REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 



525 



While tlio cost, under favorable circumstances and in the best loca- 

 tions, may be 35 to 40 cents per bushel, wheat can rarely be brought to 

 the principal markets and sold for less than 60 cents. Consul-Cieneral 

 Mattson, at Calcutta, makes report to the State Department that the 

 ryot "can afford to sell his wheat at the nearest marketplace, if within 

 a day's journey of his home, for 50 to GO cents per bushel j but when it 

 does' not bring that price, or very near it, he consumes his small supply, 

 or stores it in a hole under the ground until a more favorable time shall 

 come." 



The wheat of India is of less intrinsic value than that of the United 

 States, partly from its "ricey" character, and partly from the dirty con- 

 dition in which it is shipped. Yet the average difference is not great, 

 as some of it is of good quality. The official valuation of exports in 

 the period from 1878-^79 to 1882-'S3 averaged 9H cents. The average 

 of our wheat exports for a like period was $1.15. Mr. Baring states 

 that Calcutta Club No. 1 averaged $1.27 per bushel in 1882, while the 

 best American brought $1.44. 



A British parliamentary report comprises prices per imperial quarter 

 of several Indian and other wheats, as follows : 



WTieat. 



Value 



per 496 

 pounds. 



Weight 



per 



bushel. 



Indian (fine soft white) 



J&rti&n (superior soft red) .. 

 Indian (average hard white) 

 Indian (average hard red) .. 



English 



Australian 



New Zealand 



California 



American (winter) 



American (spring) 



Russian (Saxonska) 



Kussiau (hard Taganrog).... 



Egyptian (Bnhi) 



Egyptian (Saida) 



*. d. 

 49 

 45 

 44 

 43 



49 



50 6 

 48 



48 



49 6 



48 

 52 



49 

 47 

 43 G 



round*. 

 04 

 62] 

 60 

 61* 

 60£ 

 62* 

 62J 

 58i 

 613 

 61 

 601 

 6ll 

 58 

 57* 



EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. 



The following table shows the exports of wheat and flour from British 

 India and the United States, respectively,* during the five years from 

 1878-'79 to 1882- , 83, inclusive, flour being reduced to its equivalent in 

 wheat, and included with the latter : 



Official years. 



Wheat (including Hour ex- 

 ported). 



From India. 



From the 

 United States. 





BusJiels. 

 2, 012, 151 

 4, 172, 541 

 13, 991,382 

 37, 195, 846 

 26, 559, 404 



Bushels. 

 147, 687.619 

 180, 304,180 

 186,321, 514 

 121, 892, 389 

 147, 811,316 





1880 81 





1882-83 





* Of the totals given in the table, flour on an average for the five years, constituted 

 nearly 20 per cent, in the case of the United States, as against less than two- thirds 

 of 1 por cent, in the case of India. 



