188 THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 



was a large, clumsy, hand-made crisp loaf, which 

 was baked on a piece of sheet iron placed on the 

 floor of a tile oven. To-day the manufacture of 

 biscuits is a large industry and it has reached a 

 high rank in efficiency. Machinery has altogether 

 taken the place of hand labor. The European 

 sweetened cake is also produced in this country, 

 where altogether over five hundred varieties of 

 biscuit are manufactured. Although we have an 

 increasing export trade with the West Indies, 

 Central, and South America, our crackers and 

 cakes are largely consumed at home. Attempts 

 have been made to introduce new brands into 

 European markets but they are soon produced in 

 English ovens and the American trade declines. 

 This is because of the almost prohibitory com- 

 petition of foreign, cheap labor. 



The manufacture of biscuits demands intelli- 

 gence and business sagacity. New specialties are 

 constantly being produced, and a host of artists 

 are kept busy originating attractive and suitable 

 labels and coverings for the various packages in 

 which the goods meet the public. An afternoon 

 tea or luncheon is not complete without some of 

 these dainty biscuits. Ice cream parlors use them 

 in enormous quantities. Not a picnic party plans 

 an outing without calling on the grocer for a sup- 

 ply of biscuit. Every vessel that crosses the ocean 

 carries them in its storeroom. They are used 



