The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-09-28
Our Wheat OrOp-shall We Sell Early .

The wheat crop of 1873 deserves mora
than passing notice, as it is estimated tbo
largest In the history of this country or
perhaps, in the world It is rather earlv
TO be too positive of such conclusion bnt
present indications point STRONGLY that
way Should such prospects be realized
prices must certainly decline to a fionr,
below which it can be produced without
loss to the farmers, and of which tbar,
should not complain, as they have for
several wears reaped fair crops at full
prices, aud have been less effected bv the
panic than any other of our industrial
classes. From what the writer can learn
there Is strong disposition to thresb ont
and sell of their wheat crops as early as
possible, in order to realize the best prices
Ihis advice is given generally by agricul-
tgrai Journals, and may not be out of
place as rule, but there are two sides 70
this as well as any other questions.
We may, or rather We will not be like
to see such general good wheat crop
ior time at least, and possibly another
year may bring with it quite an Offset 10
tins bcuntifnl crop, which would be moth
ing unusual With these possibilities
would it not be better not to rush off too
large proportion of the present cron at
oneeT Should there be only moderate
foreign demand, it will haze to remain +,
the country at any rate, and wound Il not
ai"ays De better for the producer as well
as the consumer, if the greater proportion
OF the surplus was held by the farmer in
stead OF by spectators ? Itwould certain
" prevent the sudden fluctuations which
are SO common where any article of com
meree Is largely in the hands of the latter
In reference to future crops, l would
like to dissipate the prevailing notion that
we can no longer raise wheat crops. sucb
as our fathers did. That the seasons have
much bearing upon our success or failnre
to raise good crops, fully admit. but we
also know that the Supreme Ruler has
adjusted the laws of nature in sueh man.
aer that they do not prove strictly uniform
each season, and that our forefathers' Il.
forts to raise wheat were subject TO these
same irregularities, and they had no spe.
clal advantage over US except larger pro-
portion OF virgin soil; but one thing we
haa better keep in mind is, there has been
scarcely season in a score of wears tba.
there were not some fields of good whea.
even IN a year of general failure. which
sould teach us this lesson, that the cause
OF our failure is not altogether owing to
climatic infuenees-either our fields Sero
not IN the proper condition or our seed
was not all right, or something else with.
In human control was wanting.
No thanks to him who raises good crops
IN favorable seasons, but he who ALWAYS or
generally succeeds In raising fair to good
crops, when all around him fail; it is he who
deserves credit for overcoming the obstacles
which have caused failures with his neigh.
oors. Such instances may be seen all over
the country, not only applicable tc wheat
but to other crops as well. Now, if our
soll IS to some extent exhausted for the
purpose of raising certain crops. and we
make efforts TO extract therefrom what Is
not In 1t, we deserve failure, since we have
access to fertilizers which contain the NO.
cessary ingredients to mature any crop We
may wish to raise. All that is required is
to ascertain what is lacking therein and
supply such deficiency, and we may inst
as well put ourselves squarely down 10
some process of this kind, for bountiful
mother earth will not be cheated of her
just dues without giving us fairnotice when
we tax her too heavily.-H. NJ. Engle. in
Ohio Farmer.