The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-09-24
THE W HEAT CROP.


PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 4, 1874.
Having in my second letter set
forth in detail a statistical a. count of
the agriculture and crops of France,
showing their progress nearly every
year during the past century, it was
my Intention in this communication
to endeavor to show the influence
which the production of French grain
mediately exercises upon our markets,
by acting directly as a mechanical
governor upon the grain market of
England. But certain statements
which have recently appeared in the
newspapers render it necessary that I
should digress for the nonce to the
subject of the British grain crop.
PROBABLE BRITISH DEMAND FOR
WHEAT.
In my first letter, assuming a pur-
posedly underlined, because not known,
though currently believed to be large.
crop of breadstuffs in the United
States this year, and leaving the con-
clusion hereinafter TO be mentioned
open to be "modified by the move
ment of the grain crops of Continen-
tai Europe" and estimating the cur.
rent British wheat crop at $4,000, 900
bushels, the demand for British con-
sumption at 1S6, 900, 900 bushels, and
the probable imports to the United
Kingdom at 81, 400, 900 bushels, con-
cluded that that kingdom would inn
port from the United States during
the ensuing harvest year upwards of
SO, 900, 900 bushels.
The total exports of wheat and
wheat flour from the United States
during the fiscal year ended June 80,
1874, were about 81, 200, 900 bushels, of
which about two-thirds were cleared
"to or through" ports in the United
Kingdom. This is the substance of
information received yesterday from
the United States Treasury Depart
ment-
In short, while regarded the Brit
ish wheat crop of this year as ''rather
better than last years, but not so good
as represented in some of the late
English journals" and although our
this years exports of wheat to Great
Britain were exceptionally large, 1
believed that the small stocks on
hand in Europe, the smaller area
each year planted in wheat in Great
Britain, and the increasing numbers
of the people, would lead to q demand
from this country during the current
harvest year almost as great as it was
during the harvest year Just closed.
WHY THE UNITED STATES WILL. EX-
PORT J9,00O,000 BUSHELS.
These estimates and conclusion were
based specifically upon:
]. Last years British crop, which
was extimated by Mr.. James Sander.
son, of London, at "A, ,4O0,O 900 bushels,
and by myself at a somewhat higher
figure.-Ne1O York Times, Feb. IS,
1874.
2. This years crop, as indicated by
my private advices from competent
sources of information.
3. The diminishing area annually
sown with "corn" (wheat) in the
United Kingdom, and the conversion
of corn lands into pastures and parks.
4. The average consumption per
capita hitherto.
5. The importatioHs of wheat and
wheat flour into the United Kingdom
during the last three harvest years,
which, for the first eleven months
thereof from Sept. 1, previously, to
July 81, 1872, 1873 and 1874 were re-
spectively, 1884, ,328, 80, ,4OS,I44, and
81, ,27l ,68S bushels.
6. The proportion of such importa-
tions which were drawn from the
United States during the first eleven
months of the harvest year, 1S73-4,
which was fifty-five per cent. of all
the importations of wheat and wheat
flour into the United Kingdom.
NOTE-I gave the importations into
the United Kingdom for the then ex-
pired portion of the harvest year 1873
only, because of the great arithme-
tical trouble ofcompiling them from
the British monthly accounts for
series of harvest years. They are
already compiled by the. calendar year
Jan. to Dec. 31) in the British Off
cial blue-books, but the movement of
breadstuffs, if reckoned by the calen-
dar, fiscal, or any other year but the
harvest year, is apt to be misleading,
and, therefore, 1 did not quote it.
However, now append it for a series
of calendar years Dast