Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-23

tural products shows that they are chiefly
composed of three great groups of articles
raw cotton, provisions and live animals and
breadstuffs. During the decade ending with
1903 cotton formed 80 per cent of the agri-
cultural exports and 81 per cent of the total
exports; breadstuffs 20 per cent of the agri-
cultural exports and 10 per cent of the
total exports; while provisions and live ami
mails formed 2S.5 per cent of the agricultu-
raj exports and IS per cent of the total eX-
ports, and agricultural products as a whole
formed 65 per cent of the total exports of
domestic products. In 1904, however, cot
ton formed 43 per cent of the exports of
agricultural products and % per cent of the
total domestic exports; provisions and live
animals formed 26 per cent of the agricul-
tural and Is per cent of the total exports,
and breadstuffs formed but II per cent of
the agricultural and 10 per cent of the total
ucts as a whole formed 594S per cent of
the total domestic exports During the dec
ade ending with 1903 manufactures formed
q per cent Of the total domestic exports: in
1904 they formed 81 3 per cent
In word, breadstuffs, which formed 10
per cent OF the domestic exports in the dec
ade ending with 1908, formed but 10 per
cent in 1904; provisions and live animals
which formed IS per cent in the decade
ending with 1903, formed 10 per cent in
1904; cotton, which formed q per cent in
the decade ending with 1903, formed % per
cent in 1904; agricultural products as
whole, which formed 65 per cent of the to-
tai exports in the decade ending with 1903.
formed but 59.5 per cent in 1904, and manu-
features, which formed q per cent during
the decade ending with 1903, formed 315 per
cent in 1904.
Reduction in Three Great Groups.
The reduction in quantity of agricultural
products exported occurs in all of the three
great groups which made up the bulk of the
agricultural exports-breadstuffs provisions
and live animals and cotton. lint bo
reduction is in breadstuffs. The quantity
of cotton exported in 1904 is less than in
any year since 1885, and about 500 million
pounds below 1902 and 1903 though the
high price has made the total value greater
than in any preceding year. In provisions
and live animals there is also slight re-
duction compared with recent years The
chief decrease, however, is in breadstuffs
which show in 1904 the smallest total since
1896, although the export prices of wheat
In 1904 have averaged higher than those of
any year since 1892, with the single excep-
ton of 1898, and those of corn have also
been much above the average of the past
decade. The quantity of wheat exported In
1904 is less than in any year since 1891,
being in round terms 120, million bushels.
including flour in terms OF wheat; and the
quantity of corn exported was less than in
any year since 1895, with the exception of
the year following the short crop of 1901.
Increased Home Consumption.
The reduction in exportsts seems to be due
chiefly to the steadily increasing consump
ton by the home population, while the
further fact that the supply of several of
the other wheat-producing5 countries of the
world was unusually large In 1903 reduced
to some extent the European demand upon
the United States, and furnished wheat to
the European market at prices below those
made in the United States by the growing
demands upon the home market.
Growing Use of Cereals.
Among the causes of the increased home
consumption of the domestic supply of
breadstuffs may be mentioned the growing
use of cereals of various sorts upon the
breakfast table among nearly all classes of
citizens. While no accurate measurement
of the quantity of grain consumed in this
manner is available the rapid growth in the
use of food preparations of this character
is so well established that there can be no
doubt that considerable quantities of grain
are utilized in this manner, and probably
dsplace to some extent foods Of other va
rieties formerly used. The census report OF
1900 shows that the value OF articles classed