262 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, 



The acreage ia forage, artificial grasses, and natural grasses amounts 

 to 79.4 per cent, of the entire productive area in Ireland ; 61.3, in Great 

 Britain; fjG, in Holland 5 41, in Denmark; 40.1, in Portugal; 35.3, in 

 Austria; 31.2, in Eoumania; 29..J, in Hungary; 29.4, in Saxony ; 27.6, 

 in Wurtemberg ; 27, in the German duchies ; 20, in Bavaria ; 23.4, in 

 France ; 23.3, in Belgium ; 12,2, in Sweden ; 11,3, in Norway ; and 8.1, 

 in Finland. 



Production, — The average annual production of cereals of all sorts 

 in Europe is estimated at 5,153,808,000 bushels, of which 1,657,392,000 

 bushels, or nearly a third, are assigned to Russia; 766,200,000 bushels, 

 or nearly 15 per cent,, to Germany ; 709,500,000 bushels, or nearly 14 

 per cent,, to France ; 567,600,000 bushels, or over 11 per cent,, to Aus- 

 tria-Hungary, The production of the United States in 1873 is set down 

 at 1,586,442,000 bushels, an aggregate nearly equal to that of Eussia,* 

 Europe produces a little over 17 bushels 7>er capita of her population; 

 the United States^ in 1873, about 39.^ bushels j^er capita. The average 

 ratio j;er capita of the different countries of Europe is given as follows: 

 Eoumania, 40.8 bushels; Denmark, 3;5i; Eussia, 23; Prussia, 22^; France, 

 lOi; Hungary, 19,| ; Bavaria, 18i ; Sweden, 15,6; German duchies, 14,5; 

 Belgium and Spain, 13,9; Austria and Wiirtemberg, 13,3; Ireland and 

 Turkey, 13; Finland, 12,5; Great Britain, 11,9; Saxony and Servia, 10.7; 

 Holland, 9; Norway and Greece, 8.8; Italy and Portugal, 7,9; Switzer- 

 land, .5.9, 



Estimating the average consumption at 15,6 bushels ^^er capita for 

 food, seed, and various manufactures, Europe produces about enough 

 to meet her own demand, except in wheat and some other breadstuffs, 

 which exhibit a considerable deficiency to be supplied by importation. 

 Spain, Italy, and France raise a larger proportion of wheat than any 

 other grain, I'inland, Switzerland, and Germany, of rye ; Scandinavia 

 and Germany, of barley; Ireland, Hungary, and North Germany, of 

 oats. Maize holds first rank in Eoumania, Servia, and Portugal ; buck- 

 wheat has but little importance, except in Holland and France. Oats 

 is the leading crop of ]"^urope, Ibllowed by wheat and rye. . 



Of potatoes, Ireland produces 23 bushels j>er capita ; the German Em- 

 pire, 18,1; Holland, 14,5; Belgium, 11.6; France, 10.2; Scandinavia, 

 9.9; Austria-Hungary, Sy, Eussia and Finland, 4A ; Great Britain, 31^; 

 Italy, 1.1 ; Portugal, 0.85; Spain, 0,28. In the other states this culture 

 is still more insignificant. 



It is estimated that in Europe 1,223,195 acres are, on an average, 

 annually devoted to what in this country is best known as market-gar- 

 den crops, producing a great varfety of alimentary and other vegetable 

 plants, averaging in value, in 1802, about $88,800,000 per annum, or 

 from $79 to 897 i)cr acre. 



The "industrial plants," including colza, flax, hemp, sugar-beet, hops, 

 and tobacco, are grown to a considerable extent in those countries in 

 which a varied culture is pursued, Eoumania produces 88J bushels of 

 colzai^erhundred of her population; Belgium, 34J; Holland, 27; France, 



■ This was correct for 187.3, Ijiit Iho figures lead to a grcvious inisunderstanding of 

 our real production. Tho years 18715 and 1874 were seasons of low yield, much below 

 an average ; of the two subset] uent years, 187.^> was characterized by a medium yield 

 of corn, .and 187() by a large yield, the rate of production of other grains being scarcely 

 an average in either year; but the aggregate product of cereals exceeded that of tho 

 two preceding years by more than rjUO,()()() bushels per annum. 



The average estinuited production of 187;}-'7G inclusive is 1,873,100,179 bushels, 

 which is '280,058,179 more tiiau tlio .above estimate founded on the product of 1873, 

 This would give 43 bushels to each inh.ibitant. 



