The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-12-16
A QUESTION: OF AVERAGES.

How Farm Produce Has Paid the Hus-
bandman During the Past Decade ne
Showns by the Statistical Records of
the Department OF iGriculturc-wheat
Shows the Lowest Average of Any OF
the Cereals.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 1.-THE statisti-
sal returns of the department of agri-
t'ilthre for the month Of December are
principally devoted 70 .he indication
of the average prices Of tie products OF
the farm at the points of productions
or in the nearest local markets. A.
thus indicated, the value of corn is 81
cents per busiiti, which is - cents
lower than the corresponding price of
last year, which was 39.4 cents per
bushel, n figure which corresponds
nearly with the average farm price of
corn for the decade 1850 to 1859 inclu-
sive, which was 39.3 and is 81 cents
lower than the average for the three
years 1890 to tsa2.
Wheat-The average price of wheat
Is -. l cents per buHhel. The next low
est price in the twerty-three years
from 1870 10 1898. inclusive. vas 6t.5
cents in 1854: The average for the ten
years, 1850 to 1889, was ST, while for
the three wears 1890 to lSJ! il was 16.6.
The decline from the average OF the
last three preceding years, in two oi
which. Viz. 1891 and 1892, occurred
the largest yields iii The history of the
country, is 2450 cents. or 92 per cent
Ryc-The returns make the general
price per bushel of rye SIS cents
which is cents lower than that of last
year and So cents lower than the av-
erage during the past decade.
Oats-The average farm price of oats
as returned for December, 1885, is 2S.S
cents per bushcl, which is 80 cents
lower than last year and Ia cents less
than the afcEage price during the past
decade.
Barley-The average farm price of
barley. ms returned, is the lowest on
record The price is reported at 1916
cents, as against A. cents Il year ago,
81 cents in 1891. 64.S cents in 1890 and
~. cents in 1889.
Observation-Disclosures the other eere
ais, the farm price of bucllwheat per
buSntl IL tllt IlBHCNb SliiSt lN'N' 4 NV
average price is 50 cents per bushel,
as against 53.4 last year. 51.9 i'll 1891,
s7.T in 1890 and SIS in 1889.
lIay-The December returns show
that the average price of hay is s9.lS
per ton; eliich Is the highest during
the past decade, except In isS1. when
it rose to S9.9T. The average price In
1892 was $3.50.
Tobacco-The average price of to-
bacco for December is returned at rs
cents per lb. which is almost the same
as in lSSj, 1SSS ami 1890. Kentucky.
the state of largest production, re-
ports &c cents or twO-tenths of cent.
lower than the general average.
POta atoes-PotatOcs in the seven po-
tato states and on the farm December
], were selling at an average price of
60 cents per bushel, cents and frac'
tion less than at the same time last
year. The lower price is sufficiently
warranted Ivy the difference in yield
between tile two years.
Winter Wheat-The conditions of
winter wheat ON the lst day of Dccem-
Der averaged gi.5, against S7.4 last
year-in the middle and southern
states it ranges from a. to 50. In the
principal winter-wheat states the con-
dition is as follows: Michigan, 50:
Ohio. %: Indiana, 90; Illinois, IS: Mis-
souri,. 81; Kansas, 50: California, 100.
Winter Ryc-Ihe condition of win
ter rye, as reported, is $40, as against
S9.I last year