Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-09-26
EuRopE,s CROPS.

They Arc Much Shorter Than mt First Re-
ported-Foreign Powers Alarmed mt the
Prospect of Famine-Americn's Surplus
: Can't supply the Demand.
NEW YORK, Sept. 22.-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 Eu--
rope. 1t declares that the half has not
been told about the European shortage
in breadstuffs, which not even boun-
tiful crop this year would have re-
lieved
Continental powers, especially Rus
sia, suppress the facts so far as pos
sible. In many Russian provinces the
scarcity of food became pronounced as
far back as February last In the
Konstantinovka district many families
have not cooked a meal since Easter,
but subsist on bread, soaked rye, grain,
etc, bestowed in charity The pro-
hibition of rice exports is followed by
a ukase forbidding the shipment of
bran and other cereal cattle foods.
The astounding shortage of Russia's
yield of rye, announced u month since
by the ministry of finance, proves even
SICdItl lndh lnt illOSU CSUl-
mates and effectually obliterates all
possibility of Russia exporting any of
her scant wheat crop. That eastern
Germany is in practically the same
plight admits of no doubt.
The European reserves that have
heretofore eked out insufficient har-
vests are everywhere exhausted. The
parade made by Russia of the existence
of such stores in the Baltic provinces
is done for effect to convey the impress
sion that military stores are abundant.
Such reserves are of small Importance.
Indeed, the danger of famine is des-
tined to spare Europe the horrors of
war for fully twelve months 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,-
900 bushels, there is deficit in the
worlds food supply of at least 200, OOO,-
600 bushels of wheat and rye. with a
possibility of the shortage being twice
as great. Added to this is the almost
total failure of the potato crop in Ire
land and a serious curtailment 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.
Enormous exports of wheat and flour
fl ona the United States in August prove
that Europe regards the situation as
worse than it has yet been painted.
Otherwise why should she buy in a
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?
For the first time in years wheat,
bran and middlings are being exported
to Europe thus early in the season.
These circumstances are accepted as
the strongest possible reason for be-
lieving, prices of wheat are at present
,, unnaturally low. The paper quoted
looks Tor an advance in all cereals as
soon rs Europe realizes the limited ex
tent of the worlds actual supply
Every bushel of high-grade wheat il
to-day worth fully one dollar on the
farm where it grew.