The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-06-18
The Farmer. Pre.pcet..

line crops all over she country promise
good yield, and those who boarded last years
products begin to see the danger of loss by
keeping them longer. Wheat movements in
the West are quite lively, and the farmers are
making all haste to get their stocks to mark
ct. The movements at Milwaukee have been
more lively within few weeks past than at
any similar period previously. From present
appearances the price Of breadstu1s will fall,
consumation most devoutly to be wished by
all consumers. Spectators may not be so well
pleased. Many farmers west have refused
two dollars per bushel, and they may yet be
compelled to sell for half that sum. We un-
derstand the amount of last years wheat crop
| in the country is very large. And unless the
demand from Europe should be pressing, the
price must come down to a yet lower figure.
The crop prospects in England are not favor
able at the present time. 4eaeai li
in one day short time ago, the receipts of
wheat at Chicago and Milwaukee amounted
to 331 900 bushels, and the eastward move
ment Of flour and grain from the western
ports is unprecedently large. And yet it is
said there are large stocks in all the western
States. z California alone has in reserve
enough for its home supply for full year.
And what is still more interesting to eOnsum-
ers, the growing crop this year, both
there, and in the States this side the
Rocky mountains promises, more abundant
yield than ever before. Under such circum-
stances it would seem that prices must come
down, and when the new crop comes in, the
prices must fall still lower, especially if the
yield should prove as abundant as the pros
pect now seems to warrant. We trust that
nothing will happen to mar the present pros
poets. A season of plenty always has far
reaching influence on the industries of the
country and gives healthy impulse to all
kinds of business.
The prospect now is that Spectators in
For several months past they have been in
trouble all along shore as well as in the inte-
rior. Consumers have not much sympathy
for those who have met with losses in their
speculative transactions. The flour business
has been far from remunerative this year in
| this city, and dealers have found close cor
ners. That they have been enterprsing and
managed their business wish skill and adroit-
ness there can be no doubt; but it is hard
work to stem falling market. To row
against wind and tide requires the exercise OF
strong muscles. Why is it that there is more
inducement held out to speculate in bread
stufs than in groceries? There is, it is
true, frequent speculation in the latter,
L hIrfr I'm 10 rsa1
in the former. We suppose a partial ans wer
to the question may be found in the fact that
bread is the staff of life. People can live
without sugar, molasses, tea, coffee and many
other things, but not without bread, and
hence scarcity in corn and wheat fills the
Golfers of those who baye been shrewd
enough to lay in a stock in anticipation of
that scarcity. n
NOW, this speculation is not always con-
nned to the traders and non-producers, but
the growers often hold back for a higher
price; and they have right to do with their
own as they please, and yet such keeping
back many times results In losses to the cul-
tivators. We suppose the consumers don't
cry much when farmers Iueet losses from
sucn management, and we are quite sure
they look upon the losses of the traders with
| eyes perfectly dry. 1t win t'e fortunate for
our farmers if the signs of falling market
in breadstuffs prove true, for We are sorry to
say that they so manage their farms as to be
compelled to buy large portion of their
breadstufs. With such soil and climate as
our State has, these things ought not to be.
We hope the years are not far distant when
the farmers of Maine will raise their own
corn and wheat and not subject themselves
to such a dead weight as buying breadstuffs
imposes upon them. We have every reason
to believe that the soil of Maine, if properly
managed and cultivated, win produce food
enough for its people, especially for its farm
ers. We dislike to see farmer carting bar
rel of flour to his house. The sight would
be more agreeable to see him go to his gra-
nary, put up some wheat into bags and haul
it to a mill. That is kind of independence
which our farmers ought to feel. 1t is with
in their reach, add when they come into pos
sion of it, they will feel pride in their call
ing, and have money to lend. hansisa-