Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-09
FINANCE AND COMMERCE.
TRADE NoTEs-CRoP REPORTS.

| WHEAT.-To some extent in our section o
the Valley. as 1t was in parts Of the entire win
ter-wheat belt, the mild. dry weather of Dec
smber and January, instead of occasional
SHOWS and usual winter weather, the natura
conditions at the time of growing wheat, prov.
ed injurious to it. In some fields, we have OBJ.
served the depredations of insects upon 1t, and
the reporters OF the condition of the crop in the
West speak of the same trouble there. The
harsh weather of part of February and March
found too much of the crop without sufficient
moisture. Estimates of yield can never be
safely made till the close of April. There is nc
lack OF moisture now with us, and the fields
which escaped the presence of the pests are
looking well and of full growth.
AS in some of the Wes.ern States, the season
with US has not beea favorable for casting the
oat-crop,a which, with many farmers, is q
favorite preparation for succession of grass.
The well informed Chicago crop correspon-
dent of the New York Journal OF Commerce
sends report of the condition of the winter
wheat in several States, and makes reference
also to the yield OF the last crop of Spring
wheat in other States. 1t is generally conced.
ed that the stocks Of wheat in farmers hands
are less than at this time one year ago. and
that the mills are running on reduced stocks
also, With an apparently increasing export
demand. and Lake transportation now about
open for the season. draining the west OF
wheat, and the crowding farm work checking
delivery from first hands. may have the eject
of stimulating prices. Touching these matters.
the latest report from the correspondent refer.
red to. which we append, will be found OF in
| tsrest:--
CHICAGO, March sl.-The first thirty days OF
spring have given us nothing by which we can
| forecast the future so far as the crop condition
of the country is concerned. hence when read
| in the eastern papers that the spring crop pros
| poets are brilliant am at loss to know where
| to find them in that condition. There as
| been lack of moisture In Nebraska, Missouri
and Kansas. that has been relieved by the
| snow and rain storms of last week, and an ex-
cess OF moisture In Tennessee, Kentucky. Ill
inois, Indiana Ohio and Michigan. A year ago
| at this time the Oat crop was seeded and some
OF it already up; we had made good progress
with seeding spring wheat and our Minnesota
bred million bushels; but so far no estimates
on this crop of spring wheat have been made.
There seems to be no trouble in regard to sup
plying areas 18th spring wheat in Dakota
where the crop last season was failure, and
no doubt we shall see the acreaEe in those
| States fully maintained the presenS season.
| We have had no weather since the recent nerd
| freeze to start up the winter wheat, except In
| the very extreme southern portions OF the
winter.wheat belt.
1t is very difficult to get at the real situation
| of the growing crop. but no State in the winter
| fu crop of winter wheat as was indicated q
year ago. More or less of the wheat has been
| killed outright. To maintain a hopeful out
| look April ought to be a mild, wet month; q
| cold, dry April would see the crop mako a
| lower average than it does to day. There Is
very little grain moving on account of had
roads. As soon as the roads improve we shall
| see corresponding Improvement in the fields.
Farmers will then go to work, and for the
next sixty DAYS recei is OF all kinds OF grain
will be light"
| The Cincinnati Price Current, which is week.
| ly publishing large special crop correspond
| ence, furnished that paper respecting the grow
ing wheat in the States of Ohio. Kentucky.
Indiana, and Illinois, makes the following
summary on the 81 ST
"The later evidence in regard to the growing
wheat crop does not suggest much change in
| the general situation. 1t is doubtful II the
| promise is better than it has been heretofore
| regarded. While a considerable part of the
crop is undoubtedly in good condition there ia
| SO much of 1t in the Ohio Valley region as we'll
| as on the Pacific coast in impair ed condition,
that average condition for the time of year
is not likely to be shown by the official returns
| for the first of April"
| AMERICAN BREADsTUFFs ABRoAD-As an
article for human food, bat little is known of
| the value of corn IN Earope and scarcely any
thing in Eastern countries. In Virginia and a
few other of the States its excellence is attested
| in as many as twenty-five or thirty methods
| of preparing 1t. The following is from the St.
