Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-21
THE CEREALS.
Growing Acreage OF Corn and why II
is That Farmers Are Plant
ing More OF II.
Interesting Statistics About wheat Showing
We VIII Have Some for
Expectation.

WAsHNGToN, July 20.--The state
ment as to the conditions OF the crops on
the first day of July, prepared by Prof.
Dodge, statistician Of the agricultural
department, and telegraphed to the
press on the 10th inst, is to-day supple
mented by fuller report, giving addl-
tional facts and figures of an interesting
character, In this report the professor
says;
The area OF corn is steadily in
creaslng, with only the slightest for
eign demand and still less from the
spirit manufacturers The increase in
seven years, since $40, has been about
20 per cent. and the pres
ent area Is about 10000, 900 acres The
increase is rapid in the more recently
settled Western states for two reasons
First, from settlement and home-makng
Second, from the substitution OF corn for
wheat Settlers find the demand for
wheat fixed and little variable, except
that the worlds supply affects the de-
mand everywhere, while the demand for
corn is elastic, and may be doubled with
prices sufficiently low. Wheat Is short OF
spectators, while corn has seldom been
cornered,
OF spring wheat the report says: The
condition of spring wheat has declined
from % 3 In June TO So in consequence
OF the high temperature, drying winds
and want Of rain. Last years average
condition was 90 In July, aud In conse-
quence of the high temperature at the
critical period, IL fell TO SO at the time Of
harvesting. II is sudden fall and
though only points lower than last
year. crop at harvest, the continuance OF
Injurious weather would be likely to
threaten further and serious disaster.
The apparent depreciation In June is
10 points, but 1t would be q serious err
ror to apply that reduction TO the 49,
000, 900 bushels OF spring wheat harvested
which represented the condition of
1856, at harvesting, only three points
above the present condition. Should
there be no further reduction the present
condition should insure about 800, 900, 900
bushels. II should be understood, how
ever, that loss OF vitality so early In the
season exposes the crop to further inju-
ries by the heat Of july and August, and
renders 1t highly probable that the aver
age condition at harvest may be still
lower. In this point OF view the injury
is more serious than the aver
age reported status OF the crop
would make it. With favorable weather
In July and August the increased
condition may be maintained though the
chances are coDfessedly against 1t. Max
ing some allowance for this possibility a
iudicious and reasonable Interpretation
OF the July report OF winter and spring
wheat would show the prospect for an in
crease OF about S0,000,00 bushels above
the official estimate for 1885. Results OF
the spring or winter wheat and meteor
logical conditions of the next two months
may easily add 100000 TO these figures
or subtract quite as large an amount.
Winter wheat assures nearly enough for
home consumption aud seed. The aver
age expectation of wheat and -four for the
past five years has been 1853, 100000
bushels, and the present expectation
iaYors product nearly II not quite su1l-
cient for this rate Of expectation In addi-
ton 20 consumption. The exports OF the
past year are some million bushels less
than this average; the surplus will prob
ably be ample therefore for any foreign
demand likely TO arise.
The distribution of the past year Is as
follows; Estimated consumption OF food,
2J ,UOuiUUVi beeuj Olt4f4toVVi eApOFtS
from preliminary statement, 9S,t9G ,O20.
Total, 1901, $50. Crop OF 1885, $685.
lI2, 900; drawn from crop Of 1884, 59,-
500, 500 The visible supply has decreased
during the year about l8,000,O 900 bushels,
leaving about 46, 100000 bushels TO come
from the surplus IN the hands offarmers.
In view OF the present surplus, visible
and invisible, which Is atill fair aver
laa f.n ina Va IA a.
fed, and flfty millions lower estimate,
so strenuously insisted on by ambitious
crop statisticiaus, is dlscredlted with
marked emphasis.
The condition Of oats Is lower than in
any former July report since 1879, when
the yield averaged 70 bushels per acre.
The present condition Is Se.s, against 81.
IN July Of that year.