32 



BULLETIN" 296, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Compared with other countries in imports of tea, the United States 

 is exceeded by only two countries, the United Kingdom and Russia. 

 The imports into each of the three countries during the calendar 

 year 1913 were 89 million pounds, 306 million pounds, and 152 

 million pounds, respectively. As a source of supply, approximately 

 90 per cent of our tea came from China and Japan. During the 10 

 years, 1895-1904, the imports from China exceeded those from Japan 

 and amounted to about one-half of the imports. During the 10 

 years, 1905-1914, Japan rose to first place and supplied about one- 

 half of our tea. Other countries consigning large quantities of tea 

 to us were British East Indies, Canada, and the United Kingdom. 



The imports of tea waste, siftings, or sweepings, for manufac- 

 turing purposes, were a little less than 2 million pounds in 1909. 

 which increased to 6 million pounds in 1914. This product came 

 from the British East Indies and Japan. 



TOBACCO. 



As early as 1619 the exports of tobacco from the British colonies 

 of North America were 20,000 pounds, valued at $10,950. The ex- 

 ports did not assume large proportions until 1665, when 23,750,000 

 pounds, valued at $733,875, were exported. With various fluctua- 

 tions, the exports of this product gradually increased to more than 

 100 million pounds in 1771, 200 million pounds in 1859, 300 mil- 

 lion pounds in 1874, 400 million pounds in 1913, and increased the 

 next year to nearly 450 million pounds, valued at approximately 

 $54,000,000. 



During the 10 calendar years, 1903-1912, the United States sup- 

 plied 41.7 per cent of the world's exports of tobacco, and during the 

 same period 33 per cent of the world's crop of tobacco was produced 

 in this country. For this period the per capita production of to- 

 bacco in the United States was 9.3 pounds and the per capita ex- 

 ports were 3.8 pounds. The annual production of tobacco in the 

 United States for the 10 years, 1903-1912, was 824 million pounds, 

 and for the same period 338 million pounds, or 41 per cent, was 

 exported. 



During the 10 fiscal years 1903-1912, 68 per cent of the tobacco ex- 

 ports was consigned to four countries — 10.5 per cent each to France 

 and Italy, 13 per cent to Germany, and 34 per cent to the United 

 Kingdom. The average annual exports to France for this period 

 were 35,500,000 pounds; to Germany. 13.500,000 pounds; to Italy, 

 35,900,000 pounds ; and to the United Kingdom, 114,100,000 pounds. 

 Other countries to which large consignments were sent in 1914 were 

 the Netherlands, 28 million pounds; Canada. 18 million pounds; 

 Spain, 17 million pounds; Australia, L3 million pounds; Belgium, 12 

 million pounds; and China. 11 million pounds. 



