Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-06
crop Prospect. at Home and Abroad.

We have before us a large number of re-
ports relative to the condition of the crops,
proceeding from variety of sources, but
agreeing, with an approach to unanimity
which is rarely reached in representing the
harvest prospects as exceedingly good. The
July report of the Department of Agriculture
gave cotton at an average of 100, the highest
for many years, and per cent more than
last year wheat at 9j, as compared with 81
at the same time last year. the falling off in
the Southern States and in the region west of
the Mississippi being counterbalancedb by gains
in the heavy wheat region north of the Ohio
river oats are reported at 90 as compared
with 90 the month previous, with general
prospect of full crop; the potato crop is in
good condition-fully as good as last year ;
rye and barley are in average condition. to-
bacco but slightly below the average, in the
various fruits there is a full average, and
most of the States show a wool clip in excess
of last year. The unfavorable reports of the
wheat crop in the Northwest either turn out
to have been unfOuuded, or are reversed by
later and more favorable conditions. The
Minneapolis Tribune, after thoroughly sift-
ing the crop news and collecting the state
ments of large number of persons in yari-
GUS sections of the State, declare that no seri-
GUS damage has been done, and that the pros
poets for large crop are satisfactory. From
reports, which are analysed by the New York
Tribune, it appears that the yield of wheat
in Central Iowa is one-third larger than that
of last year In Illinois the acreage of wheat
is 20 per cent greater than in 1879, and the
yield is likely to exceed last years by G,0O0,-
GOO bushels. In Michigan the increase of
acreage is 10 per cent, and the increased
yield will be about 4 ZOO, 900 bushels. The
crop in Indiana and Ohio is as large or larger
than that of 1879, and there will unquestion-
ably be an increase in Missouri, Kansas and
Nebraska. In the territories, the acreage of
wheat has been considerably enlarged, and in
California the yield promises to be very
heavy, the increased acreage promising to
counterbalance unfavorable conditions in
some sections of the State. The wheat yield
in the entire country last year-the largest
on record-was about 400 600, 600 bushels
1t is not likely that it will vary much from
that prodigious total this year, but if it does,
it is more likely to be in excess than to fall
below it.
The reports as to crop prospects abroad
are not yet sufficiently definite to admit of
very close estimates, but there can be no
doubt that the yield will be, in general, very
considerably larger than last year and the de
mand for American wheat proportionately
less. Last year there was general deficien-
cy in the yield over nearly the whole of Eu-
rope, and countries which have usually sur
plus for export had not enough to satisfy
their own needs. II was because of this very
large deficiency that We were able to market
our immense surplus. This year, after three
successive short crops in Europe, there APP
pears to be a prospect of a good harvest
there Russia is one of the most important
countries, because she has commonly sur
plus for export with which she supplies the
deficiencies of her neighbors. There is no
a,,Fa 10,
the crop there. There were rumors a few
days ago of serious injury to grain in North
| ern Russia, but later advices contradcted the
| reports and up to the Goth of June reports
from Odessa indicate that the crops in south
ern Russia were doing well. The Mark Lane
| Express reports seasonable weather in Eng
land, with indications of a good yield OF
wheat the situation in Scotland is promis-
ing and in Ireland there will be an abund-
ant crop. Reports from France indicate an
average crop as to quantity, and of better
quality than last year. Reports from Ger
many are unfavorable as regards rye but
good as regards wheat, and the same is true
as to Hungary. In Austria there is pros
| pect of an excellent harvest, and reports
from Roumania are encouraging.
With the prospect of q very general in
crease in the European crops, and of a yield
in this country even larger than that of last
year, two results must follow first, cheap
food in this country-a boon to all classes of
the population, and especially to the wage
receiving class; and second, lower prices for
wheat, in consequence of diminished de-
mand abroad-and so a less satisfactory re-
suit to the farmers. The New York Bulletin,
on the basis Of the average homo demand
for consumption and seed, and the average
demand from Europe when crops are not ex-
ceptionAlly short there, estimates that we
may have an unstable surplus of nearly or
| quite one hundred million bushels of wheat
Farmers will not obtain the prices which they
realized for their wheat last year, but we do
not doubt they will receive enough to make
the abundant harvest of this year blessing,
and not, as some appear to regard it, a mis-
| fortune.-B Boston Journal