ABSTRACTS OF PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 



AGRICULTIRE. 



DIVISION OF STATISTICS. 



Report Xo. 93 (new sekie.sj, March, 1.S02 (pp. 45-02). — This 

 iiu-liides articles on dlsti ihntioii and consumption of corn and wheat, 

 notes from reports ol" State a^ii-nts, overproduction of cotton, Euro- 

 ]iean crop rejiort for March, estimated wheat crop of the worhl iu 181)1, 

 othcial statistics of foreign countries, and transportation rates. 



The coiimieififil supply of cotton jirod need in this country, iu India, Ej^ypt, ami 

 Brazil, as reported liy Ellison, was a little more tlian 8,0(X»,0'.)U bales of 500 jioiinils 

 each in 1882, over l().OrX),0<X) in 1888, and over 12,(K)0,0(K) in 1890, while the consump- 

 tion ofEnrojie and the United States was 8,430,100 fov the 6 years from 188(3 to 1801, 

 anil the estimated consumption of India was 1,000,0(K) hales, making a cousnmption 

 of 9,430,100 bales. It is seen that increasing consnmi>t inn jtrevented a glut until the 

 croj) of 18it0 was sent to market. » - • 



These facts show clcarlj* what is the matter with cotton growing. It is snllering 

 from over))roiln«tion. In tiie last 2 years this cmmtry has ]irodnced umre than 

 L',(HM),(MK» bales above the rei|niienients of consnm)ttion. It has redured ]>rices to a 

 jxiiiit which planters tledaie is below cost of ])rodnction. 



What is the remetly 1 It is <|uite as easily indicated as the diagnosis of the disease- 

 is accurate. Reduce the area in <ultivation. This is easily sai<l. but it can only be 

 done with dilHculty. 



Something must be done, howc\er, or agriculture in the .Soutli will sutler worse 

 than it ever has in thoW«'st. The cotton croji, now worth on the jtlantation scarcely 

 $300,(MKI.(MKt, will not suHice to snjiport ll.(X>t),0(KI people of the ten cotton Slates 

 south of Virginia. A i»roduct yielding $22 per head will mother enrich nor feed a 

 people. Of course only three fourths of this population are engaged in agriculture, 

 and not all are growing cotton. Hut more crops must be grown. It is suicidal to 

 bring hay into a jtnrely agricultural country, to buy tlonr where the labor that would 

 ]iroiluce it is wasted, to go to the West for meats when they can be |)rodnced cheaper 

 than in the West. This is not all. Not only should these States be self-sui>i>orting, 

 but they should jirodnce a larger part of the sugar now imported, and sa\ e millions 

 of dollars in libers now brought from Mexico and Yucatan, from China and the East 

 Inilies. The bananas and pineapplesof the tropics, now very remunerative to south 

 Kbuida cultivators, could be multiplied a hundredfold, and many other fruits in 

 proportion. 



The wheat crop of the worhl in ISOl.h'aving; out Bulgaria and Cauca- 

 sus, is estimated at LM!38,21.'»,()Sl Imsliels, ascdinpiired with 'J,'_MKi,S.S!»,.~)")2 

 bushels in 1890. The United States produced Gll,780,oaO bushels. 

 728 



