The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-10-06
From the Richmond Wing.
Tie drought, Crops, Prices, &c.
LINDEN, WEsrMoRELAND COUNTY, Va. I
1874 L

have read with much satisfaction your clISoiai
letter, asking for Information in regard to the
drought, crops, &C. Although not specially "d.
dressed, consider M Sell included in your general
invitation, and shall PROCEED 10 give You such III
formation as possess on a subject, at this time
o! importance TO the whole country, and about
which, 1t is desirable the whole truth should he
known. have heen largely engaged in grain
grow ing for more than thirty years; have been
close observer Of every circumstance sfiect'ng
crops and prices during shat period, and have read
atentively nearly all that has been published on
these subjects in own and foreign journals
My interest as farmer is of course promoted by
high prices. This, candor requires me to state,
yet trust am incapable OF desiring TO advance
nv own interest at the expense of the general pros.
perity OF tho country.
! spent short time This Summer at one OF the
Virginia watering places, and returned to the lower
country during the first week Of this month
During my absence from here, | conversed with a
great many intelligent gentlemen from various
parts Of The country, and had opportunity 10 OBJ
serve. critically the condition Of the crops in a
large portion of Maryland and Virg inia. The
result Of my observations and inquiries IS, that the
estimate of the crops OF Virginia, contained in the
letter Of Col. G.. W. MunGord, is 10 The main cor
rect. From The falls Of the rivers to the seaboard
there is Huch lnat is good some that is very
heavy and a vast deal tina, will be scarcely worth
RappahaBnock and Potomac until within 80 miles
of the Chesapeake bay, may be said TO be failure,
and from that quarter, which usually exports
largely, there will be little none 10 spare
Above the falls Of the rivers the drought still
more fatal. From the county of Albemarle tn the
Potomac, and from the head Of tide TO the Allie
ghany mountains, the crop is entirely insufficient
10 supply the domestic consumption. In the valley
OF Virginia, Of the finest agricultural regions
L. Ill
dollars acre, the most experienced farmers as
sured me that the average product of corn would
not exceed barrel 6 bushes) to the acre, whilst
many fields would produce absolutely nothing.
My own observation on the spot confirmed the cor.
rectness Of their opinions. The same state OF things
exists as far | could observe the neighboring
counties of Washington and Frederick, Maryland.
Beyond the Allegheny mountains have no ac-
curae Information, but that portion Of the State is
chiefly engaged in grazing, and very little grain is
there grown for market.
OF the crops in The Sales West and North Of
Virginia., Il heard much from gentlemen who had
seen them, and / am satisfied that the press Of the
country is misleading The public, in the effort, now
general, to produce the impression that the crops
OF the great corn growing States approximate an
average.
A great error prevails in the country as regards
the high price Of grain. Considering she c:rcum-
stances affecting prices, existing in our country
and throughout the world, the present price OF
grain is very lol0. Let US advert to some of these
circumstances.
The cost Of production. However much prices
of commodities may be affected from time to time
by supply and demand il cannot be doubted that
in the long run the cost Of production will regulate
prices. The cost Of whea, to the producer is the
rent Of land, the wages Of labor, and the profits Of
capital necessary to produce it. For fifty years
or more the average price of wheat in New York
has been over one dollar bushel. The whrat
until OF late years grown new lands, re.
curing no manure, and by labor demanding less
than half the present rate Of wages. Now II is
grown to a great extent on exhausted lands, re-
curing heavy outlay IN guann, lime and other
expensive manures. Ia harvest, three dollars
often demanded for days labor whilst formerly
one dollar was the highest price paid. So scarce
and dear is labor, that crops in The West left
to rot upon the ground because Of the mpossibllity
of saving them Ia Virginia. and her Southern
grain growing States, the price Of labor has, With
in few years, more than doubled. Such laborers
sold few years ago for four five hundred
dollars, readily command thousand and
such hired for sixty dollars, are now in demand
in the factories, and public improvements, at one
hundred and fifty dollars year. Medical bills
and life insurance being also paid by the hirers.
mules mat SOLO lOf MY or sixty uO!dIS, HOW "IhS
from one hundred and ten to one hundred and fifty
dollars, and lands also have advanced more than
90 per cent. Is it wonderful that where all The
elements Of prices have more than doubled, that
The price Of grain should advance? repeat, ii is
extremely low, and but for The money pressure,
occasioned by over.trading aud fraudulent stock
specuIations, wheat would be to-day $3.50 per
bushel in The principal markets OF the United
States. This general rise Of prices is not specu.
la'lve or transItory, but permanent and progress
sive. Hume. in bis essay on money, has described
this subject with much greater c!earness than is
exhibited In The more elaborate articles published
during The last year or two in The forri gn pariod
Gals. He says, that at the end Of the century from
the discovery Of the Spanish mines in South
America, prices had advanced more than four
hundred per cent, and would have advanced still
more but for the increased demand for money,
arising from The new impulse to enterprise occa.
stoned by the influx Of the precious metals II the
opening OF those Mines chiefly Of silver, produced
such effect upon prices during the last century,
what may we not expect during the next from the
vast treasures in gold continually pouring in from
the mines Of California and Australia Mankind
seem TO forget that gold is but the measure and
not the standard Of value, and that j, fuctuales,
quite as much in price other commodities; its
value being at last regulated by The cost Of Produc
ton. None need be surprised if the average price
OF :" heat for The next century should exceed two
dollars and fifty cent a bushels. This cause
operating on prices is permanent one, only to
be checked by the failure OF the gold Mines There