and
even comparatively small outlay of
money, to introduce American corn as
an article of human food; but. after the
taste has been cultivated, it will be pos
sible to import into France corn in fa1
greater quantities than wheat OF
any other cereal, because France
| produces almost, if not quite, enough
wheat for the home market; but
she will never be able to grow
corn to any extent. Cornmeal could
and should. be introduced as an
army supply, as its adoption would
prove advantageous to the soldier. The
bakers would find greater profit in
mixing meal with rye flour, thus pro
ducing a lighter and more digestlble
bread. Where American corn is intro
duced. lasting favor would be coli
ferred upon the poor French peasant
and workman, as we'll as an outlet fol
the overproduction of the American
farms. A very simple way to reach
these country people with this valuable
product would be TO follow the fairs
which are held monthly or bi-monthly in
nearly every canton of France. There
| let American corn in different ways be
prepared and cooked before their eyes
let the people taste it, handle it, and
find out how easily it can be cooked and
how cheaply it can be bought. After q
personal experience they will be ready
and anxious to purchase it."
THE WORMS FAIR Cite