> OBB 
MERCHANDISE AND THE PRECIOUS METALS. 
1876. 1875. 
MIOMIESLIC CXPOLEGS estes 322 aot ke ee Lee Solete SS $644,956 406 $643,094 767 
Re-exports of foreign imports........-2..- 22.22. seen eeee 21,270 035 22,433 624 
ANGqiG WEES Tei ic: GRE eA eS eerie ee Se Sea 666,226 441 665,528 391 
buh Bugis setoe HEE aR RE mis Ss sp are Se Be Ae ares 476, 677 871 553,906 153 
ISEHSS OF CEPOL 2 <15 225 «Seeks - sles ak eee lies 189,548 570 111,622 238 
THE PRECIOUS METALS. 
RCE ONS nc) - cain res ee ee on lee ee eae $50,038 691 $83,857 129 
Re-exports of foreign imports .... --.. 222. -..--.-2/2-.--- 6, 467 611 8, 275 013 
56,506 302 92 132 142 
Uatalieaperts).. «44-5 od anaes i oe BJ: aw Bases age 
UL Tye Ee A eee Se ee ee ee ae 15, 936 681 20,900 717 
PIRGERS OL OX POLes fe eaec sees RSL Se Se Se it 40, 569 621 71, 251 425 
MERCHANDISE. 
BeNmNORiNG ex iOrta sci 5 i sisi taety bd os oe es iss Hoe $594,917 715 $559,237 638 
Re-exports of foreign imports...--..----....--- Bee tae 14, 802 424 14,168 611 
PD EAMOXDOLIS Sots nee ae eee ae ae cc Soe ocak 580,114 291 545,069 027 
Manparties soe eke 2 UEP RUS. Re OS te Be 460,640 190 533,005 436 
IE CESSTOL, GXPOLUS) 056) sea Sek oot Casjccecccic delet ame 119, 474 101 12, 063 581 
These figures are the exponents of a healthy progress. 
Our ex- 
ports of merchandise increased $35,680,077, or 64 per cent., while our 
imports fell off $172,365,246, or 32 per cent. That is, our home produc- 
tion, after meeting an increased home demand, found an increased foreign 
market for its surplus. The balance of our export-trade increased over 
$100,000,000. Our net export of precious metals fell off nearly one-half, 
and now amounts to about half of cur home production. The latest 
estimates, based upon the returns of gold and silver transportation 
companies, show that the gold product of 1875 was about the average of 
the last ten years, or over $26,000,000, while the silver product has 
enlarged, making the product of both metals for 1875 over $80,000,000. 
The product of 1876 is expected to reach $90,000,000. 
Among the leading articles of agricultural exports, the value of 
domestic animals fell from $2,672,555 in 1875 to $2,456,287 in 1876; 
breadstuffs rose from $111,458,265 to $131,181,555 ; cotton and its man- 
ufactures from $194,710,507 to $200,382,240; bacon and hams rose 
from $28,612,613 to $39,664,456; pork rose from $5,671,495 to $5,744,022 ; 
cheese fell from $13,659,603 to $12,270,083; lard, from $22,900,522 to 
$22,429,485 ; refined sugar rose from $2,585,382 to $5,552,587 ; tobacco- 
leaf fell from $25,241,549 to $22,737,383. 
DIVIDING UP RANCHOS IN CALIFORNIA.—A San Francisco journal 
notes with satisfaction the disposition of large land-owners to part with 
their surplus acres. This policy has been especially pursued in the 
southern counties, especially in Tulare and Kern. Here farms with 
from 80 to 160 acres have combined to secure the best system of irriga- 
tion yet adopted on the Pacific slope. Two or three owners of large 
Mexican land-grants in Santa Clara and Salinas valleys lately divided 
their surplus land into tracts ranging from 40 to 160 acres. This exam- 
ple is about to be followed by others, and the actual reduction of farms 
is becoming a settled policy. 
WHEAT-CULTURE IN TENNESSEE.—Onr statistical correspondent in 
Rutherford County, Mr. J. H. Crichlow, last year furnished the Depart- 
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