Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-12-28
Crops and Prices in 1891.

The December returns of the CORE
spondents of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture relate to prices OF
the products of the year upon the farm
or in the local mar kets where the Surplus
production is disposed of. The returns
Of the present yesr are full of encourage
ment and qualification The crops OF
the year, almost without exception,
have been large. and naturally some
re1u elton in price must be expected from
the prices that prevailed a, y'ar ago,
following the poor season Of 1890 IL Is
too often the case that the decline 10
| values is greater in proportion than the
increase in production the surplus which
is produced acting as powerful factor
in depressing the value of the whole
crop. The extraordinary demand abroad
for our grain this year has resulted in
maintaining high values, and it is a
source of qualification that the producing
classes are realizing handsome share
in the increase.
CORN The corn crop Of the present
wear exceeds 2 DOC, 900, 900 bushels, and
closely approaches the largest crop ever
grown in this country Last year the
crop was the smallest ia production per
capita during ten years and the smallest
10 volume, with one exception, during
| that period. This deficiency in supply
re suited naturallyin high price Tne re.
turns of the present year however, make
the average on the first day Of the present
month AZ cents, agatns. 500 year
ago With an increase in production of
SOC, 600, 600, bushels. or "a per cent the
price has fallen 16 per cent Values
have been maintained by the unusual de-
maud both at home and abroad, for our
product On the basis of December
prices the present cora crop is worth to
farmers nearly 500 000. 600 more than
that of last year.
WAEAr Wheat shows still more
rikingly the prosperous character of
the season for American agriculture
With a crop this year more than 80
per cent larger than that of last the
price is not only maintained but slightly
exceeds that Of year ago. The present
return makes the average value per
bushel 81 3 cent, against 50 in Decem.
Der of 1890 The returns show that the
advance IL value has been uniform in all
sections, and there is remarkable uni
formity of return even by counties The
present crop in the aggregate is worth
to growers ia the neighborhood Of Sl75,-
000, 600 more than that OF last year he
crop Is. of course, largely beyond the
requirements OF home consumption, and
only the fact that the market abroad for
our surplus is much greater than ever
heretofore prevents heavy decline in
value
OATS in the case Of oats there has
been sharp decline from the abnorm-
ally high figures of year sgo The
price In December CT last year was the
highest, with one exception. during the
decade, and was the result Of the com
parative failure Of the crop over large
section of the area upon which It was
grown. The price returned by this in
ve.tigation Is 81 2 cents per bushel,
figure somewhat higher than the aver
age value during the period since 1880.
The increase In production, however,
more than offsets the decline in price,
and the crop of the present year nets
producers several million dollars In ex.
cess of what they received for the last.
OTHER CEREALS Like wheat the
price OF rye is this year above that OF
last, the figures being "a cents per
bushel against So Q The present crop
is considerably lsrger than that grown
last year, and prices have been main
tanned By the unusual demand for exp0r-
tation to rye eating countries. which
have heretofore drawn their supplies
from Russia snd Eastern Europe The
barley crop Of last year was co sidera-
bly, smaller than the average for series
OF years on account of the generally I'M
favorable season This year the crop Ia
the largest ever gro sn, the increase re
sulting both from the large area planted
in nticipation OF the exclusion OF ana
dian barley from the mtrket and from
the unusually heavy yield per acre which
was secured AS result the value per
bushel of the crop is somewh,t
less than last year. the average for
the country standing az 81 cents. The
price of buckwheat at 81 Is practically
the same as last year, although there
has b. en- some increase In production.
POTATOES The potato crop In 1880
was very small, making the smallest
supply per capita which we have had
during any recent year. As result the
average value per bushel WAS very high,
but the short crop and Inferior quality
in most OF the districts of large pfodGc
ton prevented fargers from securing
any Of the advantages Of the high prices.
The present crop has been one OF large
proportions, the acreage naFlBg DttD IN
creased and the season favorable In all
Districts where ii il grown As result
there is heavy decline In valEes The
present farm price IN reformed at 81 l.
fhe result In the case OF this crop shows
what may usually be expected when
crops in excess Of ordinary demands are
grown With az increase thi4 year OF
nearly 100 100000 bushels in production
the aggregate value OF the crop ia less
than that Of last year by ptrhaps 20
100000.
HAY. Hay has shared with the other
farm products the general rise Of values.
and the value per ton, as averaged for
the whole country stands at sS 80 against
e. - last year