The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-12-28
TIE WHEAT TRADE oF MILWAU-
KEE.
Review Of the Season.

ginning OF the year, seems appropriate.
The season has been a remarkable one in
macy respects. Never before, probably,
has the attention OF operators IN all quarters
OF the country been 80 generally directed to
this market. and probably at no previous
time has spring wheat entered INTO such
general consumption, and In very few sea-
sons have prices fuctuated so widely, and
reached so high The spring wheat crop #
lotj, IN the country supplying this market,
was Of unusually ine quality, and very
abundant while IN other sections the quality
WAS inferior, and the yield light This III
connection with the almost complete failure
II many >tate- # the winter wheat crop Of
$50 and 1866, caused buyers to flock here
lii great numbers during the spring and
summer, aud the transactions We're very
large, both for shipment and speculation.
The shipping demand was constant and
vigorous, but the orders were chiefly from
milling points, the inquiry from the sea-
board being extremely limited, owing to the
European market running relatively lower
than IN tins country The great scarcity OF
winter " heat compelled very large nu nber
Of miIicrs and consumers, who had prevl-
ously been much prejudiced against spring
wheat, and who had never before used 1t,
to consume it freely, and the result has been
to overcome their objections. Many OF the
operators who came to this city for the pur
pose of buying and specializing, were from
Ohio, irdiana and other winter wheat
states, and their actual observation Of the
short supply at home gave them great con
fiji, nee in high prices, aud decided advan-
tage over Others less informed in regard to
the wants Of the country at large. The
speculative transactions during the fall
months were less numerous than early III
the season, but the demand for shipment
and milling was strong aud active, and
scarcely Stacked at any time from harvest to
the close of navigation. The spring wheat
crop in this quarter this year was apparent
Iy in most fourishing condition up to the
second week in August, and promised
to be heavier than ever before, and OF
very superior quality. The high ezpecta
tons Of a crop OF more than usual
magnitude were, however, suddenly over
thrown by the disastrous storm that occur
red abcdt tAe time harvesting began. This
storm was soon followed by aim lst contin
u0us wet weather for nearly six weeks.
The yield, instead of being % to 80 bushels
per acre, as generally expected, probably
did not exceed an average of - bushels.
The rain caused the wheat to sprout IN the
field and sack, so much so that about 80
per cent OF the crop was rendered I'M
sound. On thre>hing 1t was found that the
extreme neat of July had shrlyeed the
berries badly. In consequence only about
une-eight OF the crop thus far marketed has
been heavy enough to inspect No /. This
Is IN great contra>t to last year, the pro oor-
ton OF No ! In the entire crop then beng
rather more than three quarters. This
year the proportion Of No , has been fully
80 per cent. For the purpose Of separating
more carefully the sprouted and damaged
wheat from the sound new grade was
established and called No. 3 spring, aud OF
this quality the proportion thus Tar has been
about one quarter. The impression Is that
the great bulk q the damaged wheat has
already been marketed. The proportion OF
rejected thus far has been about eighth.
withstanding this year crop has graded
80 much below that Of last year. it has met
with ready sale, and the farmer 5 have
probably realized nearly as much as last
season. The soundness of the policy OF
strictly maintaining our well-known and
reliable standards Of inspection has been
evidenced all through the year by the com
paratively high figures cur grades have
commanded in this and other markets.
Our grades Of No. and No. .. though of
not quite as handsome outward appearance
as last season, have met with much favor,
and been pronounced by millers and others
to be fully equal in regard to strength, yield
aud color Of flour, to last year crop.
The receipts of wheat have been larger
than III any previous years, with the eXcep-
tons OF 1861, 1862 and 1863, the total
quantity received from lSt January to date
summing up nearly $1,000, 900 bushels.
The largest arrivals in any one month this
year from the crop of 1868 were in May,
when about 1000 go bushels came III.
The largest arrivals since last harvest were
III October, when about 5000. 600 bushels
were received. The smallest receipts III any
one month We're in March. The receipts
for the year would have been considerably
larger but for the fact that much greater
quantity than usual was taken from Mime
sofa and Iowa by river to ST Louis, Gin
c!nuatl, Pittsburgh and other points on the
Mississippi and ONO.
The shipments from lst January to date
aggregate about llGOD. 900 bushels. OF
thIs quantity about 100, 900 bushels went
forward by raitroad, a new feature in the
trade. The quantity taken for Cleveland,
Toledo and Saudu>ky shows how important
that branch of the business was
The season Of lake navigation opened On
2Sth April, the first shipment passing
through the straits Of Mackinaw that day
The last shipment was on list December
The season thus extended over 2l7 days.
In several previous years prOpelers have
left here for Buffalo as late as 10th Deem
Der, and III 1861 propeller sailed from here
fer that port on 2lst December, and met
with no detention
Inc stock in store at no time during the
season has been allowed to accumulate as
heavily as III many previous years. The
stock l.. store at date /, reported at 3lS, 400
bushels. The receipts are now Onl averag-
lng about 800 bushels per day, and as the
requirements OF our city mills, when run
uing full time, are about $1,000 bushels
daily, the accumulation is not likely to be
very rapid-especiaIy if the demand for
shipment by rail should continue-unless
the arrivals increase materially. There is
considerable diversity OF opinions as to the
probable quantity still to come forward
The general impression. however, is that
there Is much less III this section than at
this time last year.
The business generally has proved prof
table, though, as usual, some among the
many operators have suffered losses by the
fluctuations in value Those who were
operators for decline We're probably the
heaviest losers. The market during the
greater part of August was almost com plete-
ly under the control Of local spectators,