Many foods no longer considered foreign because so usual in the home market are produced only in other lands, as cocoa, tea, coffee. Food-sources and food-exchange disclose such facts about the origin of foods. Food luxuries and delicacies, as spices and tropical fruits, have long been transported as nations have grown in wealth. But only with extended commerce have imports and exports of substantial foods, as beef from Argentina, become significant food-trade practices.

And only with migration of workers from land to land are the staple, fundamental articles of diet of different peoples disseminated. The foods and methods of preparation are brought by the immigrating people and are gradually absorbed by those among whom they come to live.

The population of America is composed of the greatest variety of peoples. See p. 185. Only half is native-born of native parentage; the other half is from all nations.

Foreign-born residents number about one tenth and are distributed as follows:

German...... 2,501,000

Austro-Hungarian . . 1,671,000

Russian...... 1,602,000

Irish....... 1,352,000

Italian...... 1,343,000

Scandinavian-Danish . 1,250,000

English...... 900,000

Scotch and Welsh . . 500,000

Belgian and Dutch . . 170,000

Orientals...... 146,863

French....... 117,000

The native foods of such a population include most of those known to present-day civilization.

The varieties, qualities, and preparations of cheese, rice, breads, starchy-vegetable foods (as macaroni, semolina, polenta), of green vegetables (as spinach, Swiss chard) and salads (as chicory, romaine, escarole), and of diet-accessories (as olives, olive oil), are relatively recent as American foods.