The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-02-08
THE CROPS OF 1887.

luo VI NJ
Washington has issued report showing
the production of the three crops, corn,
wheat and oats, for the year 1887, as also
for eight years from 1880 to 1887, both in
elusive. The corn crop OF the United
States for 1887 amounted to 1,456 161 900
bushels, grown upon 20 392, TO acres, and
is valued at $646. 196 TO- which is at the
rate of 44.4 per bushel. For the eight years
past the total product Of corn has been r.
933, AS, 53S, valued at 1851, 442 16O, the aver
age product being GIG, us, 567, the average
number of acres planted IS 930,27e the
average annual value S676, 742 OIL, and the
average price 41.9 cents per bushel, The
home consumption of corn during the past
eight years has been 27.5 per capita. It will
be observed that the acres planted in 1887
was above the average for eight years, by
3,462 $50 acres, and the product was below
the average for the same period 100, 557 ,567
bushels, but the price was cents a
bushel above the average, but this increase
in price still left the value of the crop $780,
63G, 141 below the average FOR eight years.
The wheat crop of 1887 reached $50 329,-
600 bushels, grown upon 81, 641 ,6S3 acres,
valued at 6S1 cents per bushel, or S3l0,6l2,-
| go. 1t will be seen that the value of the
wheat crop is less than that of corn for tn
year 1887, by S24O, 800 200, but wheat, in
commercial affairs, is accorded much
higher place than corn, because OF its ex-
port demand. The report states the fact
| that the increase of wheat production has
been in excess of consumption, that the
been Al per cent, while the increasing
population has been only % per cent.
| Wheat growing in the United States was
stimulated greatly between 1875 aud 1880
bya series OF crop failures in Western
Europe, causing 3 demand which never
existed before. has not existed since, and
may never again, and this fact accounts
for the low price of wheat. The
production of 1887, says the report. is am.
pie for the wants of the country, and for
an txporIstion OF about 125, 100000 bush
els, without trenching upon the small re
serves of previous harvests. The estimates
of production, as recorded in our reports
1 average 44O,OOO,OOO III
bers for seven years since 1880, not includ
J ing the present year. The expectation av
erages nearly 121 ,OO0. 900 bushels, and with
estimates of seed and bread the entire dis
tribution averages All ,000, 900 bushels. Tit
differ nee is less than the losses by fire anC
foundsring en- route to market. Thes
figures may not be absolute proof of the &C
curacy of the estimates, because the con
sumption itself is estimated. But as nj
one has furnished evidence to disprove the
accuracy of the rate Of c0nsun ption OF A.
bushels per capita, there is no peg in exist
ence upon which to hang doubt o
the substantial verify of the estimates. Til
report places the consumption OF wheat il
the United States at four and twothird
bushels per capita, while in Great Britain
it is placed at five bushels per capita, ant
this fact presents this singular stu
England for the past fifteen years has i'm
: ported an average of 121, 256. 572 bushels o
wheat year, OF this the United States ha
, supplied annually 81 81, 122 bushels, and
yet the people of Great Britain consum
one.third bushel Of wheat annually pc
capita more than the people OF the Unite'
} States. 1t is worth while to state that il
1887 Indiana was the banner wheat pro
r ducing State. and is credited with 81 1928, 90
} bushels. Dakota, Territory, however
stands first in the list, having produces
, 50, 406, 900 bushels. Three States, Rhod
) Island, Florida sndlLouisisns, produced n
> wheat, and were therefore required
; buy all their bread. The oats GRO