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& ‘ A Y y Ay RN oN ‘ 
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Be on ate, eae ige 
ois 
| OF THE STATISTICTAN, 
ig ally, the estimates made in advance of consumption are entirely in- 
a 
Wy hie 
ys 
from the crop records of the year. 
As to the per capita rate of consumption, it is almost a bushel less 
than that of Great Britain; and it corresponds with all data of local 
‘distribution that has been found available, especially in New Eng- 
 Jand and the Middle States, which obtain a large portion of their 
supply from the West. Those States consume 5 bushels, and the 
. West quite as much, while some of the Southern States require but 
_' dor4. The average of 43 bushels was fixed ten years ago from an 
exhaustive study of the local facts of distribution, and will be changed 
- only on proof ot inaccuracy, or at least a strong presumption fortified 
_ by ample facts. li should be remembered that in addition to wheat, 
~ about 3 bushels per head of maize is used for human food, besides 
- oatmeal, rye. and buckwheat, making the fullest bread ration of any 
- nation in the world. 
If this rate is too high, then the estimates are too high; if too low, 
- they are equally understated. That they are not too high is a rea- 
_ sonable conclusion from the fact that in 1879 the wheat estimate was 
2 per cent. lower than the census enumeration, and in 1869 it was 6 per 
cent. lower, and that all estimates of area and of comparative prod- 
uct tend naturally to be low rather than high, notwithstanding efforts 
made to prevent underestimate. 
The following table presents the exports and home consumption — 
in comparison with the estimates of production, the latter made 
months before it is possible to know the extent of the year’s contri- 
_ bution to the supply of the European deficiency: 
Years. Production. For food. For seed. | Exportation. | Tatetl aA: 
Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. Bushels. | Bushels. 
HERA ess ita dc Ste tot hkia 6. 498, 549, 868 242, 086, 655 56,563,530 | 186,321,514 | 484,971, 699 
DEM MeeT HENS, cute tore sate Oe 383, 280, 090 235, 249, 812 55, 215, 573 121,892,389 | 412,357,774 
TEESE ee) ACS Re 504,185,470 | 255,500, 000 52, 770, 312 147,811,316 | 456,081,628 
FE eI abs eles cuss cisa's elo, «vies = 421, 086, 160 259, 500, 000 54, 683, 389 111, 534, 182 425,717,571 
LS Se Pein Oa Oe eee 512, 765, 000 265, 000, 000 55, 266, 239 182, 570,367 | | 452,836, 606 
TSS TU na 357,112,000 | 271,000,000 | 51,474,906 | 94,565,794; 417,040, 700 
PREMIER IYO cc ols celtic asic’ sjaie 4579218, 000 277, 000, 000 51,528,658 | 153,804, 970 482, 333, 628 
EE EE A: 3, 134, 196,588 | 1,805,336, 467 | 377,502,607 | 948,500,532 | 2, 131,339,606 
Meverdioerie: facet). us 5: 47,742,370 | 257,905,210 | 53,928,944 | 135,500,076 | 447, 334, 229 
Thus in seven years since 1879 the average of annual estimates is 
447,742,320 bushels, and the distribution 447,534,229 bushels. This 
is marvelous closeness, especially in view of the fluctuating export, 
-. ranging from 186,321,514 to 94,565,794 bushels. Thus three-tenths 
of our wheat has been exported in the last seven years, and the pro- 
portion exported of the last crop (one-third) is only exceeded by the 
unprecedented volume and percentage of the crop of 1880, and only 
twice exceeded in the history of our wheat exportation. 
_ dependent of the ultimate facts of distribution, and are made entirely y 
