The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-11-28
TRADE IN FARMERS MATERIALS
Our Exports Total s10O,0oo,ooo and
Imports $5o,0O0,O00


Imports s5o,ooo,ooo
Washington. Nov. 2s.-The agricul-
ural interests OF foreign countries
buy nearly $100,OOO,O0O worth OF Am
erican manufactures and other prod
nets for use in cultivating the soil,
while about $50,O00,0OO worth OF 1or-
eign products are annually imported
into the United States for use upon
American farms. The foregoing sum
marizes certain information recently
compiled by the bureau of statistics,
department of commerce and labor,
in response to an inquiry upon that
subject received from a representa-
stive newspaper located in the great
farming area of the middle west, ana
refers more especially to those classes
of merchandise having their chleI, II
not exclusive use in the farming in
dustry and does not include articles IN
general use, such as clothing, furnl-
ture and miscellaneous manufactures.
OF the exports from the United
States of articles required In farming
by far the larger portion are compos-
ed of manufactures, such as argicul-
tural implements, binding twine, barb
ed wire, and oil cake; while phosphate
rock, to be. ground up and used as
fertilizer, and clover, timothy ana
other grass seeds are among the artic-
les exported in the natural state. In
addition to the exports above enumer-
ated as specifically for farm use there
are certain articles for which the
agriculturalists OF other countries
draw upon the United States but
which cannot be classed as distinctive
ly for farm purposes, such as wagons,
carriages, traction engines, fiber bags,
pumps, etc. In such cases the bureau
of statistics has no means OF deter
mining the proportion OF the exports
intended for farm use and they are
not, therefore, included in the 100 mil
lion dollars worth of merchandise ex-
ported for agricultural purposes.
= Taking up the principal exports OF
the class under discussion, agricultu-
raj implements head the list, with
probable total of $4,000 600 in the year
about to end comprised OF nearly $780,
| 100000 worth OF moders and reapers,
$4,000, 900 worth of plows and cultiva-
tors, $2,500,000 worth Of threshers and
the remainder miscellaneous farming
tools and implements. These agricul-
tural implements are exported to prac-
tically all parts of the world where
man has adopted modern methods OF
cultivating the soil; in the great wheat
| fields of Russia, in the vineyards of
France or the coffee plantations Of
! Brazil. in the rice fields Of China and
Japan, and in all the rapidly develop
ing countries of the New World, In
Guiding Canada, Argentina, Cuba and
| Mexico. The years exports will range
from nearly SS.000.000 to European
Russia 100000 to Argentina and
about $5,000.U00 TO Canada, to about
$1,500,000 to Africa, while to British
Australia and Oceania will be sent a
total OF nearly $2.0OO,00O, to other
Oceania and Asia about Sl,0O0,000 and
Brazil about 100000 worth. Even
the great manufacturing countries OF
Europe, the United Kingdom, Ger
many and France are represented In
the years exports Of agricultural i'm
pements the United Kingdom with a
total OF over 100000. Germany 49,
600 900 and France 100000.
Fertilizers OF which the exports will
be about Sl2.000,OO0 during the year
are chiefly sent to European countries.
where long cintinued use OF the soils
has largely depleted their natural fer
tility and rendered artificial fertilizers
necessity. For American phosphate
rock and other fertilizers OF that class
Germany Is the largest market follow
ed next by Netherlands and the Uni
ted Kingdom. Another class OF ma
terials, used as cattle food, whose ex-
ports are considerable includes oil
cake meal made from cotton seed and
llnseed OF these the exports amount
to about Sl5.OO0.OOO per annum. being
exported mostly TO various countries
OF Europe.
Binding Irvine Is another article OF
importance in wheat growing coun-
tries. OF that article the years ex-
ports will be about $S,OOO-0O0. practic-
ally all destined for Russia and other
European countries, Canada and Argen.
tina American barbed wire exported
about $4,000, 900 per annum. goes chief
ly to Canada. Australia, Argentina
British Africa. Mexico. Brazil and Gu
ba. In addition to these articles there
are others largely II not exclusively
required by farmers, such as wind
mills, with exports nearing $4,000. 600
per annum; and clover and other
grass seeds. over 100000
On the other hand. American farm
ers draw upon other countries for Ger
tain Of their requirements. most OF
the imports, however. being articles
In their natural state. The largest Il
EN- shown in the imports OF last year
were fertilizers. including nitrate Of
soda, Si7,O00,OOO; guano, manure salt,
etc. $l0.O0O,00O; potash salts, $4,000.
600; sulphate OF ammonia, used In
part In the manufacture OF alum. So.
100000 animals for breeding purpos
es, chiefly horses. nearly $4,000. 600,
clover seed SS,OOO.OOO; and sugar bee
seed. $3.50 900