166 DEPAKTMENTAL REPOETS. 



quantity and value of the various agricultural products received from 

 the several countries of supply. During the past year this report was 

 supiilemented by a similar publication bringing the statistics of impor- 

 tation by countries down to date. This latter report covered the five- 

 year period 1896-1900, and was issued as Bulletin No. 24. 



While it required much time and labor to prepare a report of this 

 character, the task seemed fully justified in view of the great useful- 

 ness of the earlier bulletin, which for two years was extensively util- 

 ized as a means of answering inquiries relative to the import trade, 

 and also as a basis for statistical statements on that subject. 



REPORT ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS. 



The report of two years ago on the sources of our agricultural 

 imports was prepared and issued in conjunction with a similar publi- 

 cation relating to the distribution of our agricultural exports. This 

 report on exportation was also supplemented during the year by a 

 later issue, published as Bulletin No. 25, bringing the subject-matter 

 down to date in the same manner as that described for Bulletin No. 

 24. Like Bulletin No. 24, the report on the distribution of our exports 

 covered the five-year period 1896-1900, showing in the greatest possi- 

 ble detail the annual quantity and value of the various products of 

 American agriculture marketed in the several countries of destination. 



The statistics published in Bulletin No. 25 disclosed some interest- 

 ing examples of growth in our agricultural export trade during the 

 five years. Perhaps the most striking of these examples was afforded 

 by our shipments to Asia and Oceania. The value of the American 

 farm produce marketed in Asiatic countries rose from 85,735,000 in 1896 

 to nearly $23,000,000 in 1900, the latter record far exceeding that for 

 any previous year. In our agricultural export trade with Oceania 

 there was an advance in value during the same period from $3,986,000 

 to 16,799,000. The figures for 1900, as in the case of Asia, were decid- 

 edly the highest ever recorded. 



Of the Asiatic countries to which our exports increased, Japan was 

 the most conspicuous. In 1900 we shipped to that country products 

 of agriculture worth over $15,000,000, while in 1896 the value of our 

 consignments barely exceeded $2,000,000. Each year subsequent to 

 1896 witnessed a decided gain. 



Among the countries of Europe with which trade growth was 

 recorded, Denmark furnished a notable example. Our agricultural 

 exports to that country in 1896 Avere valued at only about 15,000,000, 

 whereas in 1900 their value rose to nearly $15,000,000. 



Another striking instance of growth occurred in our trade with 

 British Africa, the value of the American farm produce sent to that 

 destination increasing from 15,300,000 in 1896 to $10,300,000 in 1900. 



One of the most interesting features of the trade during 1896-1900 

 was the rapid development of our agricultural exports to the new 

 island dependencies. The value of domestic farm produce sent to 

 Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippine Islands in 1900 exceeded 

 $20,000,000, as compared with only $6,269,000 in 1896. These exports 

 exhibited a gain during the five years of over 200 per cent. 



The growth in our agricultural exports to Cuba wa^ particularly 

 marked. In 1896 our shipments to that island were at low ebb, hav- 

 ing a value of less than $4,000,000, but since then there have been 

 important gains each year, culminating in 1900 with a value of 

 $14,000,000. 



