The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-06
THE WORLDS BREAD SUPPLY,

To the Editor of the Eagle.
Exporting largely of the wheat grown,
Americans are ever interested in the
condition of crops throughout the world,
and being engaged at this time in harvest
ing one of the largest crops ever grown
are now especially 80 as the price which
shall be obtained for our great surplus
will have much weight in determining
| whether the business of the year shall be
more or less profitable, as well as going
far in determining the extent and direc-
ton of specie movements during the
coming twelve months.
1t is of vital Importance to every bust
ness man as well as the cultivator that
the highest price obtainable should be
secured for this surplus, and in order to
obtain such price correct understand
ing of the exact situation is necessary,
and the writer having spent years in in
vestigating the question of food supply
has kept himself advised as to condition
Of growing crops the world over which
are, in brief, as follows:
Inc WINTER Oh 1CJO-Jl was an except
ional one in all parts of Europe and
Northern Africa, and in all that wide
region the rye and wheat crops suffered
great damage from the rigors of winter,
and in much of continental Europe the
spring and summer have not been such
as to repair this damage even in slight
degree, but on the contrary. in most
European countries, the unfavorable
conditions have been greatly intensified
by a spring and summer that have
thOwn periods of abnormal heat. fol-
lowed by others of unusual cod and
chilling frosts TO be again followed by ex-
cessive heats and scorching drouth. so
that the crops are now in a state
that indicates, at the best, but meagre
out-turn.
Notwithstanding our belated Agricul-
tural Department said, in its April re-
port, that exports in any considerable
volume was this year improbable from
India by reason of a very short crop.
vet in the first four months of the cereal
year. beginning April LIST, 1890. India
will have shipped p, coo, 600 bushels Of
wheat as against a total shipment in the
whole Of the preceding year of p, 0O0. 900
bushels, the crop, which had been har-
vested when the Washington barnaCles
put out this prediction, having been the
best for several years aud may be the
largest ever known.
From Russia comes the most deplOr-
able accounts and the details as to the
lamentable condition of the crops and
the distress already prevailing over a
very large part Of Central Russia pre-
Clude the possibility of any considerable
exports from that country. Indeed. IL
the Russian peasant is 70 be prevented
from dying Of starvation BY the million.
immense imports OF food would seem 70
be necessary as well as grain wherewith
to SOW the fields, as the winter wheat
crop. with the exception OF some half
dozen provinces. Is such an entire fail
IRE that it Is very doubtful it II VIII re-
turn the seed sown, and in many of the
provinces the rye fields will not return
the seed sown while the spring wheat, as
whole, Will not be more than two
thirds of a crop, and Is Ike ' to lie but
half or less.
Conservative estimates (the most con-
servative) place the loss Of the winter
wheat at two-thirds Of the crop or co.
600, 600 bushels, and that % spring wheat
at one-third, and an average crop Of
sDripE wheat being $4,000. 60 bushels