Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-04-05
MARK ETS.
VINDICAToR OFFICE,

I
STAUNTON, VA, April 4th.
Business is restricted by the want of offer
ings. Farmers have been busy sowing oats, OF
getting ready to SOW, and not much of any
thing has been brought to market. Our quo
tations given below name the current prices.
There is no special demand for anything in the
grain and produce line, nor is there any pres
sure to sell.
The March number of the monthly report OF
Mr.. J. r. Dodge, statistician of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, discusses the production,
consumption, and distribution of wheat in the
United States for 1888, and a number OF pre-
ceding years. Of the wheat crop of 1888,
amounting in round numbers to 100000
bushels, the quantity still in the hands of
farmers, is estimated at 26.9 per cent. OF III,
766 $50 bushels, out of which is to come the
seed for the spring wheat area. A COMPARE
son, covering the last eight years, shows that
the largest proportion ever on hand at the
same date was 33 per cent on March l. 1885,
the preceding crop having been the largest
ever grown in the country, and the only occa
sion when the proportion was materially
lower than at present, was on March l, 1882,
the amount then on hand being 25.6 per cent
of the short crop OF 1881.
Observation-Disclosures OF THE OFFICIAL FIGURES.
A comparison between the statistics of wheat
production and statistics OF the distribution
and consumption of the same grain, which are
largely of separate origin and based wholly
upon independent data, shows a closenesS OF
correspondence which emphasizes the trust
worthiness of the official figures. In a table
+I,a cd tiOITpS
production show an average crop of AS, 49,
sci bushels, while those on consumption and
distribution show the average amount annual
ly used and disposed of to be AS, 81 1867 bush
els, leaving less than one-tenth OF one per cent
of the estimated production unaceounted for.
The figures on consumption and distribution
comprise first, the official statements OF eX-
ports of wheat and flour issued by the bureau
of statistics; second, an estimate OF the con-
sumption for food at the average rate OF four
and two-thirds bushels per capita of the pop
ulation; and, third, an estimate. also on a uni
form basis per acre soWn, OF the amount re-
ouired for seed. The estimate of four and two
thirds bushels per capita as the average amount
consumed was adopted after an extended Ill
vestigation more than ten years ago.
DECREASE OF EXPORTS
In the eight years 1SS0-'S7 nearly three
tenths of our wheat product has been export
ed, the proportion being seven OF eight times
as great as the percentage Of the corn export.
MI. Dodge, however, points out that it shows
tendency to decline, being only 262 per cent
in 1887 against 81 4 in 1880, proportion which
he thinks hardly likely to be again attained
'sunless an extraordinary year of failure
10 mil Of a
abundance in this country
THE GREAT WHEAT GROWING STATES IN THE
WEST.
A table exhibiting production, consump-
ton &C., by groups of States shows that near
ly 80 per cent of the crop was grown in the
western States, and nearly "a per cent more in
the Pacific States, with Nevada, Colorado and
the territories leaving less than Is per cent as
the product of New England, the Middle
States and the South combined.
The Philadelphia Record in its grain mar
l1et review for the week ending last Saturday,
saws: s"There have been wide and frequent
fluctuations in Chicago wheat prices during
the week, which reflect simply the results OF
manipulation. The Eastern markets have
been depressed by heavy realizations on spec
ulative holdings and the absence OF export de-
mand. The advance in Portuguese import du
ties has checked the demand from that quarter,
and there is no inquiry from the United King
dom, where millers are still grinding cheaper
grain purchased in other countries. English
BUYERS are said to be a little apprehensive Of
the keeping equality Of the wheat stock accu-
mulated at New York, and this also tends to
restrict demand The tendency of speculation
has been to get away from The dong SIDE of
the MAY deal and into July, and this has lifted
the price of the latter option q of a cent in
Chicago; and in New York it has declined only
~ cents, while the price OF May deliveries
there has dropped SN cents per bushel. Elk
port demand f9r corn is mAderate, ana there
is little speculation: PRICES are unchanged
in Chicago, and are 4 to q OF cent lower on
the seaboard than they were week ago. De
creased packing operations in the West and
continued large exports have strengthened
the markets for provisions. frr,,ces in Chicago
have advanced 40 cents per barrel for pork.