The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-14
HarVest PF'o1spee ts----MoEs GheeFihE /
FiumtlIe Nsl6 York IInlsI. ~ -

r.
Nine.tenths OF all the reports recefved
at the Agricultural Department during
the past tmonth agree as tothe favora-
bic prospects for the coming harvest.
Never, according to the Commissioner's
summing up, has there been 30 general
an expression of encouragement. From
the West and the South the returns are
especially promlSing@with The excep.
higher rlRtitude6,W where thewfnter wheat
was exposed to- the sharp and biting
frosts Of February and March. Many
of the correspondents lofEthe Depart
ment promise wheat crop double that
OF last year us.eH ,E-ifssisg H'.efl 81
If there Is any reliance 20 be placed
upon these reports-and they are GER
come to MS through our exehanges-it
can hardly be! possible for the grain
speculRtors to keep prices from tumb-
ling fast and heavily. They have been
feeling inthe eHdownWRrd - pressure
more n or iless. form the last sten
days. But .at1 the opening OF
the market this week there was
n strong sdort to get the figures up to
the standard OF the cold spring months
the northerly storms iof Saturday
and Sunday being favorable 10 cOmbi-
nations against the consumer. Rur-
chasersy moreover, have been holding
back alncs the recent faIl in prices be.
gan, and their being obliged again 70
come. into market to isupplyathe de-
mAndS for actual consumption, has
temporarily inspired holders with the
notion of Tan. advance This was felt
both on Monday and yestefdaY; and It
need mot be- wondered sat ,ifSthe same
or perhaps weeks longer. a. All depends
oriPretty nearly depends; on the sum
shine we Eet for the next hfteen days.
Consumers may in a measure regulate
their purchases by that weather gauge.
There Is no dispute whatever asl 20 the
large breadth of ground sown, especlal-
ly inthe South and Southwest. There
can hardly be n reasonable doubt that
south of the Ohio and the Potomac the
danger of a failnFe either as TO wheat
or coyniis past. But the full assurance
ofabundance Is yet wanting.nH e.-ns
How little the price of gold has had
to do with the high quotations. for
breadstuffs during the past year, may
be readily seen by turning back 20
market reports Of dates preceding the
war and comparing them with the fig
ures when the war was at its height,
andigold had appreciated so and 100
per cent. For the six years, from 1855
to 1861 inclusive, when our paper cur
rency was at par, the average price OF
flour at this season ofthe year was S5 50.
During the first two years of the war
the average was scarcely greater-only
IS 90, although In MAY, 1868, gold had
risen TO 160.- In May, 1861. the quota
ton for -four was about 81 10I but gold
had then run up above 200 and in July
was quoted as high rs 2S0. Thus with
the one dollar greenback rated at a lit
tie more than4 cents in coin. we were
actually paying s. 80 less per barrel forI
flour than we have been paying for
common kinds during this Spring, with
gold at 1856. 40sS ''ii - 7''' '''1 = ''''
The greater part of thisnvast differ
ence Is, of course, only referable 70. the 4
deficiency of last years harvest and to
the lateness OF the present spring, at
once delaying the opening of naYiga-
tion, and throwing doubt for the time
upon the harvest prospects in most of
the Middle and Northern StRtess, So
much of the rise as Is not tracenble to
either of these causes, is due to the
combinationsiex existing among dealers,
and to the holding back of many of the
weather. class Of farmers.in expecta:
tion OF famine prices before ymidsum-
mer.7 Some of the latter have already
got bitten far Worse than they bargain
e01or, " Hau I .Iuc uIaaf siaWCu gn
In view OF all the reports now before
the country Official and unofficial, 1t
does appear 10 be safe enough for con-
sumerS to lay In mo- more than they
actually need for Immediate use. The
weather must become suddenly and
Rlarmingly badrmuchl worse than we
have had it-if the growing crop Ldoes
not tar exceed in quantity and quality,
that OF 1856 lfqs b-gs al Df;h ,Tag ~.