Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-03-17
A SHORT WHEAT CROP.
THE ACREAGE GREATLY REDUCED
AND THE GRAIN DAMAGED.


S. w. Tallmadge, the statistican of the
Milwaukee chamber Of commerce, has COM
pleted his first spring report of tho decrease
in acreage and the damage To the growing
wheat crop. The report is based on official
information furnished by the agricultural
commissioners or departments of the II states
embraced in tho wheat growing belt Last
year these states raised 3i0,000,0O0 bushels of
the $780, 100000 bushels of winter wheat
raised in the United States. This year
they show a decrease in acreage of
$500, 600 acres, which is equivalent to de-
crease of 50,OOO,OO0 bushels OF wheat as com
pared with last years crop. There Is an
average damage Of II pef cent which will
cause further reduction oi5l, ,OO0, 600 bushels
the decreased acreage and the damage reduc-
ing this years crop fully 10l,O0O,000 bushels
as compared with last years crop. Kansas
shows 30 per cent. decreased acreage and .
per cent damage California, 20 per cent de-
creased acreage aud l5 per cent damage;
Ohio, per cent less acreage and - per cent.
damage New York, 6 per cent less acreage
and per cent damage /; Pennsylvania, per
cent less acreage and 10 per cent damage
Illinois. IL per cent less acreage and 20 per
cent damage; Missouri 10 per cent less
acreage and IL per cent. damage Michigan,
per cent less acreage and per cent dam
age. The decreased acreage and the damage
in Virginia, Maryland Tennessee, North
Carolina, and West Virginia are each 20 per
age of Is per cent. and a damage of Is per
cent.
AREPoRT FROM DAKOTA.
James Baynes, agricultural commissioner
of Dakota, gives the following interesting
information under date of March I3:
The wheat crop of 1854 is pretty generally
marketed. In many counties il is reported
that there is scarcely enough for seed and
bread II il was all distributed. 1t will re-
quire 2, 100000 bushels 10 seed aud l,25O,000
bushels for bread until the LIST of September
Many farmers who expected to hold their
grain for much higher figures than have yet
prevailed this year sold on the advance in
January. After seed and bread are deducted
from the amount ON hand March | there
would be left about 2,G0,GO bushels one
three sevonths of which will bo In
farmers bins until the next har-
vest is fully assured, as number
of farmers always use the precaution to
save the next years bread until it is ascer-
taned that IL will be provided by the ensu-
ing crops and will hold in the hopes of OBJ
tanning higher prices. There is "a quite
general expression of either a decrease I'm
the acreage for wheat or suspension of the
increase until such time as there will be an
outlook Tor better prices. The desire 10 cut
down the acreage is much more In counties
where wheat is the only crop grown for the
market The counties that have had flax,
hogs, cattle, or butter to sell as well as wheat
have not felt the extreme hardships of tho
former, and will be quite likely To sow about
the usual acreage, through flax will encroach
upon the wheat grounds TO some extent
The high price of the past season is tempting
farmers To increase the acreage. The weather
since the lst of March has been very fine
and there il considerable wheat being sown,
and much more could be If farmers desired
to but many think it better To wait while,
fearing that "A hard freeze may vet come
There will not he much wheat marketed until
alter seeding, when farmers will take ac-
count of stock and sell what they have to
spare. 1t is evident that there will not be
any increase in acreage this year"
From all sources authentic news comes
that the acreage of winter wheat is greatly
decreased and the damage is quite heavy.
The damage in the Southern wheat growing
states Is uniformly heavy.
The Outlook From Chicago.
Special dispatches covering the most i'm
portant wheat growing counties of Illinois
aud Indiana indicate that the damage to the
top of the wheat by the alternating frosis and
thaws of the winter has been quite general
In Southern Indiana the injury done has
been especially severe. Out Of 81 counties
reporting-l1 in Indiana and - in Illinois
in IL in Indiana and in Illinois the prospect
of even a fair crop on the present outlook is
not encouraging. Eight counties in Illinois
and 2 in Indiana report that wheat has wealth
cred the winter in good condition. In few
instances is IL shown however that the frost
has exposed the roots, and il is quite possible
that good growing weather within the next
few weeks will materially change the pros
poets of the crop for the better. Late sown
aud upland wheat seem to have suffered more
than that sown early in the fall in the low
Lands. In some sections clover seems to have
been killed out
Tho peach crop in all sections is practically
Euined, but apples and small fruits, especially
Gtt -hpp pri.s ltflt-n f..rft