Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-03-24
From the National ln,elgenecr.
The Wheat Trade Of the Country.

"
SR In answer to tho inquiry you propounded to me
before we lett Washington, will proceed the
causes which have contributed raise price of our
agricultural staples and enable us TO send an
quantity abroad In the first place. should DO remarked
that articles in the market are uctu ating in thar
prices MS the products OF the SOIL Wheat which sold in
our ports in 1884 for from 81 10 per bushel in 1887
81 so 81 80, and within two ycor- I'm, p,r.
came down again to 81 10 per bu.hel We have seen
within the last three months our advance per cent with
IN two days alter the arrival English Potatoes
IN my immediate vicinity, which usually command abopt
p per busne sold readily last autumn for so cents
Now we look IN vain TOR such variations in the prices of
manufactured articles The introduction and
OF machinery have brought down the price
but when the price reduced rarely comes nm ay,
TO It's former standard The law OF supply and demand
which governs prices applies with peculiar force 10 all ar
neles OF provision The demand for food is always more
pressing than that for coihng-as man can wait no LON
ger Tor than he for his dinner. The sum-
ply vt agricultural products interrupted by unore-
or accidental than almost any other
The character OF the season. lack Of
rain late early frost, blight an insect NAV
greatly impair tho crop; and the demand is always i'm
mediate, the price will suddenly advance Many of In,
products o; the SOIL such potatoes and Of the COM
mon vegetables perishable in their nature that M,
supply OF them be kept from years OF plenty The
supply OF agricultural products annual
ces OF Manufacture be produced any time II there
scarcity OF cotton or woolen goods aud the price goes
up IN consequence the manufacturer will make an effort 10
furnish larger quantity than usual and the demand
AT once But there Is scarcity OF bfeadsuIs effort
al the farmer can increase the quantity till the annual
harvest. All these contribute to render the pric
OF provisions ucuatng than the Price of other arli-
cles.
There are causes in this country which have tended 10
raise the price o breads,u The wheat harvest OF lsi5
was less than average, owing the lone-continued
drought which was experienced through large section OF
the whcagrnwing States Nor has the product of wheat
Tor the last three kept pace with the increase of our
popuauon he ai'ure OF the potato crop the North
on States aud the wheat among all
OF population have also contributed To raise the
price OF -four. The Mexican war has likewise created
new demand Tor bread and meat Those called into
vice generally taken from agriculture; and besides
soldiers racns amount nearly much meat and
bread they would consume in civil society," where they
had the usual variety OF vegetables and other found
upon almost every table All these have had an
feet upon the prices OF grain and 1, should also be
remembered that II is fixed principle the law of prices
that small deficiency in the supply will acc the who'll.
commodity IN the market, and increase the aggregate val
ue far beyond the worth OF the deficit We have there
fore, home which would naturally improve the
prices OF bread and meat IT left TO themselves.
But the principal cause OF the OF bread in this coun-
is tho unusual demand for the English market This
demand has been created by any change the Eng
sh cO-aws. but by the failure OF the crops in Great
Britain Alone but throughout Europe. We learn from the
best English authorities that the wheat crop Great Bri-
tain ia 1916 considerably below the that bar
ley and oats have fallen OFF least fourth and peas
and beans full onehalf And should be remarked here
that the poorer classes in England depend in great
gree upon the last mentioned articles Barley oats
and beans. IL has been estimated that the amount of
wheat consumed in Great Britain stands relation these
articles six five. The great falling of OF barley oats
peas and beans would materially enhance the price not
only OF these articles but OF provisions generally The Of
feet OF the crop OF 1876 upon the prices in England will
November ls45 and in November, 1896 as reported IN
the London Farmers Magazine periodical of high au-
thority.
Prices Of The r1riOtlS kinds Of grain per quarter
in England IN November; ls45, and Nouember
l-IG 0uI The nj