The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-06-20

With so large proportion of our farmers
wheat is the money crop that ii becomes matter
OF great moment to know what are the probable
prospects for crops and prices. The Cultiuator'
of Boston, points out that it is not certain as yet
that the wheat crop of this year will be a very
large one, there being many contingences-such
as combined wet weather, insect depredations,
etc,,-which may be large factor in reducing
the present indications-the late storm, wide
spread and very destructive to the growing
crop, being an example. Should the yield come
up to the total Of the great crop of 1884, which
was 5l2,000,000 bushels, it must be remembered
that it will come after a crop which was very
deficient one that of 'SS
The supply ofwheat, visible and invisible, is
much below what it was five years ago, which
at that time other countries, on which the world
depends for its wheat, had much larger crors
South America are this day much smaller than
in 1884. The world will call on us this year for
more wheat than it has asked in the recent year.
Whether we get better prices will depend on
circumstances, amoug them, whether we ask for
them. :.
The decline in wheat prices few years ago
took farmers by surprise. The new factor of
cheap India wheat was not then fullyunderstooi.
Underths influence, wheat prices were forced
down below, in many cases, the cost Of production
| and have remained so very largely ever since.
This unnatural state of things could not last.
If there be any thing sure in economics is that
| the production of great staple of human food
| like wheat must in the long run be profitable to
| those engaged in it. Not that it will be every
where and every year source OF profit Bad
seasons or other causes may make its production
loss at times but, where this fact exists, it is
either temporary or in that place the growing
| of wheat must be abandoned. This was the
condition few years ago when India began
growing and exporting wheat extensively. 1t
| was a contest in the industrial world to see by
whom and where wheat could be grown most
! cheaply. The greatly lessened product OF wheat
| this year by competitors combined, as 1t
probably will be, with good crop of our own,
virtually decides this bloodless industrial duel
| in our favor. The farmers of this country are
the victors and here, rather than elsewhere,will
| the world for few years to come, look for its
wheat supply,
| The Cultiuator concludes that the victory
has probably greater significance for the prosper
ity of our country than probably is generally APP
preciated. This Is still largely country of agri>
cultural industries, and depends more upon the
prosperity of the American farmers then upon
anything else.
/ If we can grow wheat more cheaply than 9th !
er nations it will accidentally benefit all other IN
dustries. Though wheat be necessarily higher
than for several years past, it will be cheaper
| here at the place of its production than 1t can
| he nj ,yha a1c oft pf no
has been added England has long made a
great point in economic policy in furnishing
cheap food for the working classes BY the repeal
of duties on grain it added enormously to the
advantages of the manufacturer of cheap pro-
duction But the United States is also becom>
| ing great manufacturing nation, and it is rea-
sonably sure to have cheaper food of all kinds
than the English artzan. We have long had
this pre>eminence IN growing corn, and also
pork. beef and all its incidental products. Now
the decision in our favor Of the industrial duel
gives u.s. for a time at least the like supremacy
in the productic of cheap wheat.
There is no apparent danger from any quarter
of new and cheaper supplies of wheat cutting
under our supply, and forcing it down TO a
| lower level. The farmers of this country will
after harvest, hold in their granares the availa-
be wheat for supplying the Old Worlds markets.
! They are entitled to good price for this wheat,
which, if ;hey have not been unfortunate in hav
ing bad crop, should pay hem for their labor
and Time given in producing it, and some profit
besides. That is the natural position of a farms
er with good crop of anything. There lis no
| reason this year why farmers should not get
paying price for their wheat, unless they fright
ened into selling wheat by the talk of specula>
tors anxious to buy the crop low and make the
| profit themselves
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