Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-10-04
crops In the Ua,ted st.tss.


The editor of the New York Herald rec"'uy
addressed circular to public officers. tariff'rs'
and others, residing in every State and Territory
in the mon, asking for information in regard 70
the drUuth, crops, Sc. The replies to this cir
cular, which have been published, embrace a
lsrpe number Of facts which are Of great imlor-
t,nce a, this time. The correspondence Is too
voumnous to admit Of our publishing 1t IN II H.
but we will endeayor to give the conclusions al
which the various writers arrive
The Secretary of State of Kentucky writes
that the corn crop in that State is cut short upon
an average Of one half the wheat crop was good'
but not more than enough for home consumption !;
tobacco and hemp will not make more than hall
to two thirds of crop the grass and oat CT Up was
excellent. He expresses the opinion that there
will be ''a good deal of suffering among th' poor
er classes of the State for the necessares 't lie'
and among the trading class tlghtness and str'n-
gency in the money market that VIII n' DOUBT
produce crash or hard times.'"
The report from Iowa is, that the crops gene
rally for the present season will be gr 'ater thah
the average of former years-more to the acre,
and much more land in cultivation.
The Secretary of State of Ohio says, the wheat
suffered very seriously from tho weevil, and for
the entire State will not average more than half
crop hay, and all crops that were perfected be-
fore the wheat harvest, abundant corn not more
than half crop; potatoes, less than the quantity
planted. Hogs are abundant and low.
From Minnesota Territory we learn that all
the cereals have matured finely and yielded large
crops and so with all the eSculents.
A farmer of Pennsylvania expresses the opin-
ion that there is fair crop of everything except
potatoes, in that State. The writer hopes the
Know Nothings will not eat Irish potatoes, which
will be an act of grace to the poor.
Wisconsin Is sid to be ''signally favored in her
agricultural interests"
In Delaware the wheat crop fell one third be-
low an average; and take the whole peninsula,
including Delaware and the Eastern shore coun-
ties of Maryland and Virginia, the drouth has
shortened the corn clop at least one third. The
cat and first hay crops proved very good.
The Governor of New Jersey says, "take our
whole crops together, we shall have this year a
fair average"
The only report from North Carolina represents
all the crops in the region in which the writer re-
sides as fully % per cent. better than those olast
year.
In the New England States, taken as whole,
the wheat crop is about an average, and corn is
estimated at three quarters Of an average.
Geo. w. Munford, Secretary OF State of Viz
Cina reports that in the tide water region, except
the Northern Neck, the corn crop is more than
an average; in other parts of the State the drcuth
was very severe, and the corn crop will be great
ly below the average.
The Hon. Willoughby Newton, of Westmore-
land county, has addressed an able ettes to the
Herald, through the Richmond Wing, on the sub
iect of the crops, prices, SC. The result of his
observations and inquiries confirms the opinion
expressed by Col. Munford in reference to the
crops of Virginia He says that great error
prevails as regards the high prices ofgrain. Con-
sidering the cost Of production and other crcum-
stances affecting prices, existing in this country
aud throughout the world, he thinks the present
price of grain very lo,o. The price of labor in
Virginia and other Southern States has more than
doubled within few years, and but for the mon
ey pressure "wheat would be today $3.50 per
bushel in the principal markets of the United
! vic nf c
ulative or transtory, but permanent and progress
sive, being caused by the vast treasures pouring
in from California and Australia. None need be
surprised, says Mr.. Newton, if the average price
of wheat for the next century should exceed two
dollars and fifty cents bushel.
| Mr. Newton says there are other causes affect
ing the prices of grain more or less temporary that
require notice. First, the increasing number of
consumers in the United States without cores
pondng increase Of producers. For example, 1t
appears from the census of 1850 that of the in
crease of population in New York during the pre-
ceding ten years, nearly the whole of it has been
in the cities and towns of the State. As another
cause affecting prices, MIR. Newton mentions the
war in Europe, and lastly the short crop in this
country He thinks the wheat crop in the Uni
States is very far from an average. In Virginia
and Maryland the crop is deficient both in quaint
ty and quality. Last year he sent wheat to Bal
timore that weighed 63 lbs. to the bushel; he
finds by examining the books Of one of the largest
commission houses in the city that the weight of
the same variety ofwheat this season ranges from
55 to 5S-rarey making So pounds. In conclu-
sion he says, 81 have but word to say. Should
the general effort of the press to lower prices for
the temporary relief of the necessities of the cities
be successful, and large shipments Of corn and
other breadstnffs be made to foreign countries, we
may yet rus our folly, when the pressing wants
of our own .countrymen shall demand supplies,
which can neither be had al home nor abroad"
/ BIackwood's aIagazine.
| The September number of this periodical has
| been received from the American publishers,
Leonard Scott & Co., of New York. The con-
tents are : |. The Holy Land, 2. Belerophon, 8.
| The Coming Fortunes of our Colonies in the Pa