Smyrna times., 1859-08-25
The Wheat Crop and the Farmers.

The sudden termination of the Italian Wa
has knocked things all into sorts" with tn
farmer. The large crops Of wheat promised
to 90 off at good, round prices, but on the re
ceptiOn of the startling news of the cessation
of hostiities the prices of grain began to fal
like murcury before northern blast, until ouI
producers are likely to get only 81 90 pei
bushel, instead of 81 IS or 81 90, as was con.
fdenty anticipated by many. "What can't be
cured must be endured" and onr farmers cam
not, under the circumstances, with large crops
everywhere and large demands nowhere, expect
big prices for their grain. Harper'S IVeekLy.
in"a few words to the farmers" thus discourses
on this subject:
"The wheat crop of the United States this
year is estimated at 200,000,000 bushels
There is necessarily some guess-work in such
estimates; there never has been, and probably
never will be, perfectly accurate return of the
total amount of grain raised and threshed with
in the limits of the Confederacy. But if W e
take the reports of those States which are wise
enough to compute their agricultural yield year
by year, and estimate the crop in the other
States according to the most reliable data, cor
recting the aggregate by reference to the last
census reports, shall arrive at the conclusion
that the wheat crop this year does not probably
vary far from 2O0,000,00O bushels.
The quality of the bulk Of this wheat is ex-
cellent. Last year the wheat crop was not
only small in quantity but also inferior in quail
~. The grain was small, and made poor flour
Much of the grain and -four exported to Europe
netted loss, simply because it could not com
u,ifh tba oF IT,,
France, or Russia. This year all accounts con.
cur in reporting the grain sound and remark
ably heavy. Some Michigan wheat exhibited
on Change in this city has been compared to
the famous wheat of Dantzc. The well known
white Tennessee wheat, which has failed SO
regularly Of late years, is ttis season abundant
and as 6nc as ever.
The value of this great wheat crop can be
best realized when we say that it is worth con-
sideFably more than the greatest cotton crop
ever raised in the Unted States. The cotton
crop of 1888, considerably the largest ever
raised, has not been sold for over SID 000,0OO;
the wheat crop of 1853 will command fully
$209O00, 600.
The question which now arises with regard
10 this enormous property is, when will it come
TO market@
Ga the face Of it such question should car
ry with it its own answer. Each wheat grow
er depends on his wheat for the maintenance
Of his family; it ought to be fair to suppose. es-
peeiaIly as the great wheat.growing sections oil
the country are poor, that no time will be lost
IA forwarding the crop to market and ex- ;
changing it for dry goods, groceries, and mo-
ney. Unfortunately there has been, of late
years. SO much speculation aud gambling in
wheat, and there is so much false economy
aH in ba ipt hot I'm II
and obvious plan may not be generally follow s
ed During the Crimean war bad harvests in
Europe, and a Fictitious demand for cereals
created by the war, caused the price Of wheat
TO rise to the preposterous price of 81 bushel. =
Many farmers, it is feared, have adopted that
very extraordinary figure as their standard, and
will decline to sell al lower rate. A notion
seems to prevail, too, in many parts of the West,
that if The farmers will only hold back their i
grain, and keep the market sparingIy supplied,
prices must rise. We see intimations in some
Of the rural journals that the farmers are in no
hurry to forward their crops, and intend to
choose their own time.
This is a matter in which foolish counsel
may do great deal of mischief 1t is we'll that
the farmers of the United States should realize
the fact that the prices of 1856 and 1857 are a
thing of the past, and that, without some great
Catastrophe, which is not very likely, they wall 7
never rule again. The area of wheat-growing
land is increasing more rapidly than the con- c
sumption of wheat. Russia alone, IN year or |
Two, will export ten times the number of BUSH Y
els she exported before the Crmean war;
Civilization, its first fruit the wheat plant,
are spreading over America, Europe, Asia, and :
Australia; it is clear that, in the year 1860 or Q
1870, failure of the wheat crop in England or Il
our Western States will create hut sIipht
huetuation in the price of the staple. The fer
tlliy of our Western country is likely to pro- {
side Us with surplus each year; but the main c
market on which our wheat growers must rely {
hereafter will evidently be the home market.
Ii the crops of Europe fulfill the promise they
have held out all summer, there can be no SUBJ
santial advance in breadstuiis for twelve months
TO come. On the contrary, the tendency of [
PfIees-which are now sustained TO some ex- I
Tent in all markets by speculatOrs-wlll be
downward. In October, November, and De-
eember the quantity Of grain seeking sale on all
The markets of the commercial world will be
unprecedented. Though few farmers may man
age to hold out, many will be compelled by
their necessities TO sell, and these will keep
prices down.
Hundreds Of farmers, we dare say, will shut
snelr ears to argument, and, with Visions oil
ioo6 prices before them, will hold back their
grain this fall, live in miserable poverty all
winter, and sell next spring at % cents less
than they could obtain next mOnth. Old as the
Ffoverb is there are but few among us who
truly realize the worth Of the pregnant saw
bird in the hand is worth two 10 the bush.
AoSEY.-This article, always in demand, is
very desirable at this Office at the present time,