Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-11
AVERAGE FARM PRICES.
from the December Returns TO the Tede-
Ial Department OF Agriculture.
inv t.i.grarh In tho Dlspatrhl

lBy telegraph 10 tho psphtch.l
WASHINGTON, December 10-Ihe statisjl-
aal rturus oi the Department of Agrcul-
ure tHr December give the average farm
uur,. of agricultural products 10y counties
which are consolidated IN this office to
obtain accurate averages for the several
~tat.s. state agents obtain similar estl-
mates. r.yi-e and consolidate, and for
ward fto state averages. The department
estimate. a. published are made from
tlc. 5ap.c4t and independent sources
~ uf rrauon. which are in remarkable
agreement aud may lie relied upon
true measure Of the value
~ e-up- ia the hands OF the
nurr, The present corn crop Is worth
wr tIau the last, and the farmers VIII
I.c.iys more for a.. Unfortunately the
districts of miluro DO not realize their por-
f.u of the advance in average value. ne
average price by the present returns Is 50.l
D.li. per hushel, against 2S.3 cents Tor the
crop of 1Ss9-an increase OF n per cent
10 D. tho highest December price ot the
Gs.ala except that of 1881, the only year IN
which the final average of condition was
worse than that of the present season.
Tho average price then rose 70 $50
cents. aud that of the following
year wa. iS4 with better crop thhn the
present one. The neXt highest average -
.'rH I'D 1885, AfNNA'fn4AiA va - ''f+'
crops aud cheap corn. Prices, therefore,
depend upon the quantity grown IN year
plus Tie reserves from preceding years;
Ibe present average shows that small
crops are "a sure cure for low prices, ana
th4t thu law Of demand ~ still the man
factor IN making prices and pruhts Ihe
prices in the seven cOrn-surplus States
are: Ohio. 81 cents; Indiana, AZ llllhols'
4}: Iowa. Al; Missouri, "a; Kansas, 81 re
uTaska. A..
crop is estimated at 81 cents per bushel
against o. for ls99-an increase OF 20 per
cent ON tie price of last year. The value
4 wheat ia affected by the haryests OF
other countries. and therefore prices are
not entirely governed by tho size. OF tLe
homegrown cr0p. For example. the crop
OF 1855. though smaller than tho present
one, brought hut ~ cents IN December,
while the crop ot 1852, agsregauns over
800. 900. 900 bushels. the second largest ever
grown. sold ~ IS cents 40 the same date.
The tlrice of oats has responded sharply
20 the pressure of tho small crop and the
excess Of demand because OF the short
corn crop. The average IS ~ cents
against % cents last year. IL Is tho highest
reuOrted since 1881. An examination OF the
records show that the abundance or
scarcity Of corn materially affects the
value Of tins crop, the two grams being
largely interchangeable IN use.
Rye at Gao cents is higher, as oats are,
than since 1881, and the same 10 true OF
harley at cas-. Buckwheat at 57.7 makes
On advance over last year, but IL lower
than In 1888. The deficiency in the potato
crop has caused an advance IN values mall
sections OF the country. The average Is
S77 cents-an increase of more than 80 per
cont. over the prices of the past two years.
The returns show slightly higher prices
for tobacco than have prevailed since 1887.
The average II reported az ~ cents per
pound. Hay alone OF Gil farm products re-
cords a decline for the last year The
present price is S774 per ton, and the slight
falling OF Is due - increased production.