Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-05-25
THE LOW PRICE OF WHEAT.
SOME INTERESTING AND vALUA-
BILE INFORMATION.
Increase in Wheat Contributing Coun-
tries-What Farmers Must Do to
Meet Competition.

wv aprofitable crop for ex-
Y port?" q correspondent
of the New York Tri-
bune asked o prominent official of the
Agricultural Department at Washing
ton. The latter answered:
SIN the first place, wheat is now and
for many years to come will be a crop
which invites competition from coun-
tries in which farming is poor and land
or labor abundantly cheap. 1t is es-
sentially crop of cheap lands or in
ferior tillage, or both. In India, in
Egypt and some other countries the Ia
Dor is cheap; in Australasia, and here
tofore in our own Northwestern terri
tory, while the labor is high, the lands
are cheap and the farmer, moreover,
ruthlessly robs the soil. Now in South
America we find cheap wheat lands,
and, compared with our own, cheap la
Dor. SO in Southern Russia, where
there are comparatively cheap lands
and positively cheap labor.
'In arecent statement of the worlds
wheat supply issued by the Depart
ment of Agriculture are found dozen
countries contributing whose existence
is probably ignored by the majority of
American wheat raisers, and of whom
little is known even to American COM
mercial men. Among them we may
mention especially the Caucasus, Ru-
mania, Bulgaria, to say nothing of
European Turkey, Turkey in Asia, Ser
via, Persia, Poland, Cratia and Sla-
vonia, and in Africa, Egypt, Tunis and
Algeria. In the aggregate the coun-
tries mentioned have contributed q
yearly average of over 290, 900, 900
bushels to the wheat crops of the last
three years. The aggregate popula-
ton of the first three countries named
is in all about II, 900, 900. and of this
large number are not users of wheat
-four, using for their own wants rye.
Hence the average home consumption
per capita is not more than two-thirds
as much as ours, and yet these three
countries produced wheat III the years
given as follows: In 1891, 100, SIS, 900
bushels; in 1892, I'll, 900, 900 bushels,
and in 1898, 146, 529, 600 bushels an
average of 159, 68S, 600 bushels, with
probably home consumption barely
exceeding 10000, 900 bushels. A few
years ago the products of these coun-
tries, or at least their exportable sur
plus, was too insignificant for record.
1.-The London Miller states that the
total figures for Russia show the ship
ments from that country for January,
1894, to be so, 900 quarters, compared
with 30, $50 quarters in January, 1898,
and 575,950 quarters in Janury, 1891.
In 1892 they were prohibited.
"Another factor, and one that
promises to count more than all the
rest in the next decade, is to be found
in the rapid increase in the wheat
crops of the Argentine Republic, an
increase which promises to be phe-
nomenal. According to the paper al
ready quoted, shipments from Argen-
tina to the United Kingdom were, for
the six weeks ending February 10th,
over $50, 900 quarters, or Mt the rate
of 2, ,444, /, 900 quarters lover 19, 900, 900
bushels) per annum; but, adds the
paper quoted March and April ship
ments will show material increase. :
The director of the Department of
Agriculture of Argentina, recently in
this country, assured me that within
ten years that country would export
more wheat than is now exported by
the United States. Moreover, Chile,
Australasia and the great Northwest
territory of British North America
seem likely ere long to show their
ability to supply any deficiencies
which may occur in the other countries
named.
According to the Department au-
thorities the wheat supply of the
world for the three years 1891, 1892
and 1893 was respectively, in round
numbers. 1850. 900, 900, 2,303, 900, 900
and 1850, 900, 900 bushels, an ample
supply for the worlds demand, with "A
very considerable surplus in 1892, to
say nothing of the alleged underesti-
mates of the Department IN the years
1891 and 1892. ID is true that without
"a marked increase ia the supply there
has been steady diminution in price,
but that is readily accounted for by
the large available increase from eoun-
tries not formerly contributing IN any
marked degree, but which, by the de-
velopment Ia means al transportation,
as ia the case oi the Caucasus, or
owing b. changes ia their political
statue, As ia Bulgaria, aud from other
causes, have nog permanently joined
tho ranks Of exporting countries, and
arc able g. sell At low prices
Tho situation ia the country can
oaly be met b. general reduction IA
acreage und 4 considerable Increase Ia
yield per acre. Gus farmers must
learn % attain the yield which prevails
Ia tho more civilized countries 81
Earape, Instead 81 tagging among the
more backward OuE pltiiui thirteen
bashels e. tbs acre maHt bs Increased
g. eighteen "a tsenls, aad aaf aAeai
acreage telueed from Sd, HDi. iflO "a
So Ua0, Alu aefas g. ~ Nii. hAt A
eighteaH husAeh g. thr acts. au afff
ago muFa thaa saaallel - tfsnee and
greatly asees 80 hY tiIeat Britain sHsl
HalsIHms fie faFmrEa "a ths ehN#p
lanIz l "a AaHlAs cas- maka i
sla4il praai siih shssi af Aitg pF siktf
sest hasAeh aAffa f. lall Il iAiflfaN
Lashel als#as aa sslHai has - lela
a ia. .H #..s