The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-10-15
COmcerming Wheat.

UIlelT duulISolOul
Concerning Wheat.
The Wheeling Intelliqencer gives
the following sensible talk on the
quality, price and profit Of raising
wheat:
A buyer of wheat in this city who
is posted tells us that the wheat
crop grown in this immediate region
this year is the best that he has han
died since 1872. The berry is re-
markedly plump and healthy. He
says that the crop is pretty much
sold out in some localities, while in
others the bulk of it is held for $3.50
per bushel. lie thinks that it will
go to that price in this market, if not
above it. He says that a we'll pos
ted broker in Chicago writes that,
mo. 2 Chicago spring wheat is ex-
pected to reach $1.75 in that market.
The wheat is pretty well sold out
about West Liberty in this county,
but further down towards the river
the bulk Of the crop is yet in hand.
In the neighborhood back Of the
Stone Westinghouse, at the forks of
Wheeling creek, the wheat is still in
the hands of the farmers, and there
is also good deal of it in the West
Alexander neighborhood. He does
not expect very much wheat to come
up the river when a rise occurs. He
says that the crop down that way
suffered from the rust, overflow, etc;
We asked him If the farmers here
were satisfied with the price they
were now getting ($1 45). NO"
said he, "they never seem to be very
well satisfied with the price, no odds
what it may be-" We asked him if
81 As paid them well for their labor,
capital, &c. He thought it paid very
well indeed. He estimates that the
crop of this region will average four
teen bushels to the acre, and that at
that price it pays the farmer profit
of about $12 90 per acre. He counts
the expense of wheat raising to the
acre as follows: Ploughing, 80 90;
seed, So II; drilling, so cents; har-
vesting, 81 90; hauling and stack
ing, 81 90; threshing, 81 40; taxes,
SO cents; repairs 80 cents, Total
SO OF. Fourteen bushels to the acre
at 81 As per bushel would yield
$40 80, and after dedueting expens-
es there would remain net profit of
$11 %. r.
The farmer, said he, gets steady
work on his farm at the wages indi-
Gated in the expense account, and
gets $1l % as dividend on his in
vestment. This is an average profit
of 40 per cent on the value of the
land.
"But," said we, ''he does not have
all his land sown in wheat" "Very
true" said he, "but he has it in some
thing else that pays perhaps as we'll,
such as grass, oats, potatoes and
corn. He can make a better living
and more clear money off small cap
ital than any man can make off the
same capital in business in this city.
Off of a capital Of $4,000 he can
raise his family well and lay up mon
ey, thing he could not begin to do
on the same capital in the city.
Following up this line of remark,
this wheat buyer, who was raised on
q farm, went on to say that the troub-
lie with the farmers, as he knew by
experience, is that they do not farm
to the best advantage They farm
more land than they can farm well
and properly. For instance said he,
they do not pillow deep enough. ]
have farm, and I had my tenant
this spring to use no 10 pillow in
turning up the ground for corn, and
I only ploughed as much LAND as
had manure for. This was about s. x
acres. The ground was ploughed
deeper than ever it had been before.
We went down deep and MANFRED
we'll the soil turned up, and the con-
sequence was that we did not suffer
from the drouth, and had az much
corn on six acres as some Of our
neighbors had on twenty-five acres.