Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-25
AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS AND BUSINESS
PROSpECTS, .

All business oper Mons depend for their
success upon the condition of the agricultural
resources of country, and as these vary
from favorable to unfavorable, so are the
various industries which they support pros
porous and unprosperous. A good crop is
almost certain assurance Of a prosperous
business year; bad crop means more or
less business depression. The crop is some
thing more than mercantile barometer 1t
tells more accurately the business weather
for the year than the barometer does the
natural weather for the day. There is an
absolutcncss about its prophecy which is
more like the thermometer 1t can he trust
cd far more implicitly than the whole signal
service bureau
Taking the crop as the criterion for this
years business prospects, II is seldom that
the country has enjoyed more promising
outlook. 1t is certain that our supply of
breads,uffs will he enormous 1t is equally
certain that there will be large demand for
brcadstuffs abroad. Consequently our exports
will he large, and the market will not be over.
stocked The New York Commercial Bulle-
tin Of August 1lth estimates that we shall
have wheat crop of from $40, 100000 to
500, 400, 900 bushels, and this estimate is no
sNtravagant, although most calculations al
rive ut II slightly lower estimate.
According to all indications the European
cropof breadstuffs will not beeven an average
one. They have suffered far more than ours
from destructive rains and frosls, and the I'm
favorableness of the carly part of the season
is not likely to be atoned for by favorable
weather at the end of Summer and begin
ming of Autumn. The climate of Europe
is less stable than ours we have always a
very good Autumn, while in Europe the Au-
tumn is VIGOROUSLY the worst season OF the
year.
According to the latest reports from Eng
land there were in that country but 2,641 ,045
acres under wheat and all Great Britain had but
9 800, 800 acres to g 442, 1884 acres under barley
and 9, 901, 275 under oats. According to the
London Times of August, wheat was "below
the average" and sin many places it will be
very considerably below the average !" "the
ears, rs rule, are not more than hall devel-
oped" The French situation is similar, the
expectation that the wheat crop would pro-
duce one hundred million hectoliters having
been reduced from five to ten per cent by the
weather, while the country will need from
10 to liz million hectoliers, and looks to
this country for the difference, for the sup
position is that Germany, Switzerland and
Austria will consume nearly the entire sur
plus Of Hungary, Roumania and Russia.
The future supply OF India and Egypt is ex-
tremely doubtful, although it is worthy OF
note that in the year ended March 81, 1882,
East India exported wheat worth f7,17O,W O
to England, France and Belgium.
This being the condition of affairs in Eng
land and on the continent. it is safe to
assert that Europe will be glad to take Our
wheat, from two hundred million bushels up
ward. For the same reasons We shall I've
able to export the larger part of our corn at
good prices The bearings which these facts
have upon our National prosperity and the
consequent business prosperity OF the coun-
try will further appear when We take into ac-
count the fact of our being able in this way
to discharge the European debt which we
incurred last year on account of our heavy
imports of foreign merchandise. We can
pay for our imports in goods, and our fund
ed debt in Europe is comparatively small
There is no doubt that profits on American
exports this year will he enormous, and that
with judcous management we may find our
selves at the end of the year not only ont OF
debt but with fair showing of credit or
our side