St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-23
SHORT WHEAT CROP.

Bradstreet's in its issue of May 16 has
a leading article in which the attempt is
made to show that the shortage in the wheat
crop is more of a scare than reality.
''That this hue and cry" it says, twill be
likely to mislead many cooler heads is made
evident by the mournfully Respondent edi-
torial of the generally well-informed Chi
cago Tribune, in which it mourns the proba-
BILE harvest of but $50, 900. 900 bushels this
year as compared with 513, 900, 600 of 1884
and with $780, 600, 600 bushels in 1ss1-a
genuine short crop"
Comparing the estimate of six of the win
ter wheat states, viz: Illinois, Kansas, In
diana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio, it
draws the inference that the shortage in
winter wheat will not exceed 100. 600, 900
bushels.
The Nashville American does not agree
with this estimate of Bradstreets, but is
of the opinion that the shortage will be
greater than even that estimated by the
Tribune. After collecting all the
facts from sources of information
within its reach in regard to Ken
lucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Mary
land, Michigan Wisconsin, Califor-
mia, Iowa. West Virginia, Alabama,
Georgia, New York. Indiana, Illinois,
Kansas, Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee and
Minnesota, the American finds but one
single state, Michigan, which promises a
full harvest. 1t says that in all the others
''the damage from winter-killing, insects,
late sowing and other causes, has never
been properly estimated until the first of
this month. 1t is now conceded that in
some instances the damage is so per cent.
greater than it was thought to be a month
ago. The mild spring weather, which has
given the plant better appearance, has
served also to show how irreparable is the
damage. Hundreds of fields in the states
of Kentucky and Tennessee, upon which
the wheat was left standing, with the
expectation that it would till and yield a
fair crop, are striking pictures of vegetable
desolation. In four counties out of five,
within these states, if the entire wheat now
standing should be garnered, it would not
replace the seed that was sown. There can
be no exaggeration in this matter. The
fact is palpable to every man who can see.
We think, therefore, that the Tribune's esti-
mate of crop of $50, 900, 900 bushels is too
great, but accepting this as the probable re-
suit of the next harvest, let us apply the
other figures of Bradstreet's and see where
we shall stand.
The wheat supply July 1, 1888, was $780,,
600, 600 bushels, the crop for that year be-
ing 400, 900, 600, and a visible and invisible
supply Of 10000, 900 bushels. The home
consumption as estimated July 1, 1884, was
1874, 600, 900 bushels, which left LAG, 900, 900
available for export. Of this 107, 600, 900
bushels of wheat and flour were sent abroad,
leaving on hand "a, 100000 bushels. The
crop of 1884 was 513, 900, 600, to which add
the "a, 600, 900 carried over, and it will give
SAT, 900, 600 bushels on hand July 1, 1884.
Deduct 346, 600, 900 for home consumption
and we have 9O1, GOO, 900 available for ex-
port during the year ending July 1, 1885.
The exports from the United States to May
1 have been $3.50, 600 bushels. There
have been s,727, 900 barrels Of -four ex-
ported within the same period. Reducing
the flour to equivalent bushels of wheat,
and the total exports from July 1, 1884,
to May /, 1885, is 14,6s9, 900. This will
,amount to an average of II, 1885,
900 bushels per month, which for
MAY and June will add to the amount ex-
ported %, 9s7, 800, making a total of 49,