Nebraska advertiser., 1856-06-07
From the Country Gentleman.
COMPARATIVE VALUE OF TEE WHEAT


From the Country Gentleman.
COMPARTTIVE VALUE OF TIE WHEAT
CROP.
Wheat is, in most sections, sndin the
generality of cases more remuneratiYe
than any other grain. Let any n
who questions or doubs this take affair.
average of the amount of the different
grain crops per. acre, multiply these
averages Of produce by a fair average
price, and then note the result. He
will in this way be led to the .conclu-
sion that the money-value of an acre
of wheat is greater than that of any
other grain crop usually raised in this
country. This observation holds true
also Of wheat and other grain crops in
Great Britain. This fact, to whichthe
farmers of that country are not sufHci-
entity alive, or which they cannot avail
themselves on account of clauses in
their leases binding them to a certain
rotation, has been arrived at by fixing
upon the three crops-wheat, barley
and oatS-taking the average price Of
these from the averages of the seven
previous years, and multiplying by the
average produce of these three cereals,
and thence calculating the value of an
acre Of each Of these three respective
ly. In this way it has been foundt that,
taking several counties into the. calcu-
@latiOn, an acre of wheat ranges from
99 Is Sd to 81 As, Cor from about As
dolls. to 36 dolls.) The range of the
value of an acre of barley extends
downwards from Ell 15s, to "a 9s Sd,
Tor from about 38dolls. to22 so dolls.)
The range of the value Of an C of
oats extends from 96 las Cd to a3 IS,
Tor from about 80 dolls. to Is doIls.)
From these data it appears that
wheat yields from So to 20 per cent.
over barley, from 100 to 40 per cent.
over oats in cash value. How much
the money-value of an acre of wheat
exceeds that of an acre of barley, oats,
or other grain usually cultivated in this
country, must be calculated by each
district for itself, orby each individual.
for it viii vary according to- circum-
stances, which are different in the case
of particular districts or individuals.
We presume that, in all cases where
wheat can be grown so as to yield an
average produce, it will be found, as
) above, that the m~oney-yalue of an acre
, of wheat is considerably greater than
that of most other cereal crops; and
this being SO, it will hold true here, as
well as in Great Britain, that the area
, of the wheat crop may be greatly ex-
tended with stincrease of profits
: There is one other lesson of con.
l siderable Importance which may be
= enforced by the facts which have served
: as the basis of the foregoing c~alcula.
L ton. The highest sums indicating thC
; money-Talue of the different crops, arr
! all taken from one county. The value
! Of an acre of wheat, an acre of barley
and an acre of oats is, in each of these
; higher-from 20 10 100 per cent
! higher-than that of the same crops
in some other counties. Whence come
this great difference? 1t comes from
Z this fact, that drainage has beer
carried to a greater extent in tia
county than in any other, and the us
of guano and other concentrate
manures has also been greater. 7
those who wish to increase the fertilit
of theirlands, and to grow larger crop
on the same area, this fact furnishes
lesson which they viii probably prof
. by. And the same lesson is taught b
the reports We have of draining wheE
is ever it has been tried. The improve
farming of every. county or district {
s. farm where this has superseded the Of
systems, has beenmainly broughtabol
a by thorough draining.
re- Accurate statistical facts have ofte
d, shown that some generally receive
st opinions and prevailing practices wei
h without any real foundation. The ST
es ~tistical returns which have lately bee
10 made of the agriculture Of ScOtlaI
re show conclusively that IN opiniOnpr
MT vailing among the farmers of tn
II. country, as also among the farmers
this country, is destitute Of any fOu
ne dation, or is contrary to well asce
l." tanned facts. The majority of farme
to have some vague impression that t
er, money value of an acre of oats a,
so some other grains is nearly the sa1
we as that of an acre of wheat, on accou
on. of the lower money value per busl
m being compensated for by the great
number of bushels. Accurate stat
ms tics show chat this is an erroneous j