Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-07-04
THE SEASON, THE GRAIN CROPS,
THE TARIFF AND THE corn
LAWS OF ENGLAND.

A usual, about this period, rumors and speculations
abound as TO the condition Of The growing grain
crops IN this country and in England, and hopes or
fears are inculcated, according to the interest Of the
pnriies', OF failing crops, or average crops, of def
cheney IN the English harvest, and of prospective ex-
port OF our own surplus.
The season on the whole, as far As an examination
of the papers over a wide region of our country will
authorize u conclusion, has been favorable 10 whea,
and although in Ohio and possibly in one or two 9TH
er wheat growing districts the crop will not come up
TO that OF last wear, there is lille reason 10 doubt that
upon the whole the yield will be n full average one.
The winter generally was moi uufavorable, and the
grain was too far advanced in the spring to he mate.
rally affected by the subsequent drought. Moreover
the breadth of land devoted To wheat culture is annu-
ally increasing IN a proportion far beyond the relative
demand either al home or for exploration, and partial
failures therefore. here and there, will little effect the
general aggregate.
We have seen in various papers n statemen pur-
porting to he taken from a recent number OF Hunts
Merchants Magazine, .hat Inc wheat growing region
Of the United States now 'einbTaces SOC, 00c squire
miles, or APO 600, 600 acres OF land" There is ohvi-
ou>ly n mistake in he figures in this statement for
according TO the Report from the Patent Office, the
estimated wheat crop nj The United States in 1914,
was a little over 95 900 600 bushels. Now at the very
low average Of 10 bushels TO the acre, nine and n half
million Of acres would yield this quantity, or about
one 36 h part ct the number of acres above estimated
as devoted To wheat culture
The wheat crop If the United States may probably
be safely pun at 100 600 900 bushels, equal to twenty
million barrels Of fou., doubling in value the whole
cotton crop.
But large as is the production of wheat, it is not
one fourth in number Of bushels that OF Indian corn,
which last year exceeded 42l millions Of bushels, and
constitutes the great staple Of the country.
IN reference 10 these two great sources OF our agri
: cultural production and wealth. il is sometimes said
T mat ny a more liberal Tariff, in other words BY d.
! mIn,shine the duties upon European MANUFACTURED
= goods, we should promote the expectation of wheaI
and Indian corn, and consequently the prosperity oil
the culiivators Of the soil.
In the same sense, il is sometimes argued, that
repeal 1t the British Corn Laws would be advanta
o geons 10 our agriculture. There Is, in our poor judg
ment, no force, nor sembanoe Of force, in these as
T; SYMPTOMS.
d As a matter Of fact, and the series Of tables rub
-; lished from time to timeb by the Treasury Department
" i'll prove il, that our annual average export of when
and -four to all paris OF the world for a long series o
y years tariffs were high and when tariffs wer
low-did not exceed four and a half millions of bush
d els, and Of Indian corn or corn meal not probably Nv,
N millions of bushels.
d These are such small fractions Of The whole pro
duct, as can manifeslly exercise little influence upol
prices.
But yet a more decisive argument against any ben
IF eft resulting To our agriculture from reducing dule
on foreign imports is TO be found in the prize of whea
IS in Europe and Asia, at ports nearer Than those Of III
o United States TO The markets ofEngland, which alon
,e is habiiunlly an importer Of foreign grain.
n II the Corn laws of England were repealed, N
Serf.labor Of Poland and Of Rus STA would supply II
7 English with wheat q, rates much below those which