St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-21
WORSE THAN PAINTED
Half Of Europe Actually on
the Verge Of a Big
Famine.
The American Agriculturist
Figures Crop Shortage at
20O,00O,OOO Bushels.
Added to This Is the Failure
Of the Irish Potato
Crop.
Every Bushel Of American
Wheat Worth a Dollar in i.
the Field.

New YORK, Sept. 20.-An exhaustive
study of the worlds food supply in the
forthcoming number of the American
Agriculturist emphasizes facts of grave
Importance to both America and Europe.
1t declares that the half has not been
told about the European shortage in
breadstuffs, which not even a bountiful
crop this year would have relieved.
Continental powers, especially Russia,
suppress the facts so far as possible. In
many Russian provinces the scarcity of
food became pronounced as far back as
February. In the Konstantinovka dis
trlct many families have not cooked a
meal since Easter, but subsist on bread,
soaked rye. grain, ETC., bestowed in
charity. The prohibition of rye eX-
ports is followed by ukase forbidding
the shipment of bran and other cereal
cattle foods. The astounding shortage
in Russia's yield of rye, announced a
month since by the ministry of fina nee,
proves even greater than the most eX-
trayagant estimates, and effectualIy
obliterates all possibility of Russia ex-
porting any of her scant wheat crop.
That Eastern Germany is in practically
the same plight admits of no doubt.
The European reserves that have here
tofOre eked out insufficient harvests are
Everywhere Exhausted.
The parade made by Russia of the ex-
istence Of such stores in the Baltic
provinces is done for effect-to convey
the impression that military stores are
abundant. Such reserves are of small
Importance. Indeed, the danger of
famine is destined to spare Europe the
horrors of war for fully twelve-month
hence. Accepting the largest estimates
of production, both at home and abroad,
and even assuming that the United
States and Canada can export 225,000,-
600 bushels, there is a deficit in the
worlds food supply of at least
10000, 900 bushels of wheat and rye,
with possibility of the shortage being
twice as great. Added to this is the
almost total failure of the potato crop
in Ireland. and serious curtaiiment in
the yield of potatoes on the continent.
Even with the utmost economy of dis
tribution, and an unheard-of consump-
ton of American maize, grave distress
is before the masses of Europe. Enor-
nous exports of wheat and flour fro m
the United States i'll August prove
that Europe regards
The Situation
as worse than 1t has yet been painted.
Otherwise, why should she buy in
single month close upon the harvest
nearly half as much wheat as she took
from the United States during the en-
tire first eight months of the year fol-
lowing one Of our largest wheat crops
and period of bedrock prices? In
deed, August wheat exports were al
most treble those of the same month
last year, and over four times as much
as the average exports at this season Of
last year. For the first time in
years, wheat bran and middlings
are being exported to Europe thus early.
These circumstances are accepted as
the strongest possible reason for believ-
ing that prices of wheat are to-day I'M
naturally low. The Agriculturist looks
for sharp advance in all cereals as
soon as the demand realizes the limited
extent of the worlds actual supply.
Every bushel of high grade wheat is to-
day worth fully 81 OH the farm where it
grew. One of the most marked features
of the prosperity that is already upon
American agriculture noted by the same
magazine is the extent to which farmers
are planning to unite in cooperative
buying and selling.