The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1879-07-31
Price Of Grain Likely To BE High This
season.

In public speech, sonie months ago, the + lrl
Of Derby conceded that in view of the unlint ed
facilities possessed by this country for produc
ing all cereals cheaply, and of the impossibiiity
of re establishing the old time laws for the
protection of domestic agriculture, the time was
close at hand when the British farmer should
abandon grain growing and seek profit in meat
producing, leaving the supply of brea'lstutfs to
the bountifnl harvcsts of this country. Despite
thelate reduction of rent, pretty general through
out the country, hundreds of good farms have
this year and last been thrown upon the ands
of the landlords, because farmers feared they
would be unable TO "make both ends meet" If
they rented them. Snch abandoned farms are,
in nearly all cases. turned into meadow or pas
ture lands, SO that the area under cereals in
Great Britain is rapidly diminishing every year,
while the population is increasing ut the rate Of
900 day. Already Mark Lane and other Eng
lish grain markets have ceased to be affected by
changes in the weather beneiicaly or Injurious
ly affecting domestic crops. Last week the tel =
egrams reported that the weather throu Chou
the British Isles very unfavorable to the
crops, and that at a critical season; but they
also reported that in view of the slight depend :
ence lately placed on the home supply, aud the
bright crop prospects announced from this side
of the Atlantic, the grain markets had rem al "a ed
unaffected by the unfavorabs weather.
Last Saturday the French Ministry announced
that in view of the scant harvest this season
throughout the greater part of the country,
France would have, this year, to import 500 600
900 worth of foreign grain. As a rule, that coun
try is an exporter of cereals to considerable
extent, so that this year, not only will thos Q
countries which have surplus Of cereals have
to supply nearly 500 700 900 worth of grain to
the French market, but they will also have to
furnish other countries, chiefly Great Britain,
the supply hitherto drawn from France.
The latest advices from Southern Russia on
chief competitor in the grain markets of tn 9
world, are highly unfavorable. Wind and rain
storms have greatly injured the crops in the ter
ritory tributary to Odessa, while swarms upon
swarms of lOcusts have ravaged many parts OF
the country. From Germany, late crop reports
are good but it is hardly probable that there
will be much of q surplus if any, except tobacco,
for expectation. There Is considerable agitation
in Spain for the repeal of lntes importat ii ons
of cereals, but in view of the fair outlook for
the domestic harvest, the Ministry, this year
have felt themselves strong enough to concede
only slight diminuton of the tax on imports
of flour. Italy is pretty sure to be one Of our
customers, or at any rate, she will not be ali Il
to spare any cereals to compete with ours in 9th
er markets.
On the whole, the grain crops in Europe thi,
year are considerably below the average and
the deficiency is precisely in those countries in
which it will do us the most good. Great Britain
aud France are, both by situation and friendlI
ness, naturally our greatest customers, and a,
both are wealthy. they are also our best. As ia
both of these the harvest is especially small
their demand surplus will be especially
large. Moreover, the mishaps that have lately
beta lie n crops in Southern Russia, by crippling
our greatest rival, will raise the price of oni
products, by cnrtailing expectations from that
quarter.-Raral Neg Yorker.