The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-07
Tho Wheat Crop OF 1902.

Wheat being in universal daily use, and
entering 30 largely into tho foreign and
domestic commerce Of tho country. there
Is probably no one article OF production
in which so many have a direct interest.
as there Is certainly mono subject to so
much obscuration and manipulation by
parties concerned in its production. trans
portatlon. or distribution.
Tho crop now maturing has been sub
jected to more than the usual seasonal
sophistications. and The Sun has been at
especial pains to secure such Information
in relation to the crop. at home and abroad.
as will enable its readers to form correct
conclusions as to the probable yield and
the trend Of prices.
The exceptional crop OF the American field
In 1891 has not deferred interested parties
from representing that the current harvest
would be only q little less: but 1t Is evident
that this view is wholly unwarranted. nor
has there ever been any justification for 1t.
Comparisons with the phenomenal har-
vest Of 1891 are unfair and misleading.
From tho very first Introduction Of the
work Of systematically gathering crop sta-
tistics and observing conditions. the records
show no other season SO uniformly favorable
from seed time to harvest. We shall occu-
py much safer ground II our estimates and
comparisons are based upon the results Of
the ten preceding harvests. showing an av-
erage product Of about 10 bushels per acre.
While the autumn. winter. and spring
preceding the great crop Of 1891. were over
the entire wheat belt exceptionally favor
able. the meteorological conditions obtain
ing year later were. as q rule. tho very
opposite. The result was that the autumn
eown wheat entered the winter. over all
the areas west Of Pennsylvania and south Of
Michigan, small and weak. and had to
struggle for existence until May. against
adverse climatic conditions. 1t improved
somewhat in May. and was able to recover
some Of the lost ground. and came to the
ripening stage looking fairly well and CIV
ing better promise than has since been
justified by the returns from the threshing
machines. These returns have been dissp-
pointing over all the fields west Of the
seaboard States and north Of the Ohio. Tho
threshings have borne evidence. as they
usually do. that tho conditions prevailing
during the seasons Of growth and ripen-
| Ing are safe indices OF the final outcome.
With spring wheat the conditions have
from the first been still more unfavorable,
and there has been no time since the SOW
Ing Of the seed. which was from three to
five weeks late. whom there was the prom
Use OF an average crop. much less Of such
an unprecedented one as that OF 1891. The
indications now point to yiold In Mime
sofa and the Dakotas aggregating any
where from 100 DOC. 900 to 100. 900. 900 bushels.
all depending. however. upon whether frosts
hold of until the later sown spring wheat
natures the small yield which is all that Ia
now possible.
State reports and other credible authori.
ties show that the winter wheat areas. as q
whole. are not likely to give more than ar
average yield; and that the spring wheat
region will produce below the average. AS
Stunning that the area sown to both varieties
equals that Of 1891. the Indications are
for an aggregate out-turn Of about
4sO.ooo.ooO bushels. being some ls2
100000 less than the reported prod
uct OF 1891. and showing likewise thai
tho exportable surplus. from the crop o.
1892. will DO about l4O. 1000 900 less, as do.
nestle requirements have increased full,
s.OOOoOO bushels since last year.
Whatever SURPLUS. beyond the normal 70
serve. may remain from the crop OF 1891
will augment the amount available for OK
port; but this Is one Of those unknown
|, quantities which cannot bo estimated will
the least degree OF confidence.
Abroad. the situation presents as great
change from that OF 1891 as is shown Il
America. India has crop about 10000. 90
! | pcioW piuu Va AooU ySoAb oOutA AhOiiC
, and Australasia together, crops that proba
bly, do not differ materially but ar
T. rather below than above those Of 1891
, while the crops Of Asia Minor. Dorther
. Africa. Greece. and Bulgaria are decided
a inferior to those OF last year. The harvest
also OF Italy. Hungary. Spain. and Porting.
|. are from ten to fifteen per cent. below tn
. product gathered In 1891.
The wheat area In Great Britain is e
n much less than last year that the produ'
s will be from 5000. 900 TO 10000 900 bushe
less. in Scandinavia the temperature hs
been 30 very low and rains 80 excessive
II to cause grave fears as to the npening