Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-19
GOOD WEATHER AND BAD.
a Very Logical Way of Regarding the
Present Situation Among the Farmers.
New York Tribune


1t is so common thing to complain of
the weather that such complaints are rarely
worth serious attention. 1t seems to be in
the nature of man to believe that his own
misfOrtunes have no parallel, and are not
misfortunes of the whole human race. But
this year the weather in the Atlantic states
has been phenomenal. There is no record
of any previous July for many years, that
was as wet and stormy as that month In
1889 has been, and August thus far has not
been much better. An immense quantity
of hay has been spoiled. Many million
bushels of potatoes have rotted, and fruit
and many other agricultural products have
been cut short by unreasonable weather.
Not only the farmers, but the consumers in
eastern states, are naturally inclined to take
a lugubrious view of the situation.
Yet it happens In this case, as in so
many others, that what is poison for some
is meat for many. The excessive precipi-
tation in the Atlantic states has been ac-
companied by extremely favorable weather
in most sections of the country. Even
where there has been great loss, away from
the sea coasts, in the spring wheat regions
where drouth has cost the farmers the value
of many million bushels of wheat. the
trouble has been only a lack of the moisture
of which the Atlantic states have had more
than enough. The distribution has been a
little defective as to these sections, and
that moderate variation from the normal
supply, which has destroyed property of
great value at the east by excess of rain.
has at the same time destroyed perhaps as
much of the west by lack of the moisture
here too lavishly outpored
But, on the whole, the farmers and the
consumers of this country have little cause
for complaint this year. In the aggregate,
the agricultural yield is certain to be be-
yond the average IN quantity and value. 1t
is true that two or three larger wheat crops
have been raised, and, perhaps, one larger
corn crop, and one larger cotton crop. The
crop of oats is, undoubtedly, the largest
ever grown, and, taking the whole country
together, probably the yield of grass in
various forms has not been surpassed in
any other year. Then it should not be for
gotten that the plentiful years for wheat,
or for cotton and corn, have not been the
same nor have they conceded with the
years of greatest fertility in other respects.
On the whole. it may be doubted whether
the cultivators of the soil in this country
have in any previous year obtained larger
return for their labor than in the year 1889.
in spite of not inconsiderable disasters and
losses in some sections. Great Britain has
been similarly favored and similarly tried,
and The London Economist" In a late
Issue remarked: 1T may be doubted
whether the oldest farmer in the country
can remember year of greater agricuI-
tural productiveness In the aggregate "
Substantially the same verdict will have to
be rendered, according to present informa-
ton, respecting the results of the years
labor in this country
While the country prospers, some lose
heavily. But that loss is in part compen-
stated by the general prosperity Because
the millions are doing well. there is likely
to be large demand, and at fair prices,
for most of the products which the farmers
have to sell, and even where the weather
has been most unfavorable it has not affect
ed all crops alike