Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-05-12
THE POSITION OF WHEAT.
Conflicting views Of the STANDARD
Authorities
New York Tribune, May 3. ]

South of the serious injury to the vim
ter wheat have induced strong spec
ulative feeling, aud there can be no
doubt that these reports are well fOun-
ded of this we have abundant proof,
but the extent of the damage can not
be accurately arrived at until after the
MIDDLE of May, or until they have
their usual warm spring rains. Where
the ground was projected by snow up
to the 29th of April, no injury is re-
ported. The cold dry weather from
| the 5th of April 20 the 22d of that month
was too severe for the plant, aud if UNI
protected by snow, we fear warm rains
now can not save 1t. We learn from
the West that farmers are blowing up
their wheat fields, and in many cases
putting III spring wheat This, we
think, is Il mistake, especially south
of this latitude we think it would be
far better to plant Indian corn or SOW
oats. Early last autumn, the atten-
tive reader will remember, we took u
more hopeful view of the future of
wheat just harvested than most wri-
tiers here and in Europe then enter
tanned indeed, they almost invariably
took a very different view of the flu
ture.
1t will be remembered we very early
commenced to consume the crop of
1874. Here and in Europe, supplies
everywhere being exhausted, and not
withstanding the crop here and in
Europe was equal to any ever prodced,
still most dealers and writers lost eight
of the fact that the crops of Indian
corn, rye, oats and barley were not
above two-thirds of an average; hence,
with very limited supplies in the gra-
merry, both here and in Europe, and
marked deficiency i'll the hay and root
crops, here as well as in Europe, we
felt very condent that wheat must be
largely used in their stead, and after
an interval of six months time our ex-
pectations have been fully confirmed.
The consumption of wheat and COM
mon -four by horses and cattle in Great
Britain, it is now stated, is fully S,000,-
900 bushels, aud on the Continent the
estimate is about 1900, 600, which ag>
gregate q, 600 600; now to this add the
quantity used by MASTERS and di-til-
lers, and we shall fined ere next har-
vest that farmers here and in Europe
will not hold any considerable portion
of their last crop.
The imports into Great Britain for
the week ending with 9th of April
exceed 1850, 600 bushels; hence we
|, think they have sustained prices re-
markedly well. The quantity now
atioaJ for Great Britain is about TO-
400, 600 bushels. The falling off in the
exports from this coast, rs well as from
California aud Oregon theI past fort
night is very noticeable, ana we fear
our exports will continue to fall below
former estimates. The intelligence
, published in another column from
California, in regard to their wheat
crop, is the most important received
for long time. IL is very certain that
| their exports the coming season will
4 fall greatly below that of last year,
and this, III connection with the injury
to the winter wheat in the old States,
is of very great importance, both il u
2 tinancia! and commercial point of
view.
2 New York Bulletin. May 8.
From the mass of contradictory, and
E apparently exaggerated, reports of the
past two weeks of the damage done to
the crops by the recent cold weather,
it appears reasonably certain now that
I winter wheat has sustained greater
> damage by winter-killing than the
' more conservative have been inclined
to believe, until within the past few
: days. This view of the case is borne
4 out by private correspondence from
u.
= 1t appears from these statements that
the later dispatches have been less
j. colored, from the fact that through
), large sections the farmers are actually
1 blowing up their wheat fields for other
Q crops, the average being distributed
" between spring wheat, corn and oats
VI in something like equal parts, 1t would
- seem. AS before indicated, those sec
. tiOns extend over and are mostly re-
u stricted to Southern Ohio and Indiana,
e Central Illinois and Northern Mis-
~ souri,, although in Indiana it reaches
in some places TO the interior of the
State, in Illinois to the northern por-
ton and in Missouri TO the centre.
North of these localities the snow
Il protected the roots, and south of it the
d winter was not severe enough to injure
n them.
If The belt described promises, there
lie fore, not over u two-thrds, and posi-
II bly, not over a half crop, while north
r of it the prospect is good for an aver
1t age yield, and south of it for more than
4. that. From this, in connection with
y the increased acreage of winter wheat,
A. 1t would seem safe TO anticipate about
t. two-thlrds crop, possibly more, and
ID certainly not less. This state of af-
il fairs, however, will tend to the sowing
5, Of a large acreage of spring wheat, OF
i which already indications are not
Of wanting in the spring wheat States
lc with good season, it is likely, there
Is fore, that the total crop of the United
l. States will be an average one.
a So far as winter wheat prospect are
b. concerned the Agricultural Depart.
menrs report for April, although OF
la little value In and of itself, supports
N this view of the case.
b. IL may be said that the belief in 9
D. short crop has put the price of winter
a. wheat in the Western markets so high
r that 1t can not be brought here, MOI
ic ground by Western millers to SEND
o. here, even at the soc advance obtained
he on winter wheat flour last week
e. while there is no winter wheat on thi.
ne market at &c advance.
ar Governor Morton.