Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-08-14
The Wheat Crop of 1855.
Milwaukee Wisconsin, july 3lst.

The season of 1885 is now so we'll
advanced that estimates of much re-
liability can be made as to the wheat
yield of the present crop year in the
United States and to some extent in
foreign countries. The Winter
wheat figures are all substantially at
hand, aid the Spring wheat crop
cannot possibly go beyond a certain
estimate which may yet be consider
sbly reduced; for this crop instead
of now being assured in yield or
quality, is passing through its most
critical stage and the contingencies
cannot all be removed until the grain
is in the stack.
The estimate of the yield of Win
ter wheat according to very late fig
ures gathered from excellent author
ity is that the crop is 100000, 900
bushels, against $40, ,O00, 900 bushels
raised in 1884. This is q shortage of
l6O, GOO as compared with the
remarkable yield of last year, and it
is an extraordinary shortage as COM
pared with any year. Another strik-
ing fact must be noted in this con-
nection. When wheat is deficient
in yield it is also deficient in quality
in about the same ratio. The -four
making and nutritive quality of the
present crop of Winter wheat is,
therefore, as deficient as the number
o. bushels. The above figures are
indisputably proved by another
method. The movements of Winter
wheat at the five principal Winter
wheat markets of the United States
recently aggregated but 256,OOO
bushels, against 100000 for the
same period last year. The figures
for other periods are very similar.
In the Spring wheat States the
outlook is still good, but the yield
will not, of course, reach the re-
markable figures of last year. The
acreage is somewhat decreased and
the standing grain does not look as
well. A late liberal estimate places
the yield at 121 100000 bushels
against 143, ,OO0, 900 in 1854. There
will thus be shortage of $4,000. 900
bushels in Spring wheat if the crops
succeed in fulfilling the excellent
promise which it now makes. But
this is not certain, and the total
shortage in any event will be 1872
600, 900 bushels.
Yet the price of wheat continues
low, under the influence, no doubt,
of the great stock on hand from the
extraordinary supply of 1884. The
total in sight and aAoat for Europe
on the 25th was Sc, ,449. 1924 bushels,
against 81, ,2SO. .444 bushels for the
same date in 1884, 81, ,1O4,511 in
1888, and 81, 800, ,341 in 1882. This
excess appears enormous, but it
amounts to only about 20, ,000, 900 as
the surplus now left of the crop of
1884, which was the largest ever
raised. 1t cuts very small figure
when compared with the present de-
ficiency of 1s2. 200, 900, to which may
be added the fact that the yield in
Russia is reported poor, while the
English harvest is yet uncertain.
The wheat-bread eaters of the world
have increased during the year prob
ably 10, ,000,0 900, and at the average
annual consumption of three bushels
each, the demand will be greater
than ever before by 3O.OOO,OOO
bushels.
Under these circumstances it is
somewhat surprising that the price
of wheat does not move upward.
That it will rise not long hence ap-
pears to be an inevitable result, and
the farmers of the northwest who
will have the grain to sell may yet
be generously rewarded for their la.
bor. When they are prosperous
every line of business feels the i'm
pulse. The outlook in the wheat
growing States can hardly be consid-
cred otherwise than favorable.