Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-09-07
EUROPEAN CROPS.
An Alarming Shortage in the
Wheat Supply.
Unreasonable Weather has Ruined
both Quantity and Quality.

The sudden activity of the wheat market
IN United States centers of grain speculation
has led to a general commercial inquiry as to
the crop prospects of Europe.
The harvest of 1888 is generally thought to
be one of the most curious in the history of
European agriculture, and is raising constant
discussions, and the newspapers are eagerly
scanned to the latest reports of the
weather and the crops of Europe
The general outlook to the European
wheat crop is an extremely gloomy one
Throughout the whole Western Europe the
Especially has this been been the case
in England, which, though mainly inn
portant to the general market as a consuming
rather than as a producing country, is a
factor in the calcu alton. 1t is estimated by
competent judges that the English wheat
harvest will prove one of the worst of the
century.
The total estimated number of bushels is
about GO, 900, 600, so that England should be
dependent on other countries for about
160, 900, 0O0 were it not for the gain of 90
100000 bushels surplus from last years late
crop, which must be deducted from this
amount.
England will have to import this year an
excess at least of 1000, 200 quarters over her
imports year ago. The shortage in Italy will
be !, 900, 000quarterS and in Germany 3 600, 900
quarters making in all Europe a shortage of
certainly 10000, 900 quarters, which will
have to be supplied from Russia. India. Aus
tralia and America. Holland and Belgium
are not quite up to the mark, with a deficit
of about five million bushels as compared
with last year"
In France also the wheat harvest will be
very bad, due to similar weather to that ex
perienced in England. Advices report that
new wheat is so soft and out of condition
that it is quite unfit for marketing.
Austria-Hungary and Germany have only
poor crops, and the harvest is fin
ished The quantity is "a fair average,
but it is generally of inferior quality
Russia has a fairish crop, but there also the
weather has been very bad, and in both Cen
trail and Southern Russia large quantities of
grain are reported damaged. Spain has also
poor crop No other nation has suff-
cent areas under wheat cultivation to be en-
titled to place in the computation
1t may fairly be said that from no sub
stantial area in Europe is there wholly sat
iSfactOry report.
Should the weather turn warm and fine
the greater part of the wheat crop may be
saved. France will suffer more than any
other country and will find herself obliged
to be large buyer.
The crop in the South of Russia will this
year surpass both in quality and quantity
anything we have known for fourteen or fiji
teen years, says another report.
The general verdict seems to be that the
year, on the whole, will not be quite SO dis
astrOus as far as the quantity of wheat goes;
it is the quality which is causing farmers and
corn factors to feel uneasy.
The European wheat crop this year will
not bear comparison with last. years; but
then, it must be remembered that the
harvest in 1887 was phenomenal, and
this will form very principal
cause why the shortage will not be so
great as anticipated. In 1887 the harvest
was exceptionally good, but it was almost
two months late, SO that operators will have
only eleven months to provide for, which
will make difference of twenty million
bushels in the demand this year.
The European harvest is not satisfactory
in its quality, so much so that much of it
viii be unfit for anything but fodder. The
demand. therefore, upon Russia and the
United States will be tremendous