COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES. 



131 



prove that the loss in the entire potato-crop of 

 the United States has averaged thirty per cent. 

 of the customary yield, and that the market 

 price of this esculent has risen as a consequence 

 pretty much in the same proportion ; so that, 

 after all, the consumer and not the farmer has 

 suffered most from the beetle's ravages. 



The means recommended to check its de- 

 structiveness are the following : 



Thus far Paris-green has proved the only available 

 and effective remedy, if we may except hand-picking, 

 which is only reliable to the same extent that it is 

 laborious. The Paris-green must, however, be pure 

 to be effectual, and we regret to say that tons of in- 

 ferior or adulterated stuff are sold every year. It is 

 mixed with ashes, land-plaster, or flour, in the pro- 

 portion of one to twelve or fifteen, and should be 

 dusted over the plants in the morning when the dew 

 is on the foliage, repeating in a week or ten days, or 

 after rains, when the insects are most plentiful, 

 though we should advise taking them early and pre- 

 venting them from becoming very numerous. A 

 convenient way of dusting the vines evenly is to 

 prepare a dredge, on a large scale, from an old fruit- 

 can, by puncturing the bottom full of holes, and se- 

 curing to the side a piece of broom-handle, about 

 two feet long. The operator fills this, and, carrying 

 it in oue hand, gently taps the handle with a similar 

 stick held in the other hand, being careful to always 

 keep to windward. The speed of the operator reg- 

 ulates the amount used. Three pounds of Paris-green 

 to about forty pounds of the plaster or flour will 

 answer for an acre. 



Another remedy is hand-picking. But they 

 are poisonous, and in several instances death 

 has occurred from the attempt to destroy them 

 by hand. Paris-green, although itself poison- 

 ous, is perfectly harmless, so far as its effect 

 on the tuber is concerned, and is the most 

 effectual remedy thus far discovered. 



COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES. 

 The fiscal year of the Federal Government 

 ends on June 30th. The statistics of the for- 

 eign commerce of the country during the year 

 1874-75 show that the total imports of goods 

 were $533,000,309, against $567,406,342 in the 

 next preceding fiscal year. In specie value, 

 the figures showing the exports are $513,343,- 

 618, against $586,282,040 in 1873-74. In- 

 cluding the specie movement in the exports 

 and imports, the imports for the fiscal year 

 were $553,894,526, against $595,861,248 in 

 1873-74, and the exports $605,475,760, against 

 $652,913,445 in 1873-74, the decrease in im- 

 ports being at the rate of about seven per cent., 

 and the exports about eight per cent. The 

 average yearly imports for the two years since 

 the panic have been $574,900,000, and the ex- 

 ports (specie included) $628,700,000. Taking 

 the five years next preceding the panic (back 

 to the fiscal year 1868-'69), the yearly imports 

 were $549,000,000, and the average yearly ex- 

 ports were $493,300,000. 



Of the total foreign trade of the country, a 

 little less than two-thirds of the imports are 

 brought to the port of New York, while the 

 exports from that port are from forty-six to 

 fifty per cent, of the total exports of produce 

 and merchandise, and by far the largest por- 

 tion of the specie and bullion. The Journal 



of Commerce publishes full comparative tables 

 of the commerce of the port of New York for 

 the year 1875. It has been comparatively a 

 profitless year in all branches of commercial 

 adventure. The imports for the year 1874 

 were not deficient in volume, but they were 

 made on a continually-declining market, which 

 took away all opportunity of gain. The im- 

 ports for 1875 fell off so rapidly that many 

 looked for an improvement in prices, and an 

 increased percentage of profit; but this has 

 not been realized. The trade has dragged 

 throughout the year, and, in addition to low 

 prices, the failure of debtors has contributed 

 to the general depression, and swelled the vol- 

 ume of discontent. 



The total imports for the year, including 

 specie, have been $340,628,919, or $53,054,815 

 below the total for 1874. But, deducting the 

 specie for the two years, the decrease in mer- 

 chandise imports for the past year amounts to 

 $50,085,799. The relative total imports for 

 the last twenty-five years are thus presented : 



Foreign Imports at New York. 



" Dutiable " includes goods entered directly 

 for consumption, and those entered for ware- 

 housing. The following are tables of monthly 

 summaries for four years : 



Foreign Imports entered at New York during the 

 Years 1872, 1873, 1874, and 1875. 



ENTERED FOR CONSUMPTION. 



