The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-12-06
Home Correspondence
Our Wheat Crop What will
be Done with it!

As that which concerns the agricultural cOmmU-
nifty cannot fail to concern also the interests Of ALL
have thought that good might result from brief
review in your paper of the present status of the
wheat interest in our section Of the State.
The unusual crop Of last season has made this 2
subject of special Importance TO us Just now, and
the present CRY Of the farmer is, "What shall do
with my wheat ?"
The crop Of 1877 found our county nearly ont Of
this cereal. Total or partial failures Of several
crops had used up what wheat was on hand, and
indeed much -four had been imported to Our coun-
ty during the ha'f-year previous to the gathering
o. lnstsummer's yield.
The outbreak of great war in that part Of Eu-
rope which was the chief grain-producing section
OF that continent, filled our people with the idea
thatwe were to reap enormoHs advantages from
their strife and sapply half the world with bread.
Word came also of deficienggsn, the English crop,
and that the wheat of CaTifurnia vas failure-
The market opened strong, and high hopes pre-
vailed of putting our product into the consumers
hands at such prices as were realized byOuE farm
e-s during Our civil war.
Soon, however, prices weakened, and though ar
tihcialIy sustained by combinations and carefully
spread reports, still the market rules weak, and
holders are quietly realizing as best thy can, il
order to be ready for further "tumhles.' A care
full review Of the situation win explain the cause
As have said, the RassO-Turkish var caused
expectations that have not been realized. It is
rue that Southeastern Russia is the wleat field of
Europe, and it was supposed that all interests but
those of war would he neglected when the armies
were called to the aeld. BIT Rlssin diplomacy
has been preparing for this war for many years,
and her statesmen did not neglect sush an imPOr
tant item as the grain yield, when they saw that
the Iong-hoped-for contest was rear at hand.
When the war opened THREE GREAT CROPS Of
wheat were stored in Russian ganuries, and
another was growing in the fields. The reserve
militia, with the assistance of tha women and
made their crops safe, aud but little call
has been made on other supplies.
There is, It is true, deficiency in the yield Of
the wheat land of England, amounting to about
twenty-threc millions Of Observation-Disclosures falls
short some twelve millions Of bushels, but Eng
land has been, since the year IS O. importing large
" from India, which raises the finest wheat in the
world. The foothills Of the Himlayas and the
valleys of the Ghaut mountains have proven pecu-
Iiarly adapted to the production Of this cereal,
and promise to become the great ivals Of Ameri-
ca in wheat production. OF course the cheap la
Dor Of HiudUstan, the low rate OF freights on re-
turning vessels from that country, and the natural
course OF trade between two sections of one gov
ernment give that land an advantage over ours in
for an English markel
In this connection may note a fact Of curious
interest, as showing how brain-wohI in beneficial
to the most common industry. Tie soil Of Hin
iostan, except the tops of The mountains, is allu
vial. The black soil becomes deposited in the
cracks of the wheat grain, and renders it worth
less for European consumption, by making the
-four black and understandable, until a French
man devised way to remedy this by spreading
The grain on iron floors and subecting it to long
treatment with jet of steam. The grain is then
dried by fires underneath the hoCrs, and put thrO'
machine which shakes it thoroughly and clears
t Of the dust, after which it makes better flour
than can be procured from the wheat of any other
portion Of the globe.
Well, as 1 have said, there was a deficiency in
The wheat product Of England and california last
summer, but to Offset this, there was an enormous
,rop in India houghin the rice countries there was
,anine) and in a large part of the United States
IN immense surplus. The States of Ohio. Indiana,
Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, |
.lone give a surplus of nearly one hundred million
bushels of wheat! Add to this the surplus in Mis-
5ouri. Kentucky, Pennsylvania aud other States, |
md it is hard to see where the hope is for ad-
'ance in price.
The prospect for next years crop-in spite Of
he usual cry of 'ay"-is excellent. An immense !
.creage has been sown, stimulated by the profit
# the last years ventures and the war in Europe
he basis of the speculation which has so far bOl-
tered up the market-threatens to terminate as
uddenly as it began.
have undertaken this hasty review Of this sub /
ect simply with a hope that might assist in ad-
-an;ing the interests of this community.
Farmers who refused dollar and quarter for |
yheat and now see it down to dollar and ten cents
re holding, and talking of gettinga dollar and |
af. OF course it would be gratifying TO rs all If
high price could be realized, as it would make |
ur county that much better off, but is it the part
# wise men to risk too much for the sake Of a
ittle2 Aul have not shown that the chances for |
decline are ten to one in favor Of q rise?
am no speCulatOr or dealer in the article, and |
Iave no personal interests to serve, but wish to |
i've such information as I can secure, for the |
,ood Of those with whose interests am acitizen
Identified. Yours sc. BUSINESS.