The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-27
AMERICAN FLOUR IN THE ORIENT.
Our Product Growing in Favor IN
China and Japan.
WASHINGTON Snecial in New York Post.

Washington Special in New York Post.
The Asiatic market for American wheat
was brought prominently before the public
in the recent tariff debate. The original
Dingley duties Japanese mattingS and
certain other Asi1uc products were materl-
ally reduced when it was shown by James
J. Hill, president of the Great Northern
Railroad, that their imposition would close
up the markets for our wheat in the coun-
tries concerned. In view of the important
part which this argument played IN the
subsequent discussion, recent consular re-
rCrts concerning American wheat In the
Orient become of special interest. 1t seems
that wheat itself does not find a very ready
market either in Japan or China. for the
reason that it costs too much Tor trans
pC rtation to these countries, but flour made
from American wheat is rapidly gaining IN
favor, and the future market for 1t Will be
limited in its expansion only by the price.
If the natives can afford to buy wheat they
Vill do so. Rice is still the principal food
in Japan and China. but the residents OF
these countries are beginning to depend
upon the American staff of life. The
lower grades of flour are used to consid-
cradle extent in making paste in the enor-
nous paper industries OF Japan, sucn as tne
manufacture of screens, fans, kites and
other articles for which loW-priced ana
substantial paste material is desired. Inc
higher grades of American flour that go 10
Asia are chiefly for the naval vessels and
the foreign bakers who supply the local
market with bread and cakes.
Almost all of the American l1our consumer
in Japan is the soft-wheat -four of Wash
ington and Oregon. There is very little de-
mand for hard-wheat -four. The Japanese,
accustomed as they are to the Wnlte nouI AZ
made from rice object to the dark color or
the hard wheat Almost all OF the Wheat
flour imported by Japan comes from the
United States, and, to show how rap loaO us
use is increasing, it is found that in 1890 the
United States exported to that country H.
S62 $50 bushels, valued at $l99,O8i, ana IN 1870
81, 40S .Sl4 bushels valued at SOL? oV9.!S, OF an
increase of nearly 800 per cent. in six years.
A portion of the increase for the year 1880
is accounted for by the fact that 1t has been been
recently discovered that a STEADY RICE e uleo
encourages the tendency 10 usease
known to the natives as ''kakke." II wheat
is occasionally Used this danger IS greatly
lessened, and the Japanese AUTHORITIES nave
ordered the occasional use of flour in the
army and navy. The methods or manu1ac-
turing flour are primitive, compared Win
our own. The rice or wheat, AFTER pelng
cleaned, is ground to a powder OF proper
consistency by means OF stone mortar.
The power is usually furnished by water
falls. , s.se,4
hut American flour, since its Introduction,
has continued to grow IN popularity. ne
quality and the color both commence IL IN
the Chinese markets, and 1t is easily SUI
nerior to any flour imported from otner
lands Although rice Is generaly reStIusssu
bv the Chinese as the main breadstuirs
sfaple a large quantity of wheat mas been
used from the most ancient times, ana IN
the earliest historic classifications wheat is
named as one of the I'VE grams =, IN nHe
grown. and can only be purchased by the
Well-to-do, wheat is the great common nfIt,
cereal but it is of a very poor quality.
blasted heads are seen in large numbers
every year, and, according to consular re.
ports, ergotism is disease very freq 1nt
among the poor. This native flour Is coarse
and dark. chiefly used in the form Of YER
micelli, which, when steamed, makes
good substitute for rice, and is very sd
Within few years the importation g, OF
American -four has rapidly increased IN tne
district of Shanghai where ten wears aso
it was almost unknown. Now bags of Amer
lean flour may be seen stacked IN ID c 6ares
ali over the empire. 1t will doubtless seem
that where much wheat is g ;mOolt as mill III
Millinery to Manufacture on the spot all
the flour that can be consumed but unless
the quality of the domestic wheat IS ma me;
teriallv improved the demand for Amerl-
can flour is likely to continue to increase:
The flour from America 5o i shpPse fTse
hounds a packing much preferred Tor the
Chinese trade.