The Forrest City times., 1898-09-30
ENGLAND'S FRUIT SUPPLY.
and Spain Leads in COntribu-
lions of Grapes.

An interesting statement of the
sources of Great Britain's food and
vegetable supply is contained in the
recently-issued Annual Statement OF
Trade for 1897. The United States, OF
course, stands first in relation to ap-
pies, with 1,S0S,115 bushels, Canada be-
ing a fair second with 1,020,920. To-
gether these two countries contrib
uted 2,S29 ,044 bushels out of a total
supply of 4,1o9,971 bushels. There was
great drop to Hollands 3s6,677 bush
els, third in the list last year, though
Belgium, which usually sends twice
as many bushels as Holland, was close
behind with 352,914 bushels. France,
Portugal. Spain, Germany, Denmark,
Italy, the Channel islands, Australasia
and a few unnamed countries help
towards the total, but some of them
send only insignificant quantities.
France has contributed over half a
million bushels on more occasions
than one, but not since 1894.
Australasia sent 10000 bushels last
year, and nearly as much in each of
the two preceding years. Belgium
took the lead with pears last year,
her contribution having been 529,O95
bushels, out of a total of 1861 SIT
bushels. Usually, however, France
stands first, though she sent only 269,-
l42 bushels in 1897. Holland, the Unit
cd States, Germany and Canada fol-
lowed in the order given. AS usual,
France supplied nearly half the plums
imported, or 509,934 out of 1,o43,s1
bushels; Germany, 2S6. 005; Holland,
l4o,s03; Belgium, $4,000. and America
and other countries the small balance.
France usually, if not always, has been
first for cherries, and in 1897 she sup
piled England the extra large guam
tity of 1872, $50 out of total of 312 ,294
bushels. Holland, Germany and Bel
GUM followed in the order given, 9TH
er unnamed countries having sent only
trifing quantity.
Spain was long way ahead, with
7S7.5S0 out of total of 913,713 bushels
of grapes. followed by Portugal with
l21, 603 bushels, the Channel islands
with 43,377 and Belgium, France, Italy,
the Cape and Canada with small guam
titles. For unenumerated fruit. in
cluding tomatoes, the Canary islands
have taken the top place in recent
years. followed closely by Spain, and
at a great distance by other coun-
tries. But the returns of these fruits,
mixed as they are, do not possess
much interest.
1t is surely time to give tomatoes q
separate heading, and it would be well
to do the same for strawberries. The
only culinary vegetables separately
enumerated are potatoes and onions.
The Channel islands usually take the
lead for potatoes, but in 1887 France
was first with 1.146,741 hundred weight
out of a total of 1921 ,205 hundred
weight, followed by the islands with
1.o5l.5 $50 hundred weight. Belgium
was third last year, taking the place
usually held by Germany. The former
country sent 597,543 hundred weight
and the latter 35s.000 hundred weight,
while Holland, usually fourth, cut in
between these countries with 562, O70
hundred weight. The Canary islands
had mounted up their supply to near
ly 100000 hundred weight in 1896. but
fell OF to 57,243 in 1897, while Spain
sent 2s,996 and Malta $500. Spain,
Holland and Egypt are the greatest
contributors of onions, followed by
France, Portugal, Germany, Belgium
and Malta.-Chicago Tribune.