The herald., 1895-09-04
LOCAL FIELD OF COMMERCE
The Big Corn Crop and Its
Possible Effects
VERY LITTLE Is EXPORTED
But the Purchasing Power Of the
Farmers Is Increased
The Price Of WaInuts Not Yet Fixed, and the
Foreign Scale Must Be Taken
Into Account
VERY LITTLE IS EXPORTED

The fact that it has been generally ad-
mitted for the past month that the out
look is for the largest Indian corn crop
on record in the United States appears to
have made remarkably vivid impression
on some people within tile past few days,
and. as result, they are indulsing in
many natural and, in some instances,
grotesque conjecturss as TO W bat il means.
First among them Is the tendency to
jump to the conclusion that an enormous
crop OF Indian corn will mean very heavy
exports of the same, which does not fol-
low at all. Regarding the com crop.
Bradstreets makes some timely and sem
sibe remarks. According to this author
ity, less than one-half of per cent-onc
wo-hundedth of our crop of Indian
corn goes abroad as corn or as indian
meal. If one pauses to consider theprob-
legislation, called sanitary regulation by
courtesy, in keeping American hog and
beef products out OF European countries,
some notion may be gained of the outlook
fof Increased expectations OF Indian corn,
either as corn, meal, cattle, hogs, or as
beef and hog products. A Washington
agricultural department. outsiving places
the probable domestic crop of Indian corn
at nearly ., 500. 600, 5000 bushels, which, il
is added, at the present prize for corn,
means about $76S, 900, 100 for the producers
OF the cereal. without taking ito account
the value of the stalks. rhe latter, it has
been estimated, would bring the total
value OF the tIndian corn crop to the
farmer up TO more than ST. 900. 10000
But this crop will have to como to market
sooner or later. and the granger and 9TH
er railroads will have to carry it, so that
a more than 1000. 900, 900 bushel crop of
corn must be regarded as bull factor
in the railway stock market.
1t is quite as likely such crop will
have more of an influence on the general
prosperity of the country through the in
creased purchasing power it will give the
agricultural con munity than through any
question of how much of the crop is to
60 abroad. Furthermore it should not bo
overlooked that it is not too late for the
Indian corn crop to be badly damaged
by frost. Not before the middle of
September can the corn be regarded AS
out OF danger in this respect. The
present crop is still in the fields ungath-
cred. Getting at anything like an accur-
ate total of the crop of Indian corn in
the United States is something as dis
tressing as trying to take a hay crop
census. Indian corn is grown so gen.
orally that none of the usual methods of
government crop reporting pretend to be
able to find all of it. Whether Q. 800. Ooo,-
900 is q trough guess or not we do not
know. but crop of 1000. 900, 900 bushels
would be very large indeed. The tend
ency in big crop year is to overessimate
it. and in short year the reverse.
Walnut Prices
During the week the price of walnuts
will be fixed ty the Los Nietos growers.
The crop will be fairly good one. 1t is
estimated that the section will produce
1000 or 2300 tons. The freight rate this
year will be $l.30 per GENITAL, instead of
Sl.75 last year. Last year our price was
61S and 8 cents. Now the Grenoble nut
is offered for shipment by the importer,
delivered in New YORK at 81 cents for
October and cents for November !;
Chilis, 6A to 81 cents; and in Chicago at
SA to 9 cents. for Grenobles and 6M to 7
cents for Chilis. This means prices of
to IN cents for number one soft-sbells
and 5a to e cents for first grade hard
shells +. o. b. on our coast to the eastern
buyer.