Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-07-17
The Wheat-CrOp.

Lie WHeat-CTUps
There is but little question that the clos
ing-up of the last crop of wheat finds the
country with less supply on hand than in
any previous year since 1882. With an
ordinary yield this year in the United
States of from four hundred and fifty to
five hundred million bushels, we would
be better prepared to hope for compensa-
ting price, in view of the fact stated as to
the old supply on hand and the reasonable
calculation which has been made OF the
growing crops of wheat in other parts OF
the world.
Based upon the estimates made in May,
a large influence is employed to work out
the production of the United States this
year as far exceeding that of any previous
year of our history. These estimates put
the yield of winter-wheat at four hundred
and twenty-five million, and the spring
wheat at two hundred million bushels. Ii
these estimates are true-and we are in
clined to think they are-what are we to do
with Surplus of two hundred and fifty
million bushels when the foreign requi-
sition may not be half that amount
A standard authority in discussing the
prospective of the wheat situation in our
country again forcibly illustrates the
foreign condition as it will be Influenced
by causes which we have experienced of
late years and as often adverted to in these
columns. The language employed by this
reviewer is more emphatic, ifpossible, than
he has before adduced. He says, in COM
menting on the reasonable expectation
once entertained, that the last half OF our
last crop would find remunerative price
in the foreign markets, that europe will
only buy here when she cannot buy else
where" This fact is not only true with
reference tobread-supplies, but is equally
30 with reference to the absorbing inter-
ests of our country touching the surplus of
our provisions, of which we ought to be
constantly increasing exporters. In the
English markets, Danish and Irish bacon
are fast supplanting the American, and the
immense new fields of Australia and New
Zealand, to say nothing of Che part the
Argentine States are to play in supplanting
our packed beef with the frozen mutton OF
those regions, and including the beef of the
latter. But this is a departure from the
subject in hand, though we might add
something more on the same line, and es-
pecially as the adslterated American lard
is destroying cur export trade in that
article of provisions.
Even if the country could set its sails
higher under the encouraging movements
inaugurated during Mr.. Cleveland's ad-
ministration, looking Lot only to the
restoration, but to a greatly enlarged
foreign trade, we could only by degrees
keep fairly in sight of the prime Objects
The neglect Of twenty years previous and
the present administration taking the
craftsmanship of that period as its model
our country now presents poor prospect
as a competitor. Whilst we were creating
monopolies and cherlshing the delusive
hope that the population of the country
would in large measure consume its pro-
duction, British capital and enterprise
were and are still going to every country
of the world where they can influence and
promote the production of bread and meat.
We are therefore in a poor condition not
only to keep even in such a race, but to
bring up our long distanced position in the
competitive course which we must run
successfully or succumb to fate that may
prove disastrous to our producing inter-
ests.
A dry June, SO to speak, is the best for
all growing crops, especially when the
spring months had been, as was the case
generally in our country this season, of suf-
ficient moisture. June was, however, the
reverse. There is much speculation now
going on as to the effect the continued
rains had upon the crop in the winter.
wheat belt, except on the Pacific slope,
which at that time is climatically exempt
from rain. There, it is substantiated or
all hands, that the crop is greatly larger
than of any previous year-if not by the
excess produced upon former acreage, thar
upon the largely increased acreage annu
ally brought into culture. 1t is claimed
that the yield of wheat in the winter-whea
belt will be much. reduced from the MAY
estimate by the constant rains in June.
that shall prove correct, something Of tn
loss will probably be made up from tn
same cause in the spring-wheat States AM
territories as the rains of June extended t.
the higher ATTITUDES, and acted beneficial.
upon the spring-wheat.