Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-18
and NUTS.
A Great Gain in DomeS-
tic Production.
Ability to Supply Home Demand
Increasing.
Figures Show That Exports Are
Half as Much as Imports.


nuts of domestic production are sup
plying a rapidly increasing snare Oh
American consumption OF those
classes of commodities, and in certain
articles, notably raisins, pruncs ana
oranges, the home product has practi-
cally excluded that of foreign origin
A compila ton recently made by the
Bureau of Statistics of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor, strlk-
ingly illustrates the improved position
of the United States during the pas
twenty years with reference to its abll'
ity to supply home demand for fruits
and nuts.
Twenty years ago the importatlons
of fruits and nuts amounted IN Ealu'
to $20,G66,666 while domestic eXporta-
tons thereof were but $2,666,ooo
purchases of the foreign product being
thus over seven times as much as
sales to foreign countries. In the fiscal
year just ended importations were
about $35,00O,000, and expectations
$11,250,000; American sales abroad OF
home produced fruits and nuts belhS
thus practically one-half as much as
purchases of the foreign product. In
the period from 1887 to 1907 imports OF
fruits and nuts have increased but gu
per cent. while exports of the domestic
product have increased about $40 per
cent.
A closer analysis of the figures under
consideration develops the fact that the
growth in importations OF fruits ana
nuts has been confined to few lines III
which local production has not beeh
sufficient to meet home consumption,
such as bananas. figs and other
preserved fruits, walnuts. cocoanuts,
and almonds. Nearly all other articles
show decreased importations during the
period under review. Bananas nave
advanced from $2,666,666 in 1887 to APP
proximately s12.000.000 in 1907; figs
and preserved fruits, from $1,23O,0Oo
to nearly $4,G00,000; cocoanuts, from
$4,000 to $1,333,333; almonds, from
less than 100000 to about 1888. 1873;
and all other nuts Chiefly Walnuts),
from Il little less than 100000 to
practically $6000,000, of which latter
sum fully $3.00O,000 represented the
value of walnuts imported. On the
other hand, importations of oranges
have decreased from a little less tnan
$4,000 900 in 1887 to 100000 in 1901;
raisins, from $2,250,000 to less than
100000; and prunes, from practically
So 100000 to less than $4,000; While
lemons have remained practically
stationary at S4,000,000 during the
twenty-year period. the figures indicat-
ing in each case that the greatly en-
largcd consumption since 1887 has been
fully met by domestic production.
The growth in exports of domestic
fruits extends to practically every
class enumerated in the schedules of
our foreign trade. In 1887 apples were
the only item whose exports exceeded
81, 100000, the value of this commodity
($l, 3S2,S!2) contributing consider
ably more than one-half of the an
nual sales abroad. In the year just
ended the items whose exports OK
ceoded each $1000,000 included dried
apples. apples green or ripe, pre-
served fruits, oranges, prunes and
other fruits, included in which may
be mentioned peaches and pears to the
value of 100000, raisins $G00,00O and
miscellaneous fruits over $2,o00,000.
Meantime nuts have made their APP
pcarance in the list of exported ar
ticles, and for the fiscal year 1907 their
total was about SidO.00O, thrce-fourths
of which was peanuts. Exports of
dried apples grew from s4i3,363 in
1887 to about 100000 in 1907; apples,
green or ripe, from $1,3S2,S72 to 81, 7O0,-
900; preserved fruits. from $3.50. 2S3 to
$1,7O0,0OO; and all other fruits, not
separately classified in 1887, from $751;
441 in that year to $1,000. 900 in 1907.
The changed position of the United
States in relation to it's dependence
upon foreign countries for fruits is
clearly illustrated by n comparison
Of the imports and exports of certain
representative commodities OF or.
anges the United States imported in
1887 practically S2,5O0,000 worth. while
the exports. if any, were not of sufIi-
cl"nt Importance to warrant separate
enumeration. In 1907 imports had de-
creased to 100000 and exports in
| creased to $1.3oo,0oo. Pruncs in 1887
were imported to the value Of 5000, =
| CHS. while exports were nil; in 1907
imports were less than $4,000, while
exports mad risen to S. 400, 600. Raising
| in 1887 showed net importation OF
practically $1,000, 900. while in 1867 they
showed a net expectation of over
| $500. 900.
or forciGn-Grown fruits consumed
| in the United States, bananas supply
fully one-third of the total. OF
| the years importation of bananas, ag-
Srcgating nearly $4,000, 900. Central
America (chiefy Costa Rica. Hon
duras and Panama) supplied about
S6,"h. 900, the British West Indies
about Si5oo,coo. and Cuba, consider
ably over $1,000, 600. Italy is the almost
exclusive source of supply for the
lemons imported into the United
states from year to year. Imported
currantS are chiefly of the Xante var
iety, produced in Greece. Twenty Years
ago the United States was importing
over =. 1000 worth of raisins an
nualiE. chiefly from Spain, but the en-
tire lmportations in 1907 were less than
s3P'."'o. In 1857 Italy contributed
nearly S2.ooH,oAo worth Of oranges to
the markets of the United States. the
British West Indies. Spain and Cuba
together supplying an additional $500. =
900 worth; but in the year Just ended
the entire imports were but s40n. 900. Of