154 



Imports of the Cereal Year. 



supply — have dropped from 8,634,000 quarters to 3,894,000 

 quarters, the fall being greatest in the case of the former 

 country, which sent us 3,291,000 quarters in 1894-95, and 

 only 304,000 quarters in the past cereal year. The wheat 

 received in all forms from the United States amounted to 

 12,1 16,000 quarters in 1896-97, as compared with 10,528,000 

 quarters in 1894-95. The statistics of the imports of maize 

 indicate that there has been a rapid growth in the demand 

 for this grain in the past two years. In 1894-95 the quantity 

 received was equivalent to 6,452,000 quarters ; in the follow- 

 ing twelve months 10,374,000 quarters were imported ; and in 

 the cereal year which has just closed the receipts amounted 

 to 13,936,000 quarters. 



As regards dairy produce, it will be seen that the imports 

 of cheese and butter in 1896-97 exceeded those of the previous 

 year by 324,000 cwts. and 238,000 cwts. respectively. The 

 bulk of the increased supply of the former article was drawn 

 from Canada ; and Denmark, Australasia, and the United 

 States were responsible for the augmented receipts of butter. 



Among other articles which were imported in larger 

 quantities in the past year than in 1895-96 were rabbits^ 

 milk, eggs, apples, pears, onions, wool, hay, straw, and hides. 

 The greater part of the increase of 123,793,000 in the number 

 of eggs imported was due to larger consignments from Russia,, 

 while Denmark and Canada also augmented their shipments 

 of this article. A great development will be observed in the 

 entries of apples, which amounted to over 7,000,000 bushels 

 in 1896-97 as compared with 2,968,000 bushels in the pre- 

 ceding year. 



Articles showing a decrease are hops, tallow and stearine,. 

 and lard. 



