Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-02-09
NUMBER 81.

vast shortage the crop of 1887 has made
We can begin to realize the loss of corr
to the nation. There Were planted In
the year 1887, in round numbers, IS,
900, 900 acres of corn, aver 100000 O
which were only fit for fodder. There
was, on the 1st day of July, 1887, the
most promising prospect for the larges,
corn crop the world ever saw; from
that time until too far to be remedied
by rain. there was a falling off in guam.
tity and quality, until, from the high.
est, it fell to the lowest. The year 1856
was the next lowest per acre; 1887 the
yield on this reduced acreage was 90
per acre, which is the lowest for ten
years, by four bushels per acre.
The estimated corn area harvested
for grain is, in round numbers, 1892.
720 acres, producing l ,456, 161 900 bush
els, Valued at $646, lO6,770.
And of the seven states that produce
nearly all the surplus corn, which are
Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, H.
linois. Indiana and Ohio, Iowa stands
| first on the list, Illinois second, and
| Missouri third these states are far
ahead of any state or country in the
| world as corn-growing states.
WHEAT.
The increase of wheat production has
been in excess of consumption. The
average of the ten-year period (1S70-79)
was S13, 152, ,92S bushels; of the recent
period of eight years, 44S, SIS, 500 bush
els-an increase OF Al per cent, while
the increase of population has been
only about 25. Wheat growing was
stimulated greatly between 1875 and
1850 by series of, crop failures in
Western Europe, causing a demand
which never existed before, and has
not existed since. and may never again,
although we cannot tell what may
take place. Meantime, the words pro-
duction has been kept up, with little
change or diminution, depressing prices
and furnishing cheap bread to millions
of eaters, with little profit to producers.
And yet people ask: why are the prices
of wheat so low? In view of these
facts, the question is easily answered.
The influence of over production on
prices is seen in comparison of the
former prices per bushel for the two
periods, viz: 81 ,049 and SO, ,S33, respec-
lively, showing reduction in prices of
20.6 per cent. The value of an acre of
wheat has declined from S,13 to $I005,
loss of 22.6 per cent. The yield has
also sustained loss Of three-tenths of
bushel per acre for the last five years,
making an average of less than twelve
bushels per acres
The production for the year is largely
in excess of the demand of the country,
having a surplus of over 125,000,000
bushels for expectation without taking
in the reserve of the harvest of 1855.
The estimates of production for the
last seven years, from 1880 up to this
year, is, in round numbers, 44S 100000
bushels, the expectation average l21,-
100000. The average consumption of
wheat per head is % bushels; Great
Britain Is almost a bushel more per
capita, while the Southern States but
3 to bushels, on account of the liberal
consumption of corn for bread. The
New England States consume five
bushels per capita.
The increase of the area of oats has
been greater than that of corn or wheat,
and still there is no surplus. The acre.
age was 100000 acres in the former
period, 90 900, 900 in the present. The
average Yield per acre, respectively,
28.4 and 26 5 bushels, a small decrease
per acre, while the increase of aggre-
gate product has been 74.5 per cent.
The use of oatmeal as food for man has
enlarged the demand fer oats; also, the
necessity OF partial sqbatitution of
oats for corn in the feedtng of horses in
the south is steadily enlarging the de-
mand for oats in that direction. For
oats, as for corn, the uses are so many
and various, for man and beast, that
its consumption is elastic, depending
much on the price, while the restriction
of wheat to one use, as food for man,
with a demand uniform and not to be
extended, subjects that grain to the
inevitable law by which quantity con-
trolls prices. The returns relative to
oats show that, with the largest crop
ever grown BY $4,000, 600 bushels, the
average former price has advanced
from 20 s. in 1886 to 3O.4 in 1887. This
is in sympathy with corn and uses. as
an article of food.
The average price of rye is 54.2. show
ing an increase of l.3; barley 52.2,
bushel; buckwheat at sci. an increase
of IL. The price of potatoes shows
heavy advance on account of the very
short crop, standing at GS.5 per cent.
nearly S3 per ton.
For the past two years there has
been disposition on the part of graia
speculators to make the grain growers
of this country believe that the cause
of the low prices of grain is due to COM
petition of foreign country grain rais-
ers. They say India can produce
wheat SO much cheaper, for labor is SO
much eheapers field band can be bad
for Is cents per day, land that is more
than he will earn). Yet, when you
| look at the way whpat il grown in Tn