The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-06-16
THE OUTLOOK FOR WHEAT.

There were plenty of estimates and
predictions all through last season to
the effect that the wheat crop that
was then soon to be harvested would
not reach the amount needed to sup
ply the world for the twelve months
following, and that consequently the
farmers would get good price for
their crop. The expectations, predic-
tions, ETC., Ion the whole were not real
lied. There has been a gradual de-
cline of the price until it reached the
unusual low quotations of the past
few days, the local market dropping
to 40 cents for No. l. 1t would seem
as though the price had reached bed
rock and an improvement would be
the result, and yesterdays advance,
coupled with the better feeling which
prevailed in the market. seems to
justify this view Of the situation.
AS the season advances estimates
and predictions are again being made,
but what they will amount to only
the future can reveal Crop reports
from all the principal countries are
plentiful enough" SAYS the st. Paul
Pioneer Press, "and they are full of es-
Inmates of production and consump-
tion that mean little or nothing. We
have studied and compared with one
another lot of these figures, coming
to the conclusion that all of them are
worthless for practical purposes. 1t
is easy enough, for example, to take
the population of Europe for basis,
to say that each individual requires a
certain amount of breadstuffS to keep
him from starvation, and so to figure
out probable demand. But the act
ual fact does not run that way at all.
Whether the individual StarVes or not,
he does not eat the amount he is eX-
pected to eat, if times are hard. The
European peasant has food resources
untried by us, and the food require
ments of the continent can be con-
tracted, under the strain Of necessity,
to an extent that will put all pre-
vious estimates to flight. The only
measure of foreign demand for our
crop products that is at all reliable is
an estimate of the condition of the
crops themselves, at home and abroad
as compared with those of previous
years.
Proceeding from this basis, there
is certainly every reason for the
American farmer to feel encouraged
There is a certainty of a crop short
age on the other side of the Atlantic
The deficit is not as great as it prom
ised to be short time ago. A few
weeks ago it appeared probable that
European crops would be almost en-
tirely ruined. The wheat yield OF
France alone was placed, at that time
at more than $4,000, 900 bushels below
the average, with similarly IN
| favorable reports from al
the other wheat-producing coun
tries. The outlook from abroad
has frightened somewhat since then
More favorable weather has succeed
ed, and grain in the British islands
and in Southern Europe has revived
somewhat from the killing drought!
that affected it earlier in the season
But, while the shortage will be les:
than was at one time thought certain
the crop as a whole will surely fall be
low the average. India sends les
than her customary supply, and net
country reports bright crop prospects
Europe must draw upon US this yea
for more than her customary require
ment. Now the condition of grain il
the winter wheat area in this cOuntr
is far from encouraging to the farm
ers there. While there has been
reduced acreage in many parts of tn
country, owing to the low marke
price of the grain, the winter has no
been favorable and the area sow
promises only medium return.
would seem, therefore, that the cor
tinuance of the present prices through
out another year is more than improt
able, while, unless everything work