Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1870-05-07
Wheat


The history of wheat, in this country,
is very suggestive topic. Formerly,
when the land was comparatively new,
and the population scarce, the New
England States not only produced suf>
feient for home consumption, but en-
gagged largely in the expectation of
wheat and flour, their principal markets
being the West India Islan Is, eastern
South America and Great Britain.
Wheat culture was lucrative and at
tracfed general attention but the con-
slant succession of crops through long
series of years, so decreased the yield
that Eastern farmers moved away into
New York State, and then commenced
the celebrated production of Genesee
-four, which held its own With high re-
putation until the same causes operated
there to diminish the yield and deter,
iorate the quality of the grain. Other
and newer land became necessary, and
our fast increasing population looked to
the westward for farms and the raising
of farm products Ohio, Michigan, In
diana and Illinois were the next fields
of great productive capacity sought by
our constantly moving Northern popu
lation, as well as by the immigrants
from Germany, Switzerland and Eng
land. In every case the same results
have followed the successive planting
of wheat, while the increasing distance
from markets of consumption, and the
additional cost of transportation rem
dered the business less remunerative.
We believe that there are now but two
Western States Iowa and Minnesota
where there has net been marked
decrease in the yield .of wheat to the
acre. The aggregate production has
beensswelled by very largely increased
area under cultivation, but it may be
doubted whether the amount OF wheat
now raised in the United States is rela-
lively as great, in proportion to the pop
ulation, as it was forty years ago. If
we raise mere of the article, it is be.
cause there are more people engaged in
its cultivation, and the area has been
correspondingly expanded. The course
of wheat culture, like the course of
empire, has been westward on this con-
tinent, and the march is still main
tanned with unrelaxed vigor. The vi
tai question among Western farmers to-
day is, how to market their wheat at
the cheapest possible rates, and as they
recede more and more to the westward,
deeper and deeper into the heart of the
continent, this question presents aug
fnented difficulties for its solution.
When the great wheat fields /of the
country shall exist west of the Mississ-
ippi river, and commence to he formed
,on our immense prairies now roamed by
the bison-aDd the time is rapidly ap-
preaching, by reason of decreased yields
IN other places--it will be impossible
to compete with California, Oregon and
Washington Territory. With our enor>
mously extensive line of sea coast, our
immensity of virgin soil, the superiority
of our climate aud the constantly grow
ing facilities to market our crops, far
1ners residing fifteen hundred to two
thousand miles from the water will find
it impossible to compete successfully
The Pacific coast must eventually be
come the great wheat producing region
of the Union. In the meantime the
demands from England, France and
Germany-the three greatest consumers
are steadily diminishing. Their pop
ulations are decreasing under the influ-
ence Of inducements held forth for
emigration to this country. Western
farm products will be derended on for
home consumption, but the bulk oil
bread exports will be from this side Of
the continent.
In making up their estimates for the
year, English and German dealers first
take the Russian crops into account.
making up the deficit from the United
States. Bessarabia, and all that part
of Europe which borders on the Black
Sea and tile Sea of Azof, are especially
fertile and admirably adapted to wheat
culture but it is indispensable that
the. crops should ripen and be harvested
by certain time, as the climate viii
not permit delays. The Russian Cow
ernment has been devoting great atten-
ton to the furnishing of transportation
facilities to these regions, and to the
wheat producing portions on the north.
BY means Of which the crops can be
marketed far cheaper than heretofore,
and in greatly increased quantities.
Nor is this all, for the Russian farmers
arc importing largely of our improved
agricultural implements. Patent now
ers and reapers. patent threshing ma
chimes, improved plows and rakes, and
all other kinds of lately-invented Amer.
Jean implements, are being introduced
with great success. 1t is, therefore,
probable that, in the near future, Rus
sia will be able TO furnish much
greater supply Of food staples, at lower
rates than ever, caused by the cheapncss
of labor and the improvement in the
method Of cultivation As the popu-
lations of consuming countries have no
proportionate increase, the demand