372 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



aaiiual home consumption of pork products daring the same period han 

 averaged 3,000,000,000 pounds, as an investigation of the most (.'oui]ir(^ 

 heiisive data relating to the subject shows. This makes the awnii^c 

 production of twenty-live years 3,530,000,000, of which tlie exportatiuii 

 lins been 15 per cent. The present consumption, at 70 i)oa]ids for cntMi 

 ill habitant, is about 4,000,000,000. To avoid error, as to the number 

 >shiughtered, it should be observed that the average weights of hogs 

 shiughtered by farmers is much less than that of the packers. Tlie 

 average weight of all swine slaughtered is estimated at about 175 

 pounds. 



In the table of products exported during the last twenty-five yeais 

 the fluctuation in prices is remarkable. As a rule, the lower the prices 

 the larger the quantity exported. • 



Quantity of products exported. 



* Animals not separately enumerated In 1869. 

 t Not including 185,417 pounds of fresh pork, 

 j Not including 424,103 pounds of fresh pork. 



' THE WHEAT DISTKIBUTION. 



The wheat crop of 1S84 was about five times as large as the crop of 

 1 S50. The production of wheat has increased during this period nearly 

 twice as fast as population. It has been stimulated by three prominent 

 causes : (1) The possession of large areas of fresh lands, easily brought 

 into eultivation •, (2) the extension of railroad construction; (3) (more 

 recently) a period of several years of poor crops in Western Europe. On 

 the rotorn of accustomed European yields the demand fell off, our ex- 



