The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-15
WHAT OF WHAT?
To the Editor Of the Eagle.

6 per cent of the value of our farm pro-
ducts and while these exports are made
up almost wholly of bread and meat
they determine the profit of revenue we
derive from the cultivation of the land
all the land-no matter what is the crop
as in the event that we had no land
surplus land-the product of which. be
it wheat or pork, that must be sent
abroad for market then the land would
all be employed in the production of
such crops as there was the greatest
demand for, and in the case that the
amount of wheat grown was found to
be more than the market would absorb
and the amount of hay less than was
needed the surplus wheat area would at
once revert to the growth of the needed
and more profitable grass, but just so
long as we have per cent, or any other
proportion of our land growing crops
that must be marketed abroad. we must
grow such crops as our foreign
customers need and trying to escape
from this foreign dominion we shall
produce more of the thing which cannot
be exported, hence we have more hay
than will bring a ren1unerative price as
well as more of nearly everything which
the farmer depends upon for the means
of paying his taxes, interest and grocery
bills; although the quantity OF these
products is not much in excess of current
needs, still it takes but small surplus TO
break the price. Hence, hold that so
far as the farmer Is concerned, he would
be vastly better off if this per cent
could be waited out of existence, as 1t
renders him wholly dependent for the
returns which he shall receive for his
labor and investment upon the meteoro-
logical conditions which shall obtain
during the year, not in his township, but
in all the grain growing countries OF the
temperate zones; and, while he will
probably never be wholly free from the
effects of such conditions, they will have
much less effect on prices when the pep
ulation of America is sufficient to con-
sumo the entire product OF our fields.
But, so long as we are dependent upon
foreign markets for the sale OF even i
per cent of our products, it behooves us
to know who we have to compete
with, and the character of that
competition. Hence, it would appear
that it was just as essential
that we should keep informed as to the
condition of the crops in India as In Da-
kota, in Russia as in California, and IN
Australia as in Ohio.
Of the wheat grown in Russia about 80
per cent only is winter wheat In volume
of product, and but about 20 per cent of
the acreage, as the winter wheat of Rus
STA yields fully third more per acre
than does the spring wheat, so that of
the Russian wheat acreage but one
fourth is subject to damage by the vicis-
STUDIES of winter weather; and this fact
should be borne in mind when the papers
tell us that the Russian wheat has been
badly winter-killed. But another fact
that partially neutralizes this should also
be borne in mind, and that the wheat
exported from Russia Is largely grown
on the southern steppes, and this Is the
winter wheat region. At this time there
are serious complaints about the destruc-
ton of the wheat plant In southern Rus
STA, and while it is known that the seed
ing season over large parts of the winter
wheat region was excessively dry, and
that the wheat made a very poor start
and was In poor condition to withstand
bad winter. The reports from
that region are as yet by
no means definite as to the amount
of injury done although there Is no
doubt that the wheat has sustained
serious injury in many districts and that
there is not now any probability OF a
full crop.
Next to the United States, France is
the greatest producer of wheat in the
world, and any serious disaster TO the
crop in that country-ln the present alb
normally low condition of the reserves
throughout the world-cannot fail 10
have a very decided effect upon prices
during the next harvest year, hence
France at this time possesses great in
terest for the American wheat-grower
All authorities ara agreed that the
winter shut down in France with very
large breadth of wheat land unsown, and
these bare acres are mostly to be found
in the northern provinces where the
most of the wheat is grown and where
one acre counts for so per cent more
bushels than in the southern provinces.
Some reports place uDsown area at one
half of the wheat land, but it will be a
very serious matter for the bread-eaters
of all Europe if it reaches one-third, as
spring wheat is not a success III
France. Much of the..wheat that came up
and made fair start is reported winter
killed and is now being piowed under
for spring crops.
1t is certain that the French crop has
met with a very serious disaster the ex-
tent of which is indicated by that which
is reported to have overtaken that Of lit
tie Belgium where it is reported that
three-fourths of the entire crop has been
winter killed Belgium lies directly
north of the best wheat growing dis
tricts of France. and the fact that the
wheat fields of Belgium have been thus
devastated renders it certain that there
has been nearly if not quite as much
damage sustained By those Of France ar
the most moderate accounts state.
In Spain and Portugal the crop has
suffered much damage, but the reports
from those backward countries as 70 the
extent of the damage is conflicting and
the most that can be said IN relation
thereto is that there has been serious in
jury in many districts.
In England there IS no reports Of
winter killing over any considerable
areas, but there is complaint that the
"heat tIas was soN Il '1aS - AhaaADS D1A
spIndling growth.
Throughout the remainder there Is
little or no complaint Of injury, but SO
much Of central Europe as well as the
Danubian countries are covered with
snow that, while it Is presumed that the
wheat plant is IN sound condition, no one
is able to say.
In Australia the crop 10 about an aver
age, but II the important province Of
New Zealand tbs season has beea very