REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 201 



mills into flour, leaving a surplus at the close of the year of 510,956 

 bushQls. The supply of wheat from the West shows a marked increase. 

 The supply from that quarter rose from 2,830,707 bushels in 1875 to 

 3,862,340 in 1876. From the South receipts fell off about 700,000 bushels, 

 and from Southern Illinois and points on the Ohio Eiver abont 100,000 

 bushels. But from railroads running: through ISTorthern and Central 

 Illinois the receipts increased from 1,104,273 bushels to 1,613,048. The 

 east and west zone, of which Saint Louis may be called the center, greatly 

 increased its contributions, while the territory to the north and south 

 fell off. The crop of 1875 in Missouri fell short of its predecessor, being 

 11,160,000 bushels, against 15,385,000 in 1874. The crop of 1875 was 

 saved in poor condition, but that of 1876, covering the receipts of the last 

 half of the year, was generally satisfactory, though the proportion of 

 No. 2 wheat was smaller than was anticipated at harvest. The export 

 demand was unusually great, causing a shipment of 2,630,007 bushels, 

 or about 60 per cent, greater than in 1875. The city mills converted 

 into flour 5,669,477 bushels. Over half the shipments were by the To- 

 ledo, Wabash, and Western Eailroad, and less than 200,000 bushels, 

 north and south, by river. 



The market for red winter-wheat No. 2 opened January 3 at $1.41^ 

 © $1.42 per bushel. It gradually declined, with a few feeble reactions, 

 to $1.38 (a) $1.39 at the close of the year. No. 3 opened at $1.27, and 

 went down to 95 cents in July, but rallied slowly, reaching $1.33^ ^ 

 $1.34 at the end of the year. 



Corn. — The great increase in the grain trade is found in corn, of which, 

 the receipts in 1876 were 15,249,909 bushels, against 6,710,263 bushels in 

 1875, and 6,991,677 bushels in 1874. This increase was mostly by the 

 western railroads and the Missouri Eiver, which together brought 

 12,095,646 bushels in 1876, against 2,337,342 bushels in 1875. The Mis- 

 souri, Kansas and Texas Eailroad increased its freight from 18,407 

 bushels in 1875 to 1,147,390 bushels in 1876. The receipts by eastern 

 railroads and the Illinois Eiver fell off 1,274,350, while the northern 

 lines of rail and river declined over a million bushels. Besides the city 

 receipts, the amount shipped by Saint Louis dealers direct from points 

 in the country amounted to 687,447 bushels. There were from 1875 

 412,598 bushels, making the total amount handled during the year 

 10,349,954 bushels. Of this aggregate 12,728,849 bushels were shipped 

 to various points, the leading lines of shipment being the Ohio and Mis- 

 sissippi Eailroad, which took 4,133,057 bushels: the Toledo, Wabash 

 and Western road taking 2,865,798 bushels ; the New Orleans steamers 

 taking 2,379,982 bushels ; the Indianapolis and Saint Louis road taking 

 1,662,905 bushels, &c. The city mills ground into corn-meal 1,711,812 

 bushels, and other branches of local consumption absorbed 668,774 

 bushels, leaving a surplus at the end of the year of 553,072 bushels. 

 The corn-crop of Missouri in 1875 was very large, being estimated at 

 128,000,000 bushels, having been a comparative failure in 1874. The 

 corn-meal manufactured amounted to 427,953 barrels in 1876 j 480,557, 

 in 1875 ; 451,577, in 1874 ; 422,534, in 1873 ; 264,722, in 1872 ; 213,418, 

 in 1871 ; 165,231, in 1870 ; and 107,877, in 1869. This branch of manu- 

 facture, though exhibiting some diminution of results in the last year, 

 is regarded as on the advance in real prosperity, and as promising a con- 

 siderable enlargement in the years to come. Of hominy and corn-grits, 

 the miUs turned out 19,004 barrels in 1876 ; 19,631, in 1875 ; 20,488, in 

 1874; 20,573, in 1873 ; 13,109, in 1872 ; 12,615, in 1871; 13,002, in 1870; 

 and 8,910, in 1871. The receipts of corn-meal from without amounted 



