Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-10-07
agricultural.
Wheat in New England.

The remark is often made that g it doesn't
paw to grow wheat in New England We
have often heard it, and the belief in the
inexpedience of the culture of this grain
among US seems to be general among our far
1ners Now, without believing that we can
compete with the tillers of the rich lands of
the western praries, we are decidedly of the
opinion that wheat can be grown in New
England at profit, and taking into consld-
Grafton the amount of outlay of both capital
and labor that it is certainly as remuneratIve
as many of the crops which are now regu-
larly cultivated.
The demand in our markets for home grown
wheat is always good where our western
frendaare dependent ON the caprices of trans
portation, where they are Obliged to sell al
low rates to Spectators. or take their chances
of having their wheat stored for months at a
high cost of storage before they can move 1t,
we are always within convenient distance
from, and with quick and good transportation
to, a ready market.
The prices which our eastern grown wheat
always commands are certainly much higher
than those of the western States, or rather,
wheat in our markets brings better price
than in the others. Taking the ruling mar
ket rates of the two sections from time to
time we find that the price of this cereal per
bushel in the east averages nearly If not quite
one hundred per cent higher than In the west
Now this fact, taken in connection with the
market facilities already noted, goes far to
offset the advantages which the west possesses
in easily titled and exceedingly fertile lands,
and facilities for successful competition OF
machine labor with manual.
While the west greatly excel the east In
this respect, it does not proportionately excel
it in average yield per acre. In fact, taking
the two sections, acre for acre, we doubt If
the wheat lands Of New England do not pro-
duce nearly or quite as well those of the
western States.
Everything considered, New England
should pay greater attention to the cultiva
ton of this grain. If no other spur is needed
than that of necessity, it should be no longer
neglected. There is no reason why our far
mers should not grow enough for their own
consumption at least, and not be so dependent
as they are on the supply furnished by two
or three lines of transportation from great
areas where it is grown. How often do we
notice in the market quotations, quick ad
vance of several dollars on d barrel of flour
which is caused not by scarcity of wheat
where it is grown, but by blockade on rail
roads or steamers or by a successful corner .
Of some SPECTATORS who have, by obtaining
a monopoly Of the staple in several of tho
great commercial centers of the west, caused
1t to run up third of it's value at time
thereby deranging the whole trade system
Of the continent, and subjecting the consumer
and buyer to inconvenience and pecuniar,
loss.
Without competing or attempting to com
pete with the west In producing great sup
ply of the western staple, We can in grea
measure. grow at profit, enough to regulate
the price In the eastern markets, and save ;
large proportion of our consumers from thu
annoyance of the uncertain and f1uctuatins
prices of the past two three winters.
The record of New England in comparison
with that of the other sections of the country
SO far as her production of wheat, is bad
In glancing over the United States censu
Report for 1860. we find the following
% In 1850, the United States and Terrific
ries, with population, of %, l9l $40, exclu
sive of Indian tribes, produced 100, 485, 944
bushels of wheat, or 4.33 bushels to eacl
inhabitant.
In 1860, with population, exclusive o