The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-08-11
Ghe Sarnrer.
Hon tAs r0lsad, Ohio, Blaas.
The Year Of BOunty-Abundant Crops Ev-
erywhere, Z


The crop now being harvested is the
largest the country ever had. The acre
age Of wheat is largely. in excess Of any
since the settlement of The country, and
the yield per acre is infinitely greater. In
Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and
in fact all the wheat-gr growing States, the
average will not fall much below twenty
five bushels to the acre. To put ii at
twenty would be entirely safe. Hay is
magnificent, and has been secured in the
very best condition. The weather has
heen especially favorable, and the quality
Of the crop is not only immense, but the
quality is better than it has been for
years. Corn is now certainty. Never
was the eye gladdened with the sight of
sneh fields The stalks tower gloriously,
md the color superb. In some localities
there has been damage done by excess of
rain, but the splendid weather of the past
low weeks has brought much Of that safely
Tut, and the fields that were given up
tAree weeks ago now promise an av-
rage yield. These spots are SO small
lad so widely scattered as to be moth
ing but specks upon the smooth sur
lice Of our prosperity. This crop is so far
,long that the yield is certain to be i'm
mense, even though we do not have an-
other drop of rain during the season.
The situation is peculiarly favorable.
This enormous harvest finds the country
comparatively bare Of grain, with very
high prices ruling. The war in Europe
makes it certain that prices renlunerative
to the farmer will be maintained for q
year at least, even though they should
drop far below what they now arc The
wheat will be marketed Immediately and
vast amount Of money viii be put in
circulation. 1t is to be presumed that
the same condition of things exists, though
in less degree. at the other grain centres
Of the country.
We can obtain some conception Of the
immense benefits to be showered upon the
whole land by the consideration of the
statistics Of that portion of the country's
grain business which is transacted through
this city The last abundant crop in the
west was in 1874. OF that there was re-
ceived at this port the enormous quantity
Of 10, 107 1888 bushels Of wheat, and 967,.
766 barrels Of -four, making altogether
1896, 226 bushels Of wheat. During the
harvesting Of that year the prospects Of
large yield were not nearly so satisfactory
to the farmers everywhere as now. There
was vastly more croaking and grumbing
than there is at this time. If we are al
lowed to judge at all by this, the product
per acre must be at least twenty per cent.
more than that of 1874. Then comes
another important condition. The wheat
producing aseA is much greaterthan inlSS4;
the number offarms is greater; there is more
country cleared, and more ground reduced
to cultivation. The farming interest has
developed greatly in the last few years,
because other enterprises have stood still.
Thcu, again, every farmer was convinced
that high prices were to rule this year,
and he strained every nerve TO seed down
the last acre that his resources would ad-
NIT Of The increased acreage devoted to
grain has been placed by some observers
as high as 30 per cent, and by none at
less than twenty per cent It is not ex-
travagant to estimate that the joint effect
Of these causes will swell the volume Of
grain 20 pour into this city alone to 90 /.
100000 or 25,000,000 bushels. There
is hardly possibility that the average
price bf this grain will fall as low as 81
a bushel; it is much more likely to range in
the neighbofhood Of $3.50; but at 81, even,
it will bring in nOs ey enough to swell oil
the currents Of commerce bank full. u
In 1874 there was also a good corn
crop, but no better than this years prom
ises to be. The total number Of bushels
received here was 1901 1896. The same
reasoning 10 regard TO extension Of acreage
Of wheat applies with equal force to this
crop, and we can accordingly confidently
expect our corn receipts 70 swell to 30
00u,0Q0 bushels, ringing in price from 40 |
70 SO cents. At an average Of even 40 |
cents, il win bring sl2 100000, but it is |
more likely TO realize more money than
the Alabama award amounted to. Oats,
which have been failure since 1874
wills this year, yield very much more than
they did then, when We received $780,
247 bushels. If We get no more than
then, aud they average 20 higher than |
30 cents busheI, they win add nearly |
81, o00, 900 10 the amount that win swelI !
the farmers pockets. That there win be
an immediate improvement 10 business
y beyond question II cannot Be pre-
rented Tho golden tide Is now flowing
lnnn lie GlrnlA md L will turn lf0nl [