Evening star., 1898-09-10
Italy. 300 in Japan and 54I in the Indian
province of BOMBAY.
Our Sweet Tooth.

Italy. 300 in Japan and 54T in the Indian
province of BOMBAY.
Our Sweet Tooth.
Americas sweet tooth is said to be alb
normally developed The consumption OF
sugar reaches the astonishing total of
5,5ooooo.oO0 pounds; but only one-eighth
OF this is raised at home. Last year near
ly third Of the supply came from Ger
many, and eight per cent more from the
res Of Europe. The West Irdies sent -
pei cent and the East Indies II per cent
fully half the sugar imported came from
Get ntries no better able to produce IL than
is the United States herself Last year
we raised l25,00o.ooo pounds of beet sugar.
Ihere are those who prophesy that in an
othtr decade the entire amount of sugar
needed for home consumption will be pro-
duced within our own borders The pres
ent average is about seventy-three pounds
a year each, or a pound a day Der family
of five
The dairy produces another important
part of the food supply. With the butter.
cheese, milk and like products the total
valre to the consumer is estimated to be
no. less than S6O0,Ooo,ds0 year. To spread
the bread make the pies and concoct other
apr etzing dainties requires annual sup
ply of not less than 800 Op0,Vop pounds IF
butter. Besides, We export about 25.Uo0.-
Coo pounds. Cheese is used to the extent
or 2aoW0,oO0 pounds annually. Made into
one gigantic cheese 1t would measure 45O
feet in diameter and half as many feet
IN feight. More striking still is the use of
the raw milk. which amounts to 70 less
than I,oo0O0o.0D0 quarts annually Yet this
is only half pint a day to each person
OF this supply Chicago takes 46.o0O Opo
quarts; greater Boston, 9S,UoOoao; Phila-
delphia, so. 600 900 and Greater New York.
b54, ,OoO.OO0 quarts.
Then there are the eggs of which $50
snNf1 oosens are used during the year.
Placed end to end they would grid the
world twelve times at the equator Yet
this use is not excessive, since 1t allows
less than three eggs week to each person.
Millions for Meat.
Probably no people in the world eat as
much meat as the Americans. The Secre-
tary of Agriculture places our annual meat
bill at not less than $gO0Ge0.OOO. Figures
can be only approximate. yet a fair esd
mate would place the beef consumed at
5o0o.09o.tsS pounds pork at 10000 0)o
and mutton at S10c.c0 pounds. With the
poultry and game the total meat eaten an
nually cannot be less than I0.Oo0. go 900
pounds, which is nearly TWO pounds a day
apiece Tor each family of five persons.
Al the same time the exports of this
product are enormous. OF beef 4Ss.Ut0 500
POUNDS went out last year, seven-eight hs
OF which was consumed in Great Britain.
Exports OF pork products reached no less
tnan 1,3u2. .0DO,OU0 pounds Germany took
10 per cent and Great Britain 55 per cent.
10 the meat supply must be added the
products OF the rivers. lakes and oceans
aSgregating probably some 800 900 900 mil
lion pounds of various kinds of fish The
canned salmon alone in placed at ~. 900 0OJ
pounds.
Americans are drinkers as well as eaters
Last year they used -. .OpD, 900 pounds or
coffee and 10000 900 pounds of tea AT the
average strength, the coffee in the Guns
would measure l.tohon,0o) gallons. and the
tea iIpo,oep.oD gallons. To these must be
added beer, 300 900 900 gallons wines
Zo.jb.Un, and distilled spirits such as
whisky. brandy and rum, 90 600 600 gallons
lhiS gives a total of over :. $40 900 opb ga l.
IONS or about ~ gallons for each man. wo-
man and child. If we add the cocoa ''Sofl''
drinks, mineral waters. etc. the total rot
including plain water used for drinking pur-
poses, Is easily sweled TO I nOn ai5l OaD gal
@ lohs; or more than a gallon person per
week OF liquids other than clear WattS
On the average person drinks his own
weight of these drinks every three months
Three Pounds "a Day.
All told the consumption of solid food bv
thls one nation during the year amounts
IN its raw state to some 10000 900 ooO
pounds. or little more than three pounds
DAY for each person. This means that
the people eat their own weight of food
about once each month. The total cost
must be placed at not less than So J0a 900 =
ooo year, to which must be added an
other S.oo0, 000000 for drinks. making the
total FOR food and drink more than could n,
PurcnaSeo by the entire gold supply of the
world. OF this expenditure, roughly, 81 OOo-
o8o,oD goes for meat and fish, SIOD m4l opa
Tor eggs and dairy products $500 900 coo for
wheat and other grains, an equal arnouI,t
for fruits and sugar and Sam no. 49,, -
vegetables.
The 10000. 600. 900 pounds of food con-
Sunled Is about 100 pounds year for each
person Psychologists state that the grown
man needs about 900 pounds. the grown
woman .2e0 and the child from 500 to 600
pounds, so that on a fair average the
Americans may be considered Tell-fed
people As to whether this food is of the
proper proportions to give well nourished
bodies is another question. Careful an
alyses show that this bulk contains AZ um
100000 pounds, or more than half the entire
material, of nothing more substantial than
water. That liquid is essential to the body
but may be more cheaply supplied in fluid
form Nearly another 1000. 900 900 pounds
is composed of mineral matter. much of
which is needed in bone making.
OF the -.,G0o,ooOGo0 pounds that remain
a,o1oea,HS pounds are what the chemists
call protein, which goes to form muscle
and to enrich the blood. Another 30 0g0
e000Oo pounds are carbohydrates such as
sugar and starch. In the digestive pro-
cesses these are converted into fats, and.
with the IoeO,W0,0D pounds of other fats
present in the food originally serve for
fuel and for giving strength to the muscles,
Experiments show that the people would
be better nourished if fully 1908 900 600
pounds of these carbohydrates were re-
placed by an equal amount Of protein In
other words, the nation should eat less
sugar and starch and more lean meat.
whole wheat flour and beans Americans
are inclined to starve the machinery of
their bodies while they put too much fuel
into the furnaces.
Suspense.
From Puck.