| Louis Globe.Democrat:-
There is practical sense in the suggestion
that steps ba taken to acquaint the people of
Europe with the value of American corn as an
article of diet. They do not understand over
| there that corn meal makes food of very nut
| ritious and wholesome character; and there is
good reason to believe that If they were once
convinced of this they would buy 1t from us in
large quantities for that purpose. 1t is very
certain that il we are to go on raising corn at
market for it. We eau not expect to sell more
of 1t in Europe for ordinary purposes than we
are nov selling; but 1t is manifestly reasonable
to think that the demand would be largely in
creased If we could get it adopted as an article
of food for general use. Possibly we might thus
in few years find sale for all our surplus at
remunerative prices. The home market can
not absorb il and we must sell Il elsewhere, o
quit producing II II we can SHOW a.. to ioreigners
that it is desirable for food they Will buy 1t as
such. undoubtedly. But they must first be
practically convinced that we are offering them
a real advantage. and the best way to do that
is to place corn before dhem IN all the usual
cooked forms, and let them test 1t to their sat-
isactiOn. This can be done at o com pGrative-
~ small expense. & few thousands of dollars
each years would answer the purpose and 1T is
doubtful If we could make q wiser Investment,
as the corn question now stands.
We have frequently urged the expsdlency
of adopting the recommendations made by the
Globe. Democrat, and as late as the 10Th of
March, the SPECTATOR presented the following
vieWs:-
1.-The best breadstuffs and the choicest provi-
eions are produced on the American continent
and the United States Is in the lead with not
one fourth of It's agricultural domain more than
opened, A legitimate indeed much swfter
growth in manufacturing cannot keep up with
agricultural expansion, and this truth is having
its influence along with other considerations of
greater weight, in causing the legislative as
| well as administrative function of government
| to look around and reflect. Government must
not only provide the ways and means for see
| ing that agriculture shall not be hfndered in
its expansion, but that its surplus is carried to
other countries In which new demands will
exist for it. The Asiatics, in wheat. producing
| India. are learning to be useful in its culture.
| but they would revolt. If they could. at the ra-
| tions of rice melted out to them when they are
| entitled to good bread and meat. That spirit
| is spreading over more of India than the sec
| ton where wheat is grown, and the Chinese
| begin to learn that there is a better diet than
| the stuff on which It's millions are fed. The
| American is a wonderful missionary when he
| en- ers on that line and the ways and means
| will be found through which he can take hold
| in earnest for the cause of our agriculture. I
| 1t is rightto tax the people through protective
| tariff for the benefit of manufactures why
| would it not be just to give a premium on every
pound OF our breadstuffs and provisions ex-
/ ported into countries where we send none now
If 1t is right to make good opportunities for in
| vestments In manufacturing through the dir eel
agency of the government. where is the wrons
| IL the same watchfulness over the interests o
the people should concern itself to see that tn,
abundance of soil products finds opportunities
for its profitable disposal
AVAILABLE STOCKS OF WHEAT AND Corn
The stocks of wheat and corn at twenty.on
leading In terror and seaboard markets, east O
the ROCKY Mountains.in transit from the Yves
to the seaboard. and afioat On the ocean ,destin
ed for Great Britain and Continental Europe
on the dates named. were as follows:
Wheat, Blu. Corn, bu
Total March q. 1890 .......53,4 Alb 900 289I7 90
Previous week.. SO. 22 600 26057, 90
Total March 25, 1885,. .....4S l05 600 2I6ll 90
Total March rs. 1888. So 6S2 Goa I2,6i8OO
Total March %, 1887. ......97, $4,000 q, 1856 90
Total Ma ch 20, 1885. :. ,..7 638 900 233IS Os
Il EXPORTS oF WHEAT AND CoRN.-Ths follow
ing shows the exports of wheat and corn, in
Guiding wheat in flour, from all American
ports and Montreal, from Sept. 1882 to Marcl
q, 1890, for the years named:
Wheat, bu. Corn, bu
1889 go. ............. .......53 S67 600 $1,000 go