Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-01-30
RICHM OND w HIG.
Agricultural Statistics,

For the last two years, the Farmers Of Scotland
and Ireland have been eNertng themselves To obtain
accurate and reliable information of the cereal pro
ductions OF their respective countries. In Scotland
where the national characteristic is ndomitablc en-
ergy almost perfect success has attended the effort
The Agricultural Society acting through committees
in every district have been enabled to ascertain.
within few thousand bushels, the exact amount OF
the product of the Kingdom. The only difficulty,
which they have not succeeded in surrounding i in
obtaining the desired information at sufficiently
V"''! t~''~- ut -~;.i,in the last of November
was soon as the result could be ascerts",,, 49,
by that time, long before the Imperial jobber
France had aScertainel his own deficit, and gone
into the British market to make good his short-com
ing Tnis, he effected in %. most triumphantly .
but ailel last year, because the price too high
in England. But he tried and is now trying tn,
same game in this country. His agents have been
in the United States since last September and have
bought considerable quantities of wheat and -four
and dealing with people entirely ignorant of their
crops, and under the belief if they believe the
papers that they have produced enough to supply
the world FOR three years-thoSe agents have pur-
chased, almost at their prices. But the game i
not vet complete. The bread>tuils bought being
shipped altogether and at once to Havre to create a
glut and depression Of price, in order tina, that d
preston may react GA ths side of the water. The
result j. yet to be developed.
But the shrewi Scotch having suffered once from
the shrewder Frenchnan, DESTROYS of taking pre-
cautions against any similar operations in future.
They are seeking 70 obtain information OF their
crops by c>m7te at the time reaping begins, which
will be in time to prevent the French toray.
On this subject We copy the following from a
Committeeman to the President Of the Agricultural
Society Of Scotland
"But SIR it appears to and to many that, AL
though all this be- good aud far usein
most important part good OF agricultural stats
tcs altogether overlooked and that dealing
much with the aggregate, preparing inormtton whicH
will doubtess adj interest and the pages
some future stacian give another bue-book 10 the
House of Commons bat dsreEirng the necessities OF tht
hour orr still wants that finish and aljuStmrit
which the striking characteristics OF statistical mach
merry inother countries AMI in the EYE o the agricultural
list well the commercial great object OF hi,
inquiry has vet been reached. You have
been able provide the Government OF tnis country witt
that information which other Governments do posses,
have YOU put into the farmers hands early information
10 the character OF each years harvest.
II do know il can better Illustrate this than boy
calling your recollection what took place in 1888 under
the perfect system that prevails in France. II be-
gan be- feared IA that country that the crop be
deficient one. aud machinery in motion which iu
lu DAYS lii such Information the table of the Mnist
o Agriculture a q put the Tact beyond doubt Oar ma
kets entered and purchases made very large
tent at about 90 quarter every quarter OF Shich hal
TO be replaced 10y ~ at from eos. TO SOS.
"By their matuted calculations neighbours found
that the, about 3uuOUub of quarters under
erAge harvest and did their estimate prove
for the ending August 1884, their imports
2g6. S54 quarters.
'Now ask had our present system been IN operation
at that tn. would it have done anything towards pat
ting into the hands OF the stitesn1n the merchant
the farmer such available information would have pre-
pared him for such a ioray' Would it have yic.I-l
10 this commonwealth such knowledge Of our harvest
prospects neighbours have evidently obtained by
perfect system 10 theirs submit 10 YOU that
IL would not aud our contractors continue tell I,
that ou statistics useless Tor all practical purpJ-
ser"
at be confessed that when compared with France
We hbour under the disadvantage OF our harvest being
least three weeks later, that actual trial, made
that much earlier than with but this poiat-
10 the next best thing aud that submit j. estimate 90.
the crop bs returned by every member Of committee Tor
his parish just before reaping commences d. having
suited with well qualified to j1dge Of the faith with
which such estimate mightbe received have found
difference OF opinion as TO ITS value indeed most think 70
would be found about Trustworthy the data ituu
which the hua results made up the casualties
excepted and il would certainly go far remedy
the upeecon that plainly Aiheres to present Or
ganiziton The Spectator would find great Difficult.
" in meeting il with information more authentic aud
might ~ some degree prepare Us for any such dash into
oui markets a happened III 1888. The agricultural pui
TO speak, might be felt headquarters any time
but more especially in what is called the month of harvest
when faithful reports are so auxiou-ly looked for.
81 would BY no means do away with the final estimate
20 be- made up after suitable trials have been made but
seeing tina, these cannot be given in with full satisfaction
before tie middle or cud Of November, this pr'nonitio
would feel confident be Of the greatest importance u
would involve additional trouble Of consequence for ii
might be- forwarded once to the head department in
Edinburgh. aud be patent 10 all ia very few days
"lf any si be disposed doubt OF it, value woulI
ask them to consider the practice Of the valuation of
ding crops Ia the Of outgoing tenants which 20 gene,
rally prevails, and the readiness with which parties agree
~ such mode he actual result seldom proving of 400,
cipc transactions TO the amount of many thousand %
pounds sterling take place before harvest every cuu
~ IN scotland leaving nothing t0 bc determined but ti.
value OF tue qnal ters by the hlrs Of the district
II is very strongly urged in the London paper
that like device be resortcd to in Englaud-aud j.
is proposed that Parliament shall take the matter H.
hand aud have both the estimate before harvest ara,
the result after collected by official and reliable per
sons
II such a scheme be important in England. it
ten times more iu the United States For here
the country B. extensive and so little, that b. r.
liable. Is known IN district OF the product ID
another that the farmers are absolutely at the mei
cy Of Speculation, foreign aud domestic They oul
see paragraphs IN the newspapers, which. breathiu
the air Of consumers sympatIe with them. eve
when honest aud when dishonest aud bribcd 70
spectators, give such extrayagant accounts Of Oh
yield that the poor farmers are almost run crazy 10
their iears--and dread lest they shall be compel,
to pay the millers 10 take their crops of thci- hand
We did what We could last Fall to induce the vi
GINA Agricultural Society take steps for dispelr
these clouds by gathering information Of the cro
in Virginia, and stimulating the societies OF 9th
States h adopt similar measures But it was T.
much occupied with other matters TO attend to obi
We do not. however, despair Of better result ne
time
One Of thc most remarkable circumstances
tending the result Of the Scottish investigation.
the immense difference between what was consider
a fai- estimate aud the SEXUAL result McCulloug
with all the information he could gather, estimat
the wheat crop Of Scotland, last year, At 1,i87 81
quarters the ascertaned product is only COG O62 q
quarters very little more than half The estin
ted amount Of aH cereals was put down by le SAT
authority At nine aud half millions quarters
actual produce is only Ave millions and quarter