Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-04-25
WHAT PEOPLE EAT.
SUPPLY FOR EVERY HUMAN BE-
ING is ESTIMATED.
United States the Granary and Pack
ing House for the Wor1d-Texas Leads
in Cattle Raising, Illinois in Corn,
and Iowa iu Hogs and Eggs.

United States is entitled, through the
bounty of Providence and the energy of
the American farmer, to the following
food supply during a year: Thirty-fve
bushels of corn, 1913 bushels of oats,
81 bushels of wheat, ~ bushels Of
barley, one-ffth bushel of buckwheat,
800 pounds of rice, $50 bushels of po-
tatoes, 6.54 pounds of sugar, half a gal
Ion of syrup, one-ffth of a bushel of
beans, half bushel of sweet potatoes,
three-fourths Of cow, four-ifths of
fat hog, half sheep, 2.T9 bushels of
orchard fruits, fifth of a bushel of
onions, $1.30 worth of garden truck, 3
cents worth of nuts, II cents worth of
semi-tropical fruits, one-ffth of a calf,
one-third of spring lamb, seventeen
dozen eggs, three and one-third fowls,
four-ffths of a pound of honey, 1885
pounds of fish, 2.25 pounds of oysters,
half a pound of shellfsh, 96 gallons of
milk, 1872 pounds of butter, 312 pounds
Of cheese, PA pounds of condensed milk
and one-sixth Of bushel of peanuts.
Years ago nearly every American
family was a food producer as we'll as
a consumer. The conditions are chang
ing constantly, the number of food con-
sumers becoming relatively greater than
that Of producers. In the fifty years
between 1850 1900 the ratio of growth
of population was 1913, while the ratio
Of increased production of corn, barley,
wheat, oats, potatoes and molasses has
been greater. The production of sugar,
sweet potatoes, rice beans, cattle, mich
cows, sheep and swine has increased in
a smaller ratio than the population. For
commodities like sugar, coffee, tea, chloe
olate, rice, fruits, fish, oil, salt, spice,
farinaceous products and liquor the Uni
ted States has had to go abroad, though
most Of these things are produced within
the borders of the country and the entire
supply of certain items could be pro-
duced at home.
Depends on Last Harvest.
For the solid stuff that keeps the
world alive the United States is the
granary and packing-house of the world.
But, as pointed out by Professor Blodg
EFT Of the Agricultural Department, who
compiled the figures showing the rela-
tons of population and food products in
the United States, the world is not far
removed at any time from dependence
upon the last harvest. A lean year is
sorely felt, no matter how many fat ones
have preceded it.
Illinois leads all other States in the
production of corn, with nearly 100000
600 bushels in 1900. She also leads in
oats. Minnesota raises the most wheat,
California the most barley, Louisiana the
most cane sugar, California the most beet
sugar, New York the most onions and
Virginia the most peanuts.
New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio are
leaders in apple production, each pro-
ducing more than 20,000,000 bushels in
1899. Pennsylvania raised more cher
ries than any other State. California pro-
duced more peaches than all other States
combined. California also leads in
pears, and as for prunes, she turns out
more than all the rest of the United
States. California produces practically
all the apricots. Maryland leads with
Strawberries, New York with raspber-
res, Illinois with blackberries, New York
with currants and Massachusetts with
cranberries and Indiana proudly takes
the pie for gooseberries. California is
at the head of the grapeproducing States
and also furnishes most Of the oranges,
lines, grape fruit, guavas, lemons, olives,
figs, citrons, almonds and English wal
nuts. Florida produces most pineapples
and cocoanuts. Texas yields more than
half the pecan crop.
Texas Leads in Cattle.
Texas has many more cattle than any
other State, her figures in 1900 reaching
nearly 100000. But she has fewer
per square mile than a dozen other
States. The old States, indeed, hold
their own in the number of cattle per
square mile. Nevada has more cattle per
capita than any other State, and half
a dozen Western States are able to give
away great numbers. New York has
been in the lead for years in the number
Of mich cows, with Iowa and Illinois
next The large corn States have also
the largest number of swine, Iowa, be-
ing first Illinois next and Missouri, Ne
braska, Indiana and Kansas following.
In the older States and also in the States
south of the Ohio River there has been
n decline in the number Of hogs. All the
States along the west bank of the Mis-
sissippi and Texas show enormous gains.
Montana is the greatest sheep-raiSing
State, and New York is next. Twelve
States raise more than 100000 sheep
each-Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming,
Ohio, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, California,
Michigan, Texas, Colorado and Indiana.
Iowa, besides furnishing two Cabinet
ministers. narrowly escaped the further
honor of furnishing 100,00O.0O0 dozen
eggs to the world in the last year they
were counted. The exact number was
99621 ,92O dozens. As Professor Blodg
EFT observes in his interesting report,
''the eggs in common use are mostly
those of the common hen" He speaks
of guinea keats" speckled turkey eggs,
blush duck eggs, ETC., but comes back
with strong reliance on the productive
capacity of the common hem" The
State next to Iowa in egg production is
Ohio. which also rivals the Prairie State
In political frutfulness. For two dec
AIDES, indeed, when Ohio was the whole
thing" politically, she led all other States
in egg production; but with the waning
of her political prestige came a decrease