188 CONSUMPTION OF SALT IN THE STATES. 



Hence the State of New York makes much more salt 

 than is necessary for its own wants ; so that, while it im- 

 ports at New York nearly one-half of its own consumption, 

 it on the other hand exports, by way of the lakes, to 

 Canada and the Western States, about 3,500,000 bushels. 



The large alleged individual consumption of salt in 

 the United States is worthy of attention. In ordinary 

 families in Great Britain the quantity of salt used for 

 domestic purposes is about 12 lb. for each individual ; 

 and if as much more be used for all other purposes, the 

 consumption ought to amount to 24 lb. a-head, or, in all, 

 to less than 10,000,000 of bushels. But in the United 

 States the consumption is estimated at three pecks, or 

 42 lb., for each individual — which large allowance, con- 

 sidering there are few chemical manufactories to eat it 

 up, and little is employed for agricultural purposes, 

 appears to imply either a large waste, or an outlet for it 

 which does not exist in this country. It is possible that 

 the large quantities of salt provision which are prepared 

 for home consumption and for export — " the immense 

 packing business of the West,"* as it is called —may be 

 a main cause of the increased proportional use of salt in 

 North America, if the estimate be a correct one. 



The salt-springs of Onondaga are the property of the 

 State ; and by an article of the Constitution, they and the 

 lands necessary for the manufacture of the salt can never 

 be alienated. The wells are sunk and the water pumped 

 up into reservoirs at the expense of the State, and thence 

 distributed to the various manufactories, for a charge of 

 one cent upon each bushel of salt manufactured. Until 

 the year 1846, the duty levied as a charge for the water 

 amounted to six cents per bushel, and a clear annual 

 revenue Avas obtained from the springs of about 200,000 

 dollars. 



* In 1848, 34,000,000 of pounds of salted meats, and neai-ly 3,000,000 

 of pounds of butter, were exported from the States. 



