Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-23

WHILE THEY ARE SHORT IN KURoPK-yARMERs
ADVISED TO HOLD THEIR cRoPs AND REAP
THE BENEFIT OF THE INCREAsxD PRICE.
The Farmers Alliance folks are greatly in
terested in the reports Of small shipments Of
wheat and increasing prices. The alliance
prophets have been predicting . rise in the
price Of wheat and have been advising farmers
to hold their crops as long as possible in order
to get the advantage Of the increase.
1t has been said that the alliance was going
to try to make . corner in wheat. This the al
lance leaders deny, but they say they have
done their best to inform the farmers Of the
condition Of the wheat crops Of the world, so
that they may know what to calculate on in
making their sales.
Through the reform press bureau" which
IL located in this city, the alliance leaders are
sending out . circular, prepared some time ago
and recently adopted fer circulation among the
farmers. which enters into full discussion Of
the condition OF the crops, predicting an ex-
ceiient crop IN this country and quoting the
indications In crop reports that the foreign
mendation to the farmer is that he hold his
wheat for tho rise In price whenever it is possi-
Die Tor him to do 30. Since the 18th of this
month 400, 600 Of these circulars have been sent
out to the farmers Two hundred thousand
WIN oe sent out between now and Monday, and
!. I. is contemplated circulating million copies
~ ls expected tnat the result viii be slow ship
ment OF wheat to the markets and that the
farmer will himself claim the increased value
OF his product, instead Of giving the specula-
tors the benefit of the profits. In other words,
the farmers will do little speculating in their
own way.
WHAT THE CIRCULAR sAYh
mn
~. I.-;.,,.,..., n.
W, Asoui'uf"A DepAr 'men' ISSUES o'ery
montn governments report about the crops.
These reports estimate the number of acres
sown and give the percentage OF condition. A
Of 100 is a somewhat ideal crop and
would indicate yield of thirteen bushels and
fraction to the acre. 1t has been surpassed only
once, namely, in the year 1882 when the eondi-
ton at harvest was l04 and the yield thirteen
and one-haif per acre. Our presentcrop is some
what similar to the crops of 1884, the govern
ment report making the acreage the same and
the condition somewhat less. In 1854 at harvest
time the condition Of winter wheat was re-
ported as 98 and Of spring wheat as 99 This
year the condition of winter wheat is 96.6 and
that Of spring wheat 92.6, or about 81 per cent
less than the final report of 1884.
As the harvest Of 1884, the largest we ever
had, was 612, ,000, 600 bushels the last govern
ment report would indicate crop Of 494, ,000, 900
bushels, say SOC, 900 900 in round numbers.
The home consumption has increased with
the population and is certainly over $50 000, 600
bushels, probably $50, 600, 900, which leaves US
lao, ,OO0, 900 for export.
During the last ten years We exported
.a.,S;0S a. onG nnn a a'",ase, v1 "Iu ioPs
south America % OO0 1oO
This year we NAV have 5000. 900 more to
spare, which, however, will go to South America
on account OF the reciprocity treaties, and
Europe will receive the average quantity of
about 900 bushels and no more, as we
nave no reserves to draw upon.
This would make both ends meet there II
europe nao good average crop. but Europe
has not good average crop; in fact 1t has the
worst crop failure OF tie century;
Last winter was phenomenal all over Europe
IN Its severity and duration. Snow and ice
covered even Italy and Spain and were actually
carried Tar into africa. vessels on the Medl-
terranean came into port thickly covered with
Ice and this abnormal weather worked incalcu-
liable damage to the winter wheat in all the
countries OF that continent. The spring has
been late and very uniavorabie ana even In
june snow and irost destroyed most OF what
was LETT In han OF Germany and great part OF
Austria.
lhat the crop disaster 1s not local or moder-
ate or exaggerated can be clearly seen by the
acton OF the different governmental
Russia appointed commission to investi-
gate the crop damages, which reported wheat
II per cent below average ana rye much worse.
1t Is the custom OF that government to quiet
the alarm OF the people, and the damage, there
lore, 10 surely not less than reported, but prob
ably much more.
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TIE srrr.r,ox
7. d;.oA.so. o.nar.m. a. aoss;.;o- :. A.,
..-..1 easses ssne ia - VIC eonai.ion " 'ue
iofelgn crop ana teiie the FARMERS now TO take