The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-10
CORN BECOMES POPULAR.
INCREASE Nv EXPORTS INDICATE
THAT FOREIGN NATIONS LIHEIT
Marked improvement In the Export Trade
But tho Greatest Improvement
is In Cereals.

The Agricultural Department has Just
issued a bulletin on the foreign trade In
agricultural products during the five fis-
cal years ls93-ls97 inclusive. prepared by
Frank II. Hitchcock, the chief of the
section OF Foreign Markets. The follow
ing is an abstract:
During the fiscal year 1897 the United
States exported domestic merchandise
amounting to slO52 ,0O15o5, thus outstrip-
ping all previous records In the history
OF our foreign trade. OF the various COM
modities comprised in these enormous eX-
ports. 66.A per cent, with a total value
of $3.50. 155. 1893, had their origin in agricul-
ture. only two preceding years-leSl and
1s92-each marked by abundant harvests
in this country coupled with meagre ones
abroad show a larger expectation OF
agricultural products than Is recorded for
1891.
Compared with agricultural exports dur
ing 1896. the shipments OK 1897 disclose
total gain Of Sis. 356, 92g.
As regards our import trade the nscal
year 1897 shows n total valuation for all
kinds of merchandise OF Si6i. 100 ,il2. and OF
this amount $500. 81 i6S expended for ag-
ricIltural imports. Nearly 900 more
than in 1896
TO ESCAPE THE TARIFF.
This exceptional growth Of our agrlcul-
tural imports, however. IS probably at
tributable I'm large measure to the fact
that in 1897, In order to escape the pros
pective import duties Of the tariff legis-
lation then pending. certain products were
imported much more extensively than
would otherwise have been the case. In
49,. In
during 1897 amounting TO more than w.
100000 while the receipts OF sugar were
larger by nearly SlOWOOo0.
The falling of that took place I'm
considerable portion OF our agricultural
imports for 1897 may be accounted for In
part by the recent Introduction into the
United States and the successful propa-
CATION here OF certain products we were
formerly obliged TO purchase elsewhere.
Among the products that contributed
most TO the gain I'm the exports Of agri-
cultural products during the year are
mentioned cotton. wheat and corn the
combined increase in the total export
value OF these three items amounting 10
more than SIS 100000.
In cotton there was an exceptionally
large gain. the increase amounting 10
$40 S2451l Notwithstanding the average
export price fell from 81 cents per pound
in 1896 TO "a cents in 1897.
After cotton the product that exhibited
the largest increase during 1897 was wheat.
In 1896 our exports OF this cereal were I'M
usually small but during the following
year a stronger foreign demand. occa-
stoned by short crops abroad called Tor IN
creased expectations The gain in guam
tity was 1891, $40 bushels and in value
$50 2iO3l0
During some years the shipments OF
wheat flour exceeded i'm value those OF
wheat in tho grain but in 1897, the order
was reversed, the export OF grain showing
greater value by about 100000 than
those o. flour
CORN BECOMING POPULAR.
One OF the most interesting features OF
the export trade Of 1897 was the remark
able Increase that took place in the guam
tity OF Indian corn disposed OF abroad.
the total shipments OF the year aggregat-
ing i76 si6 1865 bushels exceeding by more
than 100000 bushels the exports OF 1896
and surprising by a wide margin all pre-
yous records.
The value Of the corn sent to foreign
markets in 1897 was S5l0s7l52.
other cereals that were exported In
greatly Increased qualities during 1897 10
meet foreign deficiencies were oats and
barley. Shipments Of oats We're valued
preceding while those of barley increased
from s3.lO03l1 to 1886 6{ in value. The
exports OF rye also show a notable gain,
having advanced from s4i5.075 for 1896 20
g. SCI, sos FOR 1897.
Buckwheat shipments in 1891 amounted
10 1911. 1O2 bushels The total value Of all
! breadstufs exported by the United
States during 1891 amounted 10 Sls7Sj72l9
as compared with sl4l 99} during 1896
Flaxseed shipments also increased from
| S0453 bushels I'm 1896 TO 47l3.747 IN 1897.
In the category comprising the various
kinds OF live stock and their products the
most important gains were IN the expor.
tatiOn Of cattle. horses, fresh beef hams
bacon. butter and cheese The principal
Increases Of 1897 over 1896 were approx
matey as follows: Cattle. $1,000 00O
horses 81 go 600: fresh beef. 1865, 900; hams
S325O.O0O; bacon, {45 900; butter 81 100000
cheese 81 10000.
other agricultural exports that made
gains exceeding 100000 in value during
| 1897 over 1895 were fruits. OIL cake and oil
cake meal, and cotton seed oil. The value
| Of fruits sent abroad advanced from So
| SIS ls3 in 1896 TO t7,6l3500 i'm 1897. with
| regard TO lard. cleo oil and glucose IL
| happened I'm 1897 as a result Of lower ex-
port that a material increase in the guam
| tity shipped was accompanied by an act
udi ldlilhg OF IN the total value.
DECLINE IN THESE.
Among the agricultural products that
! show for 1891 a decline in quantity as
well as in value the most important are
canned beef, sailed or picked beer,
| picked pork. hides ana skins and sheep
| Except in the case OF hides and skins
and sheep the decline was less than a
million dollars in each. Sheep fell on
| about 50 per cent.
Aside from wool ana sugar-agricultu-
raj imports which showed the most con-
! spicuous increase-the gains OF chief I'M
| pOrtance were those made in tea opium
| rice and rice meal ana cattle Tea I'M
| portatiOns in 1897 amounted in value TO
| Sl4 S3J. S62 as compared with Sl2. IOi. 40 tor
/ 1896; opium imports aggregated S3.4L5%
as against 81 ISL in the preceding year.
| The imports OF rice and rice meal
| amounted in value 20 SOL, 80 as against
| t2ls5.519 the preceding year. and cattle
| imports at s25S9.S57 as against sl.5l9 $50
| in 1895. AS 10 coffee imports tor 1897
| were larger than for lS36 but owing 70 a
decline or 35 cents per pound in average
import price. the total valuation was less
than the year before. The imports
amounted I'm value 10 Ssl. 5i43Si.
Agricultural products showing largely
| decreased importations during 1897 were
| silk. leaf tobacco. hides and skins ana
| fruits. Silk imports decreased from SZo.-
I63 .i25 in 1896 to SlSgls .2S3 in 1897; leaf to-
| bacco from ZIG 503 100 to 80 5S4 l55. hides