The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-14

to the business community. Our Chicago
contemporary has indeed pursued its inquiries
in different field from ours and directed
them to different object. We sent reporters
and correspondents to all the chief centres OF
commerce in the United States, instructing
them to interview leading bankers, merchants
and manufacturers, and to report the
interviews verbatim, when OF sufficient
value, accompanying them with gem
eral summary Of results. The informa-
ton thus furnished attracted wide notice in
the press of the country. The Chicago Times
has directed its inquiries, not to the great
cities, but to the rural districts, aiming to give
an authentic statement of the present pros
poets of the wheat crop in the principal wheat
growing States of the Northwest It has great
array of telegraph reports from numerous
points in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana,
Kansas, Missouri, Michigan and Minnesota
in short, oil the wheat-growing States any
considerable portion Of whose products seek
o market through Chicago, the great gram
mart of the Continent.
The accounts relate chiefly TO the breadth of
ground sown with wheat as compared with
4
appearance OF the winter wheat since the close
of winter. On both these heads the reports
are satisfactory and encouraging. The breadth
of wheat sown IS represented to be even
greater than it was last year, and the appear
ance of the winter wheat fields is generally
very fine and thrifty. 1t was apprehended
that great injury would be done by the IN
wonted severity of the winter; but, fortu-
nately, these forebodinss have not been real
ized, owing, it is supposed, to the depth of
snow which lay on the ground during
the period when the cold was most
intense. Whether the protecting snow
was an unmixed blessing may per-
haps be doubted Had the ground lain
bare, and the frost done its perfect work,
great part of the winter wheat might have
been killed, but with it the life would have
and chipch bugs, and agriculture have been
exempted from these scourges for many years
to come. The ground might have been re-
ploughed for spring wheat and other crops,
and the severe. winter have proved blessing
| in disguise. We do not know whether winter
wheat can stand greater degree of cold than
4
| the eggs OF insects but let us hope that it
/ can, and that the seeds of these pests have
/ been destroyed. Be this as it may, the pros
/ poets for good wheat crop are excellent,
4 batting accidents of weather later in the sea-
son and the possible ravages Of insects.
| These promising reports from the great and
/ fertile Northwest are of universal interest
/ Agriculture is altogether the most important
I of our industries, and the one which gives
| life to ell the others. 1t is the main
pillar of the public prosperity. A
healthy revival Of business in the later
summer and early autumn months depends
on a propitious and fruitful season. The ma
jority of our people derive their subsistence
from the cultivation of the soil, and their
ability to purchase goods depends on the
abundance Of their crops. 1t is the grain
crop more than any other which sets the
wheels Of trade in motion, not only by the
large market for manufactured articles created
by the wants OF its producers and their ability
to pay, but also by the effect of cheap food in
increasing the consumption of other things
by the inhabitants Of cities. When food is
dear and it takes a great part of peoples
earnings to supply their tables there is little
left for the supply of less indispensable
wants. Moreover, a stegnant demand for
manufactured goods throws artisans and IA
borers out Of employment or diminishes their
wages, 50 that in proportion as food is dear
they have less money to expend in its pur-
chase. Agriculture is thus the main axe
on which the business of this country
turns Il also furnishes the chief employ
ment for our great lines Of transportation, the
clamor for cheaper freights within the last
few years having arisen in the great grain
growing regions Of the country 1t is the
grain trade which covers the great lakes with
vessels, which gives employment to our
canals, which creates the chief competition
I between rival Atlantic cities which encourages
the hopes Of Canada to rise in the scale of
commercial importance by diverting Western
products down the st. Lawrence.
\ The grain products of the West are the chief
source from which the stream of our foreign
commerce is fed. The single article Of cotton
makes, to be sure, larger figure in our ex-
\ port statistics than the article of wheat but
\ if we Join with wheat Indian corn and the
i products Ct Indian corn, like bacon, pork and
lard. the total considerably exceeds the export
Of cotton. We insert the following statement
OF the value of such articles exported in
Il 1874
wheat aud nour $3.50 Tss, $50
lndian corn ana mea.................... Zo2b9,33
Bacon ana hams........ 36.3l0 IA
Lard l@JOs0l9
PORK 5s0s,Il2