The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-16

less than 1850, 900 pounds of butter
Besides, we export about $4,000, 900
pounds. Cheese is used to the extent
of 23oOOO,OOO pounds annually. Made
into one gigantic cheese it would meas
ure $50 feet in diameter and half as
many feet in height. More striking
still is the use of the raw milk which
amounts to no less than 1000, 900, 900
quarts annually. Yet this is only
half pint day to each person. OF
this supply Chicago takes 46,OOO,oOO
quarts, Greater Boston 9S, 900, 00O Phila-
delphia 96,OO0OO0, and Greater New
York 634 100000 quarts.
Then there are the eggs, of which
S50,O00OO0 dozens 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 it allows less than three eggs a
week to each person.
THE MEAT WE EAT.
Probably no people in the world eat
as much meat as the Americans. The
secretaryof agriculture places the an
nual meat bill at not less than s900,-
100000. Figures can be only approxi-
mate, yet fair estimate would place
the beef consumed at 5000, 900, 900
pounds, pork at 1900, 900, 900, and NUT
ton at 100000 pounds. With the
poultry and game the total meat eaten
annually cannot be less than 10000, ,000,-
900 pounds, which is nearly two pounds
day for each family of five persons.
At the same time the export of this
product is enormous OF beef 4SS,000,-
900 pounds went out last year, seven
eighths of which was consumed in
Great Britain. Exports of pork pro-
ducts reached no less than 1902, 900, 900
pounds. Germany took 10 per cent. and
Great Britain Sc per cent. To the meat
supply must be added the products of
the rivers. lakes and oceans, aggregat-
ing probably some 0,000.0 900 pounds of
various kinds of fish. The canned SAL
mon alone Is placed at S0,000,000 pounds.
Americans are drinkers as we'll as
eaters. Last year they used 725,000,O00
pounds of coffee and 1l0.000,000 pounds
of tea. At the average strength the
| coffee in the cups would measure l.
200, 000, 900 gallons and the tea 100000
900 gallons. To these must be added
beer, 1,2O0 900. 900 gallons. wines 25,OOO,-
900. and distilled spirits such as whis-
key brandy and rum 90000,000 gallons.
This gives a total of over 3,6OO0OO,OOO
gallons or about l3 gallons for each
man, woman and child. If We add the
cocoa, soft drinks, mineral waters,
| etc, the total, not including plain
water used for drinking purposes, is
easily swelled to 1000, 100000 gallons, or
more than a gallon a person per week
of liquids other than clear water. On
| the average a person drinks his own
weight of these drinks every three
months.
TOTAL SOLIDS.
All told, the consumption Of solid
| food by this one nation during the year
! amounts in its raw state to some 90,-
! O00, 600 900 pounds, or little more than
! three pounds q 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, 500 900, 900 year, to
which must be added another 81 ,000,-
| O00, 900 for drinks, making the total for
| food and drink more than could be
purchased by the entire gold supply
| of the world. OF this expenditure.
roughly, 81. .000, 600. 600 goes for meat and
| fish, $500, 900 600 for eggs and dairy
products, $4,000 600 for wheat and
| other grains, an equal amount for
| fruits and sugar. and $500, 900 for
vegetables.
The 10000 600 pounds OF food con-
sumed Is about 1.200 pounds year for
each person. Psychologists say that
| the grown man needs about 1000
| pounds, the grown woman 1900 and the
child from 500 to 1000 pounds, so that
on a fair average the Americans may
| be considered a well-fed people. As to
| whether this food is of the proper pro-
| portions to give well nourshed bodies
! Is another question. Careful analyses
show that this bulk contains 41.000,00O,-
| 900 pounds. or more than half the en-
tire material. of nothing more substan-
| tial than water. That liquid is essen
| tial to the body. but may be more
cheaply supplied In fluid form. Nearly
another / 900 900 900 pounds is compos-
ed of mineral water, much of which
| Is needed in bone making.
| OF the a., 600 900, 900 pounds that re-
main, 5000, 10000 pounds are what the
chemists call protein. which goes to
| form muscle and to enrich the blood
| Another 10000, 900, 900 pounds are carbo-
| hydrates, such as sugar and starch.
| In the digestive processes these are