The morning news., 1890-12-11
VALUE OF THE CROPS.
Hay THE ONLY STAPLE THAT is
CHEAPER THAN LAST YEAR.

The Average Price of Corn SOL
Cents Per Bushel Against 29.3 { ents
Last Year-Wheat Worth "a Cents
Against ee.a Cents Last Year.
WASHINGTON, Dec 1O.-The statistical
raturns of the department of
agriculture for December give the
sveraga farm prices OF agri-
cultural products by counties. which are
consolidated in this Office to obtain accurate
averages for the several states. The
state agents obtain similar estimates, revise
and consolidate and forward the state aver
ages The department estimates as pub
lished are made from these duplicates and
independent sources Of information, which
are in remarkable agreement and may be
relied upon IS true measure of the value
Of the crops in the hands of the farmers.
THE CORN CROP.
Tba nresent corn crop is worth more than
&he last and the farmers viii receive more
for II. Unfortunately, the districts of fail
nre do not realize their portion of the ad-
I-anre in average value. The average price,
Inv present returns, is 80. l cents per bushel,
sSainst 2S.3 cents for the crop Of 1899, an
increase Of n per cent. IL is the highest
rrice of the decade except that of 1881,
the only year In which the final
average Of condition was worse than
that OF the present season. The average
nrlce then rose to 63. 6 cents, and that of the
following year was 4s.4, with better crop
than the present. The next highest aver
age is 44.4 in 1887. following three years OF
large crops and cheap corn. Prices, there
fore. depend upon the quantity grown
in the year. plus the reserves
from the preceding years. The present
average shows that small crops are sure
cure for low prices, and that the law of de-
,nand is still the main factor in making
prices and profits. The prices in the seven
corn surplus states are: Ohio 81 cents,
Indiana AZ, Illinois 43, Iowa Al, Missouri A
Kansas 81 and Nebraska 4S.
VALUE OF THE WHEAT CROP.
The average farm value of the wheat crop
{s estimated at 81 cents per bushel, against
o9S for 1889 an increase of 90 per cent. on
il affected by the harvests of other couu-
tries, as corn is not perceptibly. and. there
fore. prices are not entirely governed
by the size of the megrown
crop. For example, the crop of 1885,
though smaller than the present one, brought
but II cents in December. while the crop of
1882 aggregating over 800. 100000 bushels,
the second largest ever grown, solu at &c
cents at the same date.
OATS FOLLOW CORN.
The price Of oats has responded sharply
TO the pressure of a small crop and increased
demand because of the short corn crop
The average is 42.2 cents against % cents
last year. 1t is the highest reported since
1881 An examination of the records show
that an abundance or scarcity Of corn
materially affects the value OF this crop,
the two grains being largely interchangea.
Die in use.
Rye like oats at 62. 9 cents is higher than
since 1851, and the same is true Of barley
ut 6iS.
Buckwheat at ST. marks an advance
over last year, but is lower than in 1888.
POTATOES SCARCE AND HIGH.
A deficiency in the potato crop has caused
an advance in values in all sections OF the
country. The average is 77.7 cents, an in
crease Of more than 80 per cent. over the
prices Of the past two years.
The returns show slightly higher prices
for tobacco than have prevailed since 1887.
The average is reported at ~ cents per
pound
Hay alone, OF all the farm products
records IA decline from last year. The
present price is 81 "A per ton, aud the slight
falling Off is due to increased product,