The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-09-21
ABOUT THE CROPS.

bushels, and the crop of 1881 was
375, 100000 bushels, while the aver
age yield of corn was 1,270,000,O00
bushels, and the crop of 1881 $780,
0O0, 900 bushels. The average yield
of cotton was 5,261, 900 bales, while
the crop of 1881 was 5,435,O00 bales.
A contrast of this average with the
crop of 1882 shows a great differ
ence The yield of wheat aggre-
gates 55O, 100000 to 6OO,OOO,OOO BUSH
els; corn, 1,6OO,OOO,OOO to 100000
900 bushels; cotton, 100000 to
$500, 900 bales. If these estimates be
entirely true the excess of produc-
ton over the average of the last sep
tade will be in wheat 100000
600 bushels, or about fifty
per cent; corn 42O,OOO,OOO bushels. or
! thirty-three per cent ; cotton, $780,
600 bales, or nineteen per cent. The
wonderful progressiveness of the
United States, coupled with the de-
mands of foreign countries for our
grain and cotton, has prevented any
thing like the injurious results from
over production which would affect
older countries under similar cir
cumstances. The enormous increase
in the capacity of domestic consump-
ton is illustrated by reference to the
corn crop, which, in importance.
overshadows all others. In the last
seven years the exports of corn
varied between 49.5O0OOO bushels
minimum and 9S,2OO,OOO bushels
maximum, or about one-twentieth
of the crop, and domestic con-
sumption has increased in that Pc
riod by about 5OO,OOO,OOO bushels.
The domestic consumption of wheat
has increased much more slowly,
viz: from 215,OOO,OOO to 3OO,OOO,OOO
bushels. The growth of the live
stock interest has been parallel to
the increase in the domestic con-
sumption of corn, a feature of our
commercial development than which
none could be more gratifying, and
in the form of hog and cattle pro-
ducts we derive from corn one of the
principal resources of our foreign
trade. While we export only five
per cent of the average corn crop,
we export it In this secondary form
as livestock products to the extent
of at least thirty per cent. These
figures are suggestive of the
greatest abundance. Plenty must
rule, and cheap prices must be enjoy
ed; yet the producers grow rich, for
prices are not going to be too low,
even with the large crops, for splen-
did remuneration. AS to the present
outlook for prices, it may be sugges-
ted, that although the wheat crop is
the largest ever produced, the excess
does not exceed if it equals the vac
uity, in overplus stocks in America
and Europe, that the home demand
will require about 100000 bushels
more than in any previous year, and
that the foreign demand will proba-
bly, be, with reasonable prices,
of large dimensions. The corn
crop will not vary materially
from the crops of 1879 and
1880, which were easily consumed,
though less than 1OO,0OO,OOO bushels
were exported in either year. In
the coming crop year there will be
some deficiency in the supply OF
live stock to feed, and distillers will
consume much less than in the last
three years, but the glucose factories
will absorb much more than in any
previous year. The domestic trade
will be exceedingly limited, as ev-
cry section except the northeastern
states will have a sufficient local
supply. In Texas we have to buy
no corn, and our sale of live meat
many times surpasses the importa-
ton of cured meats. Our cotton
crop will bring into the state $751;
100000, and the wool crops adds to
our home fund Sc, 100000. Certainly
in our neck of the woods there is no
reason tor complaint, and there will
be none, since Davis, Jones and CON-
pany stand not the ghostof chance
in revolutionizing the political and