National Republican., 1884-04-03
PRODUCTION OF CEREALS.
Extraordinary Development Of Agriculture in
the United States.
importance OF tho Home NIarket-com-
pnrAtlvciy Small Expectation OF Corn.

In response to resolution adopted by the
United States senate Feb. 90 the commits
sioner Of agriculture has sent to that body
statement showing the production Of wheat,
rye, corn, and cotton produced in this country
during tho past five years, the amount Of each
product exported, the amount consumed at
home, and the surplus remaining over at the
close Of tho years 1882 and 1888. During q
considerable portion of the period covered by
this resolution there was partial failure of
the cereal crops in western Europe, and this
gave extraordinary development to agri-
cultural industry In Amorica. With the ex-
coption Of the year 1881 the whole period was
one of continued fruitfulness in the United
States.
The average ratio Of yield Of corn for the
country at large is twenty-six bushels per
acre. During tho past three years which
were not good corn years. the yield was
something less than this. The total produc-
bion of corn from 1877 to 1884, inclusive, was
1891 800 bushels; tho average yield per
acre was 25.4 bushels, and the average price
was 40.6 cents A poor crop always put up
the price without regard to tho actual
amount produced. For instance, the crop of
1878 was 1855, ,21s,750 bushels, and the price
was only 3l.S cents whilo in 1881 the crop
was scarcely 100000 bushels less but the
average price was 63.6 cents, just double the
average price in 1873. In 1873, however, the
average yield per acre was 26.9 bushels, while
in 1881 il was only 1876 bushels, and this
accounts for the extraordinary difference in
price. The acreage adapts itself to the needs
of the country, and If the yield per acre was
the same from year to year there would be
but little variation in the price; but when
the yield per acre exceeds or falls below the
average tho price will ineyitably go up or
down.
Corn is grown on about five.eights Of tho
area devoted to cereals in the United States.
1t is produced everywhere, but grows poorly
on ground that is more than 5000 feet above
tho level of tho sea. The average annual
production for the past five years was
LAS, 543, ,79i bushels and the average con-
sumption at homo was 1897, ,016, 1872, or 9i.4
Of the whole. 1t is q great mistake to sup
pose that any considerable portion of the corn
crop is exported to foreign countries. Of the
the crop reported by the tenth census only
90, 169,877 bushels were exported, the value
thereof being $53205,247, or 54.3 cents per
bushel. 1t is not the foreign demand, but
the home demand, that regulates the price.
1t is only when the home price is low that
corn is sent abroad.
The average yield of wheat per acre ia much
less than farmers who are accustomed to raise
good crops would naturally suppose. Taking
the whole country over tho average yield per
this in the northern winter wheat belt (west-
ern New York, tho Ohio valley, and the
Pacific COAST, and less in the spring wheat
region and in the cotton states. France used
to lead all the other nations in the production
of wheat, but since 1874 the United States has
been at the head of the list, and for the past
ten years has averaged "A per cent. moro than
France.
Tho area Of wheat has doubled in sixteen
years, and the ratio of increase is more than
double that of population. For instance, in
1S49 we raised 0,4S5,9i4 bushels of wheat
or Al bushels for every man, woman and
child in tho country. In 1879 we raised 49,
Asa, 1877 bushels, or o 1-5 bushels for every
soul of the population. The annual average
production from 1877 to 1881 was 425, 1885,.
92S and tho average price was $1.02 per
| bushel. OF the entire product during the
| past five years 80 per cent. has been ex'
ported. Tho excessive production has put
down the price of No. wheat at Chicago tr
| % cents bushel and the remote effect will
proper rotation of crops. The average valu,
of tho wheat crop per aero during the pas
| five years was Sl2.73.
| Rye has become a miner crop, and tn,
average annual production is only 22,41s 05;
| bushels. The price has been advancing
steadily, In 1877 it was 59.2 cents per bushel
and in 1881 it was 93.3 cents per bushel. The
average production per acre is 1873 bushels
and the value per acre is $9.15.
The stock of wheat on hand March !, 1884
is estimated at 119000.OOO bushels. The
stock on hand March 1, 1883, was 143,o00,0 ,00C
| bushels.
The cotton crop of 1888 aggregated abou
| 5,250,00O bales. and has only been exceeded
by two previous crops in the whole history o.
cotton production. In 1852 the production
was 6949,756 bales. The expectation o.
cotton from 1877 to 1881 was 67.6 per cent. O.
the whole production. The aggregate sun
received from foreign countries for cottor
since 1865 falls some hundred millions below
the sum received for breadstuffs and animals
and their products.
The agricultural department reports tn,
winter wheat sown last fall for the crop O
1884 as in generally good condition. The
wide area of snowfall has, upon the whole
been favorable to the wheat, and the prospect
for good crop is quite encouraging.