Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-07-16
INTERESTING STATISTICS FOR
WHEAT GROWERS & MiLLEkS.

The following article, clipped from the Buf-
falo Commercial Advertiser, Of June 18th, Is
worthy the attention of all Sfillers and Wheat
growers Read il:
The decline 10 prices Of flour aud wheat this
Spring has been the source Of disappointment
10 great MANY who operated last Winter al
very high rates. calculating upon large profits
to be now realized, ana as il appears that
those views are entirely frustrated, a calm view
into the causes, at this particular juncture, may
not perhaps come amiss. After last harvest,
the crop OF wheat was asceriained TO be a very
large one, and almost every individual engaged
in the trade looked for the ruling OF low prices,
unless something occurred to create an extra
foreign demand Shortly afterwards we began
TO receive accounts from England Of the prob
able failure of tine crops there, which immedi-
ately gave spur to prices, and purchases
were made for shipment TO that quarter-ad-
vices continuing to be received confrmatory in
that respect speculation started, until prices
run up in New York to 81 per Dbl. for flour.
1t appears that rate could not be continued (al-
though many anticipated S. 10 ST., )and why
"a few figures Will show.
! The annual average crops ofwheat in Great
Britain for the past few year, has been equal
to 20 millions Of quarters OF 5 imperial bushels
of 20 lbs. According 10 all well informed
sources, the crop OF wheat there last year was
ascertained shortly after harvesi,to be about 10
millions Of quarters, requiring one million Of
qrs. to be received from other countries to
make up said deficiency. The crops ON the
continent being rather short Of previous years,
this country was naturally looked TO for what
supplies Great Britain stood in need of; hence
the continued shipments to that quarter even
up 10 the present time. Now what is the state
OF matters there? BY last advices received
from that section, per "Hibernia," the quaint
ty Of wheat and -four under lock or in bond in
the United Kingdom, made up to the 9Th of
April, is thus shown:
Wheat 100000 ,227 ,374 quarters.
Flour ---- 940,S7 cwt.--reduced
TO wheat will equal 330, 600 understanding
total Of wheat upwards of 800 600 quarters
80 per cent. more than their actual deficiency.
The above stock in bond has been accumula-
ting since, and IT would not be surprising if the
quantity increase to near two millions Of quar-
tiers, before any would be released. which is
altogether awaiting the action OF Parliament
on the new corn bill.
| Our crop Of wheat last season no doubt
was the largest ever gathered in this country.
The Commissioner of Patents, who has for a
number of years collected statistical miorma-
ton o. such things, puts it down to about LOG
millions of bushels, but that is evidently below
the quantity: 40 millions would be nearer
the mark. With our population of 20 million
inhabitants, the
Consumption would be equal
to 10000, 600 bush.
| Add for seed 100000 g
/ Would leave for export 10000, 900 :"
The quantity left over Of the previous crop
is not taken in the estimate, as such may av-
erage about the same from one crop to anoih-
er. The number of bushels pu, down for ex,
port, it will be perceived, is about double Of
what Great Britain required (say 10 millions
! of bushels Of 60 lbs. Jour ordinary export de-
mapd seldom coming up 10 10 millions OF
bushels, or 1900, 600 bbls. -four Present in
dicalions show that the above estimate of the
crop N this country is not far, if at all, out OF
the way.
The whole error, therefore, has been, that
parties did not look far enough TO see what
Great Britain actually wanted, Gas that was
the only source we could expect TO carry OIL
our extra surplus, )but went bindly into 1t, an
ticipating that they would never be able TO
send enough there-and because she required
small quantity, larger amount must neces-
SarlIV Hollow. SOIUc WOulu ptOUdDiy say tHdt
the failure Of the potatoe crop in Ireland would
require an extra consumption oil flour. The
difficulty in that respect, with he poor peas
antry of that country was their deficiency Of
means to purchase such dn article of food
and il any one would take the pains TO exam
inc the English papers, they would find evil
Gence ofthls in the continual arrivals of wheat,
&C. at the dii'eren, ports in England, from the
very furnished districts in Ireland. No, they
went on the coarser articles. such as peas,
beans, oatmeal, Sc, Of which there is an
abundance. Again, since the Spring has
opened, arrivals have taken place in England,
from the Baltic and other ports OF the Cont
nent, of wheat, Notwithstanding the talk OF
great scarcity there also.
Prices will not entirely depend on our next
crop, (for it is apprehended shipments TO Eng
land are pretty much at an end for the time
being.) which to all appearance will be large
| If not larger than the last-for the high pri-
ces las, Fall no doubt stimulated farmers 10
put in greater breadth Of ground,in conjunction
with which nothing has as yet appeared materi-
ally to affect its yield hence low prices must
necessarily ensue-unless we have another
furnishing country TO supply respectively, and
get up speculation, with its unhappy results,
such as are now experienced.