Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-11


The statistical report from the Department
Of Agriculture for December last. which
has Just been published, makes public some
most interesting figures and statements re-
lsfine to the yield and prices Of the chief
grain crops Of oar country for the year
1855
CoRS.--The crop Of corn vas the biggest
ever grown In this country. IL exceeded
the crop Of 1857 BY ~ per cent and approxi-
mated two thousand million bushels; or. &C
cordinx to the returns of the. Department.
| ,ss7, 730, 900 Mshels. Yet this large yield
caused decline in the average farm price
Of only % per cent. The average price for
the whole country In the primary or home
markets. 90 the LIST day Of Decembfr, sss
returned at s4l cents Per bush.I. against
"a At the ZANE date in 1871. The f. rat
ment statistieian ssys the result Of tte
heavy yield last year vas due to yerf ifS
average rather than an EXCEPTIONAL yield per
acre. The total acreage VAS returned as
75.s.2.7s3. The total yield averages eight
| Iy above rs bushels per acre, and var the
largest in nine years, with the exception Of
1880. which closed 4 series Of yeArs with
large yields. Price depends upon the sup
ply available for home consumption, the
! foreign demand, in the case Of this cereal
at least. exeriing lille Ii fuence upon values.
| With the exception Of ls.5. when the crop
vas almost as large as that Of 1898,
And the supply per capita was greater. the
prs,en, lie the lowest price returned during
ten year. past, In the seven surplus States,
which furnish the bulk Of the commercial
corn. the price averages q cents. vhile in
the New England States the home grown
| product was worth Gs cents. The crop of
the Pacific coast 70 cents
/ WHEAT. The short sh at crop, in con-
/ ~ elton With the foreign shortage has al
var ced the price 2t.5 cents per bushel' or an
increase Of 36 per cent. over values prevail
I ing on the LIST of December. 1887. The eK-
port price Of wheat for the Ave years 1884 To
/ 1888, inclusive, was As follows 1884. ~ "ts !;
/ 1875, IS cts 1888. ~ cts 1885, % cts :;
and 1888, 81 10 The total acreage of the
wheat crop last year was 81 1886, 1885, tn"
| Weld AS .sGs 900 bushels. The crop of 1888
/ is ample for bread and seed in home con
-umpt on. and for nearly 10 0o0, 900 bushels
/ for expectation, or, II the high price should
cause a slight substitution of other cereals in
consumption, even a larger export amount
An interesting feature in this statement 10
the gradual leveling of prices in the different
/ centers of production, due mainly to in
creased facilities for transportation and the
/ lowering of grain rates from the interior to
he .ea-board The grain of New York il
within few hours of a grea, market, while
the fields of Nebraska are the most distant,
but in point of time and scce ssibiiity they
are yearly coming nearer together. In 1884
the farm value in Nebraska was less tina
half that in New York, there being a differ
ence of i3 cents. This has srown less year
| by year, and at the present time only p
/ cents. represents the necessary increased cost
I Of handling, transportation, and commercial
/ charges
OATS. The total average of this cereal wa
20 9as 2s2; the total yield 70l 1876 90"
bushels. This increase of area over 1885,
was OF 1916 acres, and in yield about 4
O00, 900 bushels. This increase of
oats together with bountifu'
supply of corn resulted in small
falling off in the farm price Of this cereal
the average for the crop being q cent.
against 30t in December 1887. The ap-
parent anomaly is presented of n large crop
/ yielding 3 less return than a smaller one. On
the basis of December prices. $50 els 600
bushels in 1887 were worth $500 600, 80,
while 1Ol .35 900 bushels this year are worth
but sl95 t24 2i0, or with an increased prod
uct of " III 900 bushels there is a deere ased
aggregate value or 90, 275 $50.