The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1879-12-11
The southern Farmer
TOPICS FOR FARMERS.

HtOW "a AEub tEWp . E@SU &ElAF#
For the past three or four years our
farmers have been fortunate in finding
profitable markets for their wheat crops,
despite the vastaaditionsannUally made
to the area undert this cereal. The last
report Of the Department of Agriculture
put the condition of this crop through
out the whole country at seven per cent.
better this year than at the same date
last year, Rnda moderate estimate of the
aggregate increase in yield, places it at
10000, 900 bnshels. Yet in the face of
this unparalleled crop, prices now leave
a fair margin to the farmer, and there is
little or no doubt but that they will
continue to rise as a moderate ex-
port trade succeeds the rush which
is now overstocking our foreign markets.
Stimulated by their past and pres
ent successes with this crop, there is
strong probability that our farmers will
devote TO it the coming year even a
larger area than they have hitherto done,
in the expectation that next year they
will find for it an equally profitable
market. What is the prospect that this
expectation will be realized7
Two circumstances have contributed
chiefly to the good fortune we have met
with III. our wheat production during the
last few years-the crops here have been
excellent, while those abroad have been
more or less deficient, and the shortage
Juere, fortunately for us, has been in in
verse proportion to the increase here.
The latest trustworthy statistics of the
wheat harvest throughout Europe says,
that taking 100 as representing the aver
age harvest, that Of the present year in
Austro-Hungary may be represented by
IS; in Germany by So; in France by
rs; in Switzerland by so; in Italy by
83; in England by II; in Russia by 70;
and in Roumania by 80. OF course, as
the harvest, as a rule, has not been
thrashed there yet, considerable modif-
cations may have to be made in these
figures, but &c is hardly probable that
these notifications will be for the better.
Even with q full average crop, Europe
would require a large measure of foreign
assistance 10 feed her teeming popula-
ton, and Of course, with these deficicn-
Cies evaryElere in her supply, the
amount hf foreign cereals needed to keep
her people from starvation must be pro-
~portionately greater than in years of
average harvests. Moreover, the wheat
crop is not the only failure across the 1
Atlantic this year; most of the other {
crops, also, have been more or less short,
and the deficit in these must be made up I
from outside sources, chiefly in wheat 1
products, because these can be trans l
more easily and cheaply than any !
equivalent form of food. {
Isitprobable, however, that the pres !
emit iilluCk will attend European agri-
culture next year2 viii the weather
thenb be equally disastrous to the farmers
efforts and hopesf for the present poor
harvests are. on all hands attributed y
orwholly to the eKeerable wealth. a
err, which during the last year. has
afflicted nearly the whole of Europe. t
These are questions upon which cur 3
readers are as well able to speculate as q
ourselves. They can also see with equal Il
c~learness, that an abundant wheat crop \
across the Atlantic next year, is certain Il
10 lessen the demand for oil cereal o
products, and as the supply here is likely Il
to be unusually great, The prices, in that v
case, would necessarily be unusually low, Y
unless q poor crop here by Diminishing a
our surplus should increase the price q
for it. 4
The Indiana Farmer says there is a h
notion prevailing that hardships 4
make young stock hardy. A colt that j
IS weaned i'll The fall, as is commonly the Il
'ase, should not be allowed to become I,
Door in the winter. It is true that il Il
will often improve so rapidly in the d
pring, thatits wretched conditionin the 4
will seem really to have been an 4
advantage to il, but 1t is a grave mis- !,
AXE. If the same condition were i'm p
,osed during the whole period of growth, y,
he effect would be very ~perceptible. W
Although the summer may in some de- m
rec remove the effect Of winter, no ami. :,
lai SO treated ever becomes what it Il
hight have been In size, symmetry OF y,
orm, and usefulness, By generous treat %
tent. There is profit iii breeding nice f.
and draft horses. As a general or
ale, 1t costs no more To raise a good colt Il,
a poor one, while the former will IL
ring two or three times as much as the n
tier. a dark stable is a poor place to f.
9ep q colt, ~