Milford chronicle., 1895-12-06
STSfIforSSa-
me Crops OF 1888.

ord as one Of the most remarkable,
from the farmers point of view in
the history of American agriculture.
1t has been a season of contradic-
tions,aud at cursory glance itwould |
almost seem that like causes have
failed to produce like effects One
of the driest years on record, it has
proved also one OF the most fruitful,
although during the growing season
there was almost constant apprehen-
sion Of crop failure. In spite of late
frosts and spring freezes,of droughts
almost unparalleled in intensity and
extont OF territory covered and with
unusual visitation from insect enc
mics, the harvests, with the exception
OF wheat and cotton, are more abun-
dant than for years.
The area planted to corn last
spring amounting tosl 500 900 acres,
was the largest on record. For three
years the crops had been small, and
prices had entered less than any
other grain in the general depression
Of values. Low prices for wheat and
cotton induced a curtailment of their
area, and this land was largely given
10 corn. In addition to this vOlun-
tary increase a considerable acreage
of winter-killed wheat was ploughed
upin the spring and put in corn. In
no State Of importance was the acre
age smaller than that ofthe previous
year, and the overshadowing impor-
lance of the great American crop
may be realized when it is remem-
bered that the area devoted to this
one crop alone this year amounts to
almost one-fourth of the total area of
improved land in farms in 1890, while
its immensely may be measured by
the fact that its acreage equals the
combined area of New England New
York, New Jersey, Delaware, and
Maryland, and is greater than the
total area of the United Kingdom or
Italy or Norway. The season was
not entirely favorable, most districts
suffering at some period of growth
from lack of rainfall but the average
rate of yield for the whole country
was higher than in recent years, and
the total crop is estimated at 2,272,-
100000 bushels,or 100000 O0 larger
than any previous crop.
The heavy yield, in spite of adverse
conditions, is the result of the unus-
ual care given the crop in the spring.
frequent cultivation in a measure
making up for the deficient rainfall.
As a natural result Of so large a
crop prices have steadily declined |
since the result became assured, aud |
corn is now selling as low as four
teen cents a bushel in Kansas, a fig
ure never before reached under mod |
ern conditions. A large amount of
capital both rural and urban, is TAX
ing advantage of low prices and is
now engaged in cribbing this i'm
mense crop, and in all probability |
the movement during the next five |
months will be disappointing both |
to the grain trade and to railway |
interests expecting large tonnage
in the near future. The large sur
plus thus taken care of and removed |
from immediate marketing, however,
will tend to depress corn prices for
perhaps two years to come, as every
market advance will open these cribs,
bringing the crop of 1895 into com
petition with succeeding crops.
The wheat crop was underestima
ted during the whole growing sea
son. The damage to winter wheat
from drought was severe, but the
yield of spring wheat in Minnesota
and the Dakotas was large enough to
make up most of the deficiency. The
total crop is estimated at 100000
900 bushels, sufficient for all domes-
tic requirements, and with the aecu-
INFLATED reserves from old crops
enough to supply all probable export
demand,
In oats the crop exceeded SOC, O0O,-
600 bushels, by far the largest ever
grown, and the largest small grain
crop ever grown in any country.
So far is the crop beyond CONNER
cial requirements that the price in
Chicago declined from 80 to lsa
cents per bushel, fixing the farm
value west of the Mississippi River
as low as IL cents.
For several years farmers have
been advised to grow more potatoes.
Last spring they listened TO this adj
vice from the Secretary Of Agrieul-
lure and from other less prominent
but equally convincing sources, and
planted an acreage much larger than
usual. The season was favorable in
most sections, and the rate of yield,
while not the largest on record, was
heavy enough with the great acreage
% give product beyond all possible
4.