Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-05-27

5000, 900 last year. In the summary of
estimates of the whole country made by
Mr.. Chamberlain, of Ohio, and referred to
above, he puts the Virginia crop--at 2, 7o0,
600, 1t will be observed that our home
authority is still under his figures.
Mr. Sims Secretary of the Kansas State
Agricultural Society, says: "The winter
wheat-crop in what is known as the West
ern winter-wheat belt will be the greatest
failure for ten years. %
The Chicago Prairie Farmer, good au-
thority says that every apparent prospect
indicates that current prices will be main
tanned, if not materially advanced.
The Farmer, of the 23rd inst, has been
received since the first part Of this article
was in type. In a review, entitled, 'The
Crops-Evening Things Up, we find good
foundation upon which TO rest that feature
of our article in relation to changing the
system of agriculture:''
Last autumn, with our fruitful harvests
garnered, and the rare occurrence of good
grain crops nearly the world over, there
was almost CONSERVATION among farmers in
all our Western States. How much was
said and printed about Interpretations
about the vast increase in the area brought
under cultivation, on both sides of the
Rocky Mountains; about the wonderful
wheat regions coming into use in the North
west, far up into Canada; about the rapid
development of wheat growing in India and
Australia, and the great increase of corn
growing in Europe. We had from many
sources gloomy pictures of the future of
wheat and corn growers in all the new
States, and dissertations upon the necessity
of changing the system of agriculture
1t was claimed that, henceforth, wheat, for
example, would not command price enough
to pay the actual outlay in growing it.
We advised, and even urged, our own
readers to hold on to all of their unsold
grain they psssibly could, to live within
themselves for a while, to be patient and
wait the result.
That result is coming even sooner than
we ourselves anticipated. From the pres
ent outlook, it seems possible that all the
surplus of 1884 will have nearly melted
away during the present year; though there
is large surplusage still remaining in some
quarters, as of wheat in California, etc.
probably enough to prevent any great
scarcity, even should the incoming harvest
turn out the poorest one for decade of
years past. The stock of visible wheat,
that in the elevators and store houses, and
in transit east of the Rocky mountains, in
: Guiding Canada, stood:
Bushels.
May Is, 1885. Observation-Disclosures. 40, 921. S33
May II, 1884 Observation-Disclosures. 81, 625, 750
Increased amount this year.. 10, 296, 0S3
But this is only a small per centage of
the whole crop, or less than per cent, or
| bushel in % of the United States wheat
: croeaf 1854 )"
The Northeastern Miller, standard
trade journal published at Minneapolis,
the milling center of the world, in its issue
of the 22nd instant announces its views of
the future of wheat as follows:
''The spectators now hgve full control
over the grain markets of this country
This is what we expected, and the course
of prices shows that the men who make
corners and squeeze unwary and inexpe-
rienced traders are not in mood to engage
in heavy operations at present. There
have been bulges and reactions since the
beginning of the year, sufficient in volume
to apparently satiate the apretites Of these
men for sensati' rs, and at present they are
eontentlng themselves with operations on a
restricted basis. The tremendous efforts to
bull wheat By means of wild crop scares
and fictitious estimates have been partially
abandoned. Recognized authorities have
come to the front with convincing figures,
and the market has responded to their ir-
letutable statements of facts If one could
foretell what the spectators will do next,
his fortune world he uada We h. vo li+tlo
confidence in the idea that any heavy opera
tons will be attempted very soon, but there
is no telling what schemes are in embryo
In the absence of information or definite
indications as to the future, we hold to our
previously expressed opinion that barring
serious changes in crop conditions and Eu-
ropean matters, we shall have dull and
dragging market for Il month or more, with
low range of prices in June After that
month a strong market, with a steady,
healthy advance, is probable"