Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-06-21
Eavt44 X#ttrfs&s,
THE GROWING WHEAT CROP

Inc Wrlter having Stdleu tndt
wheat would bring good price after
the coming harvest, and in all proba-
bility never again be cheap, and such
statements being questioned by
many "doubting Thomas" it is
well to examine the basis of such be-
lief, and show what are the require
ments of Europe and America and
the sources of an available supply.
Notwithstanding the enormous
additions to the wheat fields in the
Dakotas, there has been, during the
last five years, a shrinkage in the
wheat erea of the United States of
1,352,OOO acres. While such shrink
age is likely to continue, we will as
sumo that the acreage will remain
the same during the coming four
years, and that the yield, after 1890
will equal the average of 1872 bushels
per acre, shown by the last twenty
crops, giving, after 1890, an aggre-
gate annual product of 47O,OOO,OOO
bushels, while home requirements
will increase 100000 bushels
yearly, the eXportable surplus de-
creasing annually in like amount.
The crop of 1890 is not likely to ex>
coed 400, 900, 900 bushels, and domes-
tic requirements during the next
crop year will be more than 372,000,-
600 bushels, as the population is now
estimated at over 100000, the i'm
migration of the year put by Supt.
Jackson at 100000 to 100000, and the
natural increase something over 2
per cent, or 100000, and the con-
sumption per capita-twenty years.
average-5.56 bushels.
The European crop 1889 was 1OO,-
100000 less than an average, the har-
vests just completed in the southern
hemisphere being all short % to 80
per cent, except that of New Zea-
land, which covered but about 3O0,4
900 acres. The Indian crop is now
officially declared to be % per cent.
below an average, or a shrinkage OF
65,0OO,OO0 to 100000 bushels, and
the wheat crop now growing in the
United States has already sustained
such injury as to reduce the outturn
anywhere from 7O,OOO,OOO to 100000
900 bushels-Illinois alone being Off
cially reported as promising but 81
per cent. of an average, or $4,000, 00C
bushels less than last year and the
spring wheat outturn can hardly be
more than an average, as the acreage
is less than last year, the seeding eX-
tremely late, and the soil not in the
best condition hence the exportablt
surplus cannot exceed 100000 0(
bushels, and may be much less.
European crop prospects are good
although there are well>supporteC
statements that both the Spanish ant
Russian wheat fields have sustained
material injury, and May and June
are critical months for the European
crops; still we may assume that thu
harvest will be an average one, il
which case, with a population o
352,300,000, consuming a fraction les
than four bushels per capita, the re
quirments will be 1,4O4, 100000 bush
els, and the available supply from al
average crop being 1,22O,0OO,00
bushels, and from all possible i'm
ports 100000 bushels, there woulc
seem to be shortage of 100000
bushels
But for the reserves carried owe
from the great European crops G
1887 and 1888, and the large yield il
America in 1899, Europe would nov
be on short ALLEGIANCE; and while tn
complete depletion of these reserve
may suffice to fill the European
bread.basket until the ingathering {
the new crop, yet, in any event,
will leave the graEaries swept clear
and the world to enter upon a neN
crop year wholly dependent upo
the outturn of a coming harvest, a
ready fore-ordained-as is show
above-to be more than 100000, 90
bushels less than the worlds need
Europe being the buyer this shortag
will be felt there most keenly, an
cannot but stimulate prices in man
ner likely to prove highly satisfac
tory to those having wheat to spare
Countries which are ordinaril
able to export wheat are nOw~buy
ers, as is the case in the Argentin
republic, where the harvest, "whic
was expected to furnish large SUI
plus for export, proves to be to
small for home use," as writes U.
Consul Baker from Buenos Ayret