Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-10-27
Ctrom he New York World ]
WHEAT IN 1860.

CFrom he New York World
WHEAT IN 1860.
The interest which attaches to the traffic
in this great staple is scarcely less absorb
ing than the Presidential canvass. The ex-
changes of the country are largely affected
by it, and millions of money are used in its
purchase. Hundreds of thousands of our
population are engaged in its transporta
ton. More than half the earnings Of l2,-
600 miles Of railway, for the remainder Of
the year, will come from the tolls upon this
kingly grain. Not less than $4,000 cars
and 200 locomotives are constantly engag-
ed in hauling it to the great markets north
west Of the Ohio river.
The settlement Of the immense regions Of
the northwest HIS given a space to the cul-
tiyation of Wheat unknown in the previous
history Of the world Many farms devoted
to its cultivation are larger than New
England township, and many thousand far
mers have raised more than an hundred
acres the past season. Small farms in ILL
nois and Wisconsin will sell 500 bushels,
aud ordinary farms OF 100 acres will aver
age l 900 bushels each.
The average amount Of wheat produces
by number Of European countries, is as
follows:
Bushels.
France, l9l, ~, 246
Great gritain 1865 800
Two SicieS 64.sd 600
spain, 40 4,s00
s aasiri, 1 1896, 900
BY the returns Of the United States cen
sus for 1850, the wheat crop was put down
1T 100, 585,844 bushels. From the most
reliable returns we can find, the crop Of the
whole country, until the present YER. Ia
never exceeded l60,000,0O0 bushels. The
crop Just harvested we have taken some
pains to ascertain, and find it will not much
exceed $50 100000 bushels. This is very
unequally divided among the States.
New York and Pennsyll mia have raised
nearly enough for their own consuption-
Ohio and Missouri small surplus. The
remainder Of the States, except the follow
ing. have deficiency for consumption
The main surplus crops have been gather
ed in Indiana, illinois, Michigan, Wiscon-
sin, Iowa and Minnesota. The crop OF
these six States we estimate as follows:
illinois, bushels, 2aoeo GOO.
Wisconsin, :. zJVOV Wv
Indiana, /" loSuo.oVu.
Michigan "a 1o9 S5o o90
Minnesota, g e,oOo,Ooo-
Total, 94,ooO,oOo.
Unquestionably these States have produc-
ed half of the entire wheat Of the country.
Some, usually good authorities in bread
stuffs statistics, make the crop as high as
22O,00o,0oc bushels. This is positively
too large an estimate, as we can show by
the following comparative figures. Our
usual surplus is less than {, 100000 bush
els; we consume and use for food the bal
ance Of the crops. There can be no mis-
take about this. 1t takes, by general cal
culation at the East, four and half BUSH
els to each iAhabitant. Although this is
too high for many States, particularly where
corn and rye are largely in use, still we will
adopt the figures for our estimates. Our
estimate would be for the crop Of 1860:
consnmption. 135,0oo,ooO
FOR sol aud work, S5OonaoV
surplus, s,ooo'Voo
Whole crop, lso Qoo,v1o
Add to our surplus of 100000 bush
els 100000 from Canada, and the real
surplus to lie shipped aboard from the crop
Of 1860 will be 100000 bushels, O
more than double the usual quantity. Can
we fairly look for more!
The Weld Of wheat in the States has
ranged from FIVE to sixteen bushels per acre,
New York in early times produced as high
as twenty bushels. The country round
about Albany only produced thirty bushels
Of wheat to the acre; il now barely yields
an average of six bushels to the acre
Ohio, once the great wheat State Of the
Union, producing in one year 28,0OO,OO0
If bushels, and sixteen bushels 10 the acre,
has gradually fallen otftlll now the average
is only seven bushels to the acre, and her
crop not more than 16,000,000to l8,000,-
600. In England the yield per acre has
been raised from thirteen to thifty-slx bush
els. Single fields have often produced for
ty-fye to sixty bushels. The largest we
remember to nave seen recorded was eight
weight bushels for one acre. The dephs
OF the ocean, the islands OF the sea, and the
battle-tields OF the world, have been ran
s.scaSd toI their deposits Of phosPhates, am
monia, and other nch producing properties,
iii oraef to arrive at this wonderful pr3uuc-
fiyeness. La Wisconsin and Illinois the
crop in 1860 is the most remarkable ever
harvested. Several other States have unu-
sually large crops
In Wisconsin The yield has never before
averaged more tnan twenty bushels to the
acre. 1t now averages tseatJ -elgnt bush
els to the acre. Instances are constantly
quoted IN lhe local press d the State, wlieie
arms have averages forty 70 lily bushes.
One gentleman III Waiwoftn couaty, bar
vested Seeessty-taeo bushels from one acre.
LIN Illinois the average yIeid OF the State
this year is probably twenty bushels. The
entire grain crop ct Illinois for 1860 vii be
about 100 bushels to each inhab tent