New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-21
OPJrVT4L MARKETS FOR AMERICAN
WHEAT

Attention has several times been called in the |
columns Of The Tribune TO the efforts OF the
Agricultural Department under its present pro-
eressye and intelligent management 10 sunni |
late the sale abroad Of American farm and dairy
products. The marked success OF Secretary W IL
sons recent experiments with American Dhtter
in the English markets has naturally encour-
aged renewed interest in the departments
work Of discovering and exploiting new outlets
for the export trade in American farm staples
In a pamphlet just issued with MS approval by
the foreign markets section Of the Agricultural
Department, Secretary Wilson advances the in
terestng and novel suggestion that Intercourse
with China and Japan las only to be fostered
along natural lines 10 build up in the Orient
market for American -four and wheat. whlch
will fully compensate for losses now threatened
I'm the European trade Of annually increasing
competition from Russia and India.
Our exports Of wheat and -four to the coull-
tries OF Eastern Asia are at present undenlaDl!
meagre in volume compared with shipments
made across the Atlantic. In the decade ending
June 80. 1896. about six million barrels or nolr
were sent TO Japan and China. Yet the healthy
growth Of the trade Is established by the fact
that nearly twothirds of this total was exported
in the years from 1891 to 1896. In the last
named year the shipments of flour to Hong Kong
and other Eastern ports amounted to ot''o'5
barrels: while for only nine months of the fiscal
year from June 80, 1896 to June 30. 1871 the
total exports have already reached SS2,2t bar
rels Shipments Of wheat across the Pacific
seem to have begun only within the last two or
three years In 1890 1927 bushels of wheat
were sent to the Orient wholly to the Japanese
market During the first nine months OF the
fiscal year OF 1891 however, nearly one hundred
thousand bushels have been exported to Japan.
According to Secretary Wilson's view, the con-
ditons which have caused increased eXpor'a-
tons of wheat and -four TO China and Japan
during the last five years are more than likely
to insure a sill larger volume Of trade in the
near future. Statistics show that Japan's ca
pacity for wheat production has not increased
cOmmensurately with its recent growth in popl-
laton. The average population Of the Empire
in the iive-ycar period from 1891 to 1899 was
Al AL .426, as compared with 30Il9l7 for the
period from 1856 to 1890 The gain in popula-
ton from one quinquennium to the other was
therefore 4.j4 per cent. But the average area an
nually sown to wheat in Japan increased from
1,O25,652 acres in the first period to only l,OI2-
ia in the second, gain of little more than
-
averaged about two hundred and fifty thousand
bushels five years ago. lave fallen to practically
nothing under present conditions, and foreign
wheat has had to be purchased to meet the an
nually increasing domestic shortage
Wheat consumption too seems to be steadily
advancing in Japan. as the capacity to produce
It is relatively diminishing. For the period from
1886 TO 1890 the average amount Of wheat con-
sImed by each nhabant Of the Empire was
found TO be 23.2 pounds But for the period
from 1891 to 1895 the average of consumption
had risen to 26.S pounds. Measured by the
standards of the principal understanding M
tons. this average is startlingly low, being
scarcely One-eghih Of the present average In
the United States. Indeed. were the people OF
Japan to raise their standard OF living to that
prevailing in this country. with no accompanying
Increase in the wheat producing capacity Of the
TO be increased at single stroke by something
like 10000 600 bushels There Is little prospect
that the japanese will so change the habits Of
centuries as to become at once nation Of even
average wheat-consuming capacity; but with
every step taken toward modern methods of in
dustrv and modern standards of civilization the
Island Kingdom will undoubtedly offer more
promising market for the food products which
the United States has to sell in such liberal
abundance II will not be Secretary Wilson's
fault at any rate, If the chance for an enlarged
trade in wheat and breadstutfs with the two
foremost nations Of the Orient are overlooked
or neglected by American enterprise