Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-06-30
EXPORTS FOR
FARMERS PRODUCTS

nS0
Exports of farm products will ag-
gregate a billion dollars in the ifs
cal year which ends with the month
of June. The Governments fiscal
year has for many years ended at
the middle of the calendar year, the
purpose being to give opportunity
to classify and arrange the years
figures in time for consideration by
the Congress whose regular date of
meeting is the first Monday in De-
cember, thus the Bureau of Statis-
tics of the Department of Commerce
and Labor presents its detailed
yearly report of commerce for the
year ending June 30th. Figures
for II of the q months of tie fis-
cal year 1911 ere now available, and
show exports of cotton STA million
dollars, foodstuffs 354 million dol
lars, and tobacco 35 million, a total
for the II months ending with May
of 963 million dollars, making it
quite apparent that the sum added
for the month of June will bring
the total exports Cf farm products
during the fiscal year 1911 above
the billion dollar line.
Cotton as above indicated, is by
far the largest single item, STA mil
ZION dollars worth being exported
in the II months ending with May,
indicating that the total for the full
fiscal year will approximate 600
Mill, against $50 million in the
fiscal year 1910, and 4S1 million in
the f0cmer high record year, 1907.
This very large increase in the val
lie of cotton exports in the
fiscal year 1911 over that of any
earlier year is due chiefly to the
high prices, the quantity of cotton
exported in 1911 being materially
less than in 1909 or 1907, while
the value will exceed by more than
100 million dollars that of the years
in which the quantity was greater
than in 1911. The average export
price of domestic cotton in May, 1911
was 15.1 cents per pound, and for
the months ending with May, IA 5
cents per pound; against 14.2 cents
in cotton year 1910; IL cents in
1904; ia cents in 1908; and less
than cents per pound in 1895,
1898 and 1899, these figures being
in all cases for the cotton year end
ing with August 31st.
Meat and dairy products also show
a marked increase in value OF ex-
ports in the fiscal year 1911, when
compared with the Immediately
preceding year, being for the II
months ending with May, 1876 Y
million dollars; against 120 million
in the same months of last year;
and for the single month of May
u million dollars, against mil
lion for the corresponding month
of last year. This increase is due
in nearly all cases to larger quaint
ties, the prices being in most cases
lower than last year. For example
the average export price of bacor
in the month of May, 1911, is 12.s
cents per pound; against 1873 cents
per pound in May of last year;
hams, 11.S cents per pound, against
14.6 cents in May a year ago; lard
so cents per pound, against 12.1
cents in the corresponding month
last year; butter, POI cents pei
pound, against 25.5 cents in May {
year ago; and cheese, 11.5 cents pei
pound, against 155 cents in May
last year.
Other articles showing an increase
in value of exports in the fiscal yeal
1911 over that of the correspond
ing period of the preceding fiscal
year are fruits, 23 million dollars
against 17A million year ago;
corn, 33 million, against "a million
in the corresponding period of 1910;
while cotton seed oil, oil cake and
meal, and flour also show slight
advances in the total value of ex-
ports when compared with the cor
responding period of last year
May, 1911, being but 217a million
though wheat shows marked de-
cline in the II months ending with
dollars in value, against At 1-3 mil,
lion in the CORRESPONDING month OF
1910.
Europe is, of course, the chief
purchaser of these exports of farm
products. Most of the cotton goes
to Europe, comparatively small
quantities, however, going to Cana
da and Japan, and Europe is also
the chief customer for wheat, cotton
seed oil, oil cake, live cattle, and
tobacco. OF meat and dairy pro-
ducts, the South and Central Amer
lean countries. Mexico, and the West