Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-12-02


Many farmers are holding back
their wheat with the expectation
of better prices in the spring.
But from all the lights before
u.s." we consider il rather risky
business, especially when we look
back at the condition of things
this time last year. About the in
coming of harvest the past year
in Great Britain the stock of old
wheat on hand in that country
was stated to be very light, and
fears were entertained that with
the inferior crop, which turned
out to he the lowest average per
acre that had been known for
many years, breadstuffs would be
high and scarce. Our markets
were called upon, and during the
three months Of July, August and
September there were shipped
from the United States fifteen
million bushels of wheat. Great
Britain had a short crop, Russia,
too, 1t will be remembered, had
short crop. and everybody believ-
that wheat would 60 up. The call
upon this country was accom-
panied with good prices. In Sep
TENDER the price Of wheat in Great
Britain was SO shillings per quar-
| ter, now it Is As shillings.
In New York extra wheat
| was quoted at S1.70, now it is 81
80, and so down according to
quality. The demand was SO
good that, from every quarter,
supplies poured into Great Brit
ain till prices settled down, and in
spite of her light crop her gran
cries became stuffed, aud keep
stuffed up to the resent tim.
Her graneries remain full, and on
top of them comes, first, Great
Britian's own crop, admitted to
be good, aye, so good, that the
best authorities indicate that she
| will need some twenty millions Of
bushels less than she did last year.
California alone has crop that
is estimated as sure to permit an
| export of twenty and thirty MIL
lions of bushels. Certainly the
wheat crop OF Russia has met with
no such disastrous drolth as be-
fel it last year, and hence we may
coincide i'm much better one.
The rye crop of Europe from all
| accounts and it is the crop upon
which the great masses of people
depends much better zone
than that Of 1875. The accounts
from France are that the wheat
crop Is much less in quantities,
though much better in quality
than last year. Still the author
tiles of that country differ SO very
much every year Among them
selves about her crops, that it is
difficult to arrive at any definite
information on the subject,
But this much we know, that
with the stock of last years.
crop, yet held in this country, and
this years crop, there is not near
SO good show for better prices
as there was this time last year.
We certainly must iuoA luf ,oW
average of prices for some months
to come, and then, as last year,
any advance in prices is sure to
bring out such a supply as to
weigh the markets so heavily that
no permanent rise need be looked
for, unless it be that the crop OF
next year will meet with some ex-
traordinary disaster-a circum-
stance not very likely to occur.
There are many who count large
ly on the wheat crop of the North
western States, being estimated by
the Agricultural Department: at
Washington at one third less than
last year. But even if this were
SO, (Which we very much doubt),
the surplus crop OF California
would more than make up the
difference.
Th' i owe is the outlook at pr sent,
so far as the wheat market is con-
cerned, what changes may occur
between now and next harvest of
course we cannot foretell, but We
see nothing by which hope can
ne based that prices will improve.
baltimore Sun.