Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-12-26
The Low Price of Wheat.

The farmers of this country, who were
blessed with an unusually large crop of
wheat, have been disappointed in realiz-
ing their expectations of an increased
return from their labors of the year by
the decrease in the price Of their principal
product-w heaC-the demand for their
surplus from abroad being very largely
decreased, in consequence OF the unusual
and almost universal increase in the
cereal crops of Europe, where they have
heretofore shipped the larger portion of
their Overplus for the supply of the home
market This state of things proves the
correctness of the idea to which we have
heretofore frequently had occasion 10
refer-that the real prosperity of every
other branch of business i'll the United
States is dependent upon the prosperity of
the farmers thereof, and that, from what
ever cause it may he that they are de-
pressed, the consequence naturally falls
also upon the other classes OF the body
polite; and when they are prosperous, 80
and activity To all others. At the present
time there is undoubtedly great deprrs-
sion in every branch OF trade, although
there should be no cause for any sudden
changes that can interfere with the BUSH
ness Of the country. But the very fact Of
the state of uncertainty as To the future
will, in spite of every argument To the
contrary, piess upon the mind of that
class of people who usually look ahead Of
the present state of things, and are timid
as to what Tomorrow may bring forth.
So far AS the price of wheat is concerned,
it is the staff of life, and must he had AT
any cost; aud with the additional millions
OF population which are added yearly To
our population, the probabilities are that
the product Of the coming year will, from
various causes, be likely to fall of, rather
than increase, and the next years prices
will be found to be compcnsating result.
But, Of course, this is mere conjecture {;
and the bulls and bears of the corn mar
ket will, AS usual, be putting forth their
sage augures to suit their own interests,
and the intelligent farmer must be on the
alert to keep advised of passing events,
and act accordingly.
There is an old but unphilosophical
ajage, that "misery loves company" and
we find by the London (Eng.) Economist
that 1.-The tremendous drop in the price
of wheat has produced something like II
panic among the wheat growers OF the
country. When they had to sell al forty
shillings quarter they declared they
could only do so AT IA loss, and now that
good red wheat is selling in the country
markets at thirty shillngs they are talk
ing about giving up wheat growing alto
gether What will farmers do: They
certainly cannot keep on growing wheat
to sell at thrty shillings quarter, and il
they were sure that such price would
prevail next year, there would probably
be a greatly diminished area sown with
this cereal. Ii is doubtful whether En-
glish farmers can probably grow wheat
at forty shillings a quarter, and we may
be certain that If the average price should
be permanently below that figure, the
area of land under wheat will in future
decrease even more rapidly than il has
done during the last ten years. In no
country will farmers keep OH growing
wheat at a loss. Even the ryots of India
cannot send us wheat at thirty-six shil-
lings quarter, aud it may be concluded
that no other country can; therefore, the
present low prices will not last long"