REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 



183 



Frodacta. 



Flour barrels 



"Wheat bushels 



Corn-meal barrels 



Corn bushels 



Wheat and flour bushels 



Corn and corn-me al do . . . 



Oats do... 



Kye do... 



Barley do... 



Total 



The year 1870 shows tbe largest receipt of cereals on record. The 

 increase, however, is chiefly in flour, corn, and barley, and is mostly to 

 supply the demand of an increased local consumption. 



PHILADELPHIA. 



The flour and grain trade of Philadelphia exhibits a marked increase of 

 volume, the receipts of 187G amounting to 40,573,880 bushels, the largest 

 aggregate in the history of the city. A considerable increase in flour is 

 especially noticeable, which was due, most probably, to the increased 

 consumption of the city for the subsistence of visitors at the great Cen- 

 tennial Exposition. Wheat and barley fell off, but corn, oats, and rye 

 were marketed in greatly increased quantities, especially corn, of which 

 the receipts were nearly triple those of 1875. 



Flour,— ThQ flour trade of 187G was on the whole satisfactory to deal- 

 ers, the receipts amounting to 970,781 barrels, against 922,190 barrels 

 in 1875. The manufactures of the mills in and around the city amounted 

 to 532,000 barrels, against 587,390 in 1875. The exports were 192,433 

 barrels, valued at $1,295,910, averaging $6.76 per barrel ; the exports 

 of 1875 were 160,748 barrels, valued at $943,107, averaging $5.86 per 

 barrel. The greater part of this export goes to either the United King- 

 dom or its colonies, especially the British West Indies. An increased 

 demand is also noted from South America and the West Indies gener- 

 ally. Patent flours from the Northwest are becoming quite popular in 

 city consumption. Spring-wheat flour, since the recent improvements 

 in its manufacture, has rivaled, if not surpassed, the finest brands of 

 winter- wheat, and now commands the highest market price. Phila- 

 delphia, with increased facilities of transportation, is annually attract- 

 ing a larger portion of this production. The mills of Philadelphia and 

 its vicinity have also increased in number and efficiency. They sold 

 more flour in 1876 than in any former year, though the number of bar- 

 rels manufactured was not quite equal to that of 1875. The aggregate 

 capacity of the city mills is estimated at 2,500 barrels in each twenty-four 

 hours. Allowing sixty days in each year for repairs, there will remain 

 about 250 working days, giving an aggregate production of 625,000 barrels 

 per annum. The production of 1876, then, fell less than 15 per cent, short 

 of the running capacity of the machinery. The grades of flour manufac- 

 tured in Philadelphia have a wide range, but the bulk is made from prime 

 red and amber wheat. The exports to South America and the West Indies 

 are generally Pennsylvania and southern red and amber. Some spring- 

 wheat is mixed with winter- wheat in the manufacture of low grades for 



