The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-11-14
A WHEAT SHORTAGE.
From the N. Y. Sun.

narVcSCS nave DccH gathered
and are accommodating in ware
houses and other houses where
they are available for immedi-
ate use and distribution, a re-
view of the results and value
of their most important item,
wheat, is of interest, especially
to the American farmer.
For many seasons back the
production ofwheat has outrun
consumption and the surplus
each year has been very large.
This year, however, the account
of stock shows that the worlds
wheat reserves have been
heavily depleted. The situation
on Oct 1, with it's comparison
in former years, is thus pre-
scented by Beerbohm, the Liv-
erpool expert. The estimates
are in bushels:
ocr.i. 90. OCT I. "a OCT. I, e5-
America GA 100000 1O1 100000 7s,4OO, 900
Or c'nrs 7s,112,OOO 7o,s96OO 92,444. 900
Totals. 142, 10000 174,O16. 600 ITO, s43, 900
These figures are generally
accepted as correct. AS they
refer to grain which has been
for several months in store,
where it has been measured,
they are matters of fact rather
than of opinion.
tits apparent, therefore that
the worlds surplus wheat
stores have diminished nearly
100000 bushels since last
year. The loss has been sing
ularly divided, Our own supply
has decreased over 100000
bushels, as against an increase
of nearly 23,OOO,OOO at the same
time last year; while the stores
of other countries have in
erased 100000 bushels. These
other countries are largely, of
course, the wheat importing
countries, and the great defic-
iency in the worlds reserve
wheat supplyis for the present
unfelt by them and results in
a feeble importing demand.
This is the reason for the ex-
ceedingly low price which pre-
walls at the present. time; and
not until consumption has
made further inroads upon the
disproportionate supplies of
these outside countries is an
importing demand likely to
arise there and prices advance.
There is as little real doubt
in the cereal trade regarding
the general size of the present
harvest of wheat as there is of
the more easily obtained data of
the condition of the old reserves.
It is conceded that the harvest
will be very considerably below
that of last year. The crops of
Argentina, India and of the
southern hemisphere have long
been gathered. India made a
better showing than last year,
but Argentina was poorer.
There is a heavy falling off in
the yield of Great Britain, and
of Italy and Germany The
special report just published
by the Times in London, on the
results of the threshing of the
crop in Great Britain indicates
a deficiency there of 24,OOO,OOO
bushels. In Spain the yield IS
thought to be about 100000
bushels less than last year,
while the crop in Greece is un-
doubtedly a short one. Crop
figures, official or otherwise,
are more difficult to obtain from
Russia than elsewhere, but in
terror receipts there and advices
in the hands of the merchants
indicate that the crop is not up
to the average. The only nor
thern countries which show an
improvement in the wheat yield
are France, Rounania, and Bull
garia. Beerbohm estimates
the entire worlds wheat har-
vest at 1895, 100000 bushels,
against 2,558,OOO,OOO in 1894 and
2,458, 100000 in 1893, a decrease
from last year of 1852, 100000
bushels. His estimates seem
to be liberal, on the whole. He
calculates, for instance, at 3d.
10000 bushels in excess of the
amount fixed by our Govern
nentreport, and puts the Rus
sian crop at a total beyond that
generally conceded in the trade.
Dornbush, another eminent
English authority, estimates
the total deficiency this year at
III, 100000 bushels. On the
other hand, the Bulletin des
Ho11oo of Dol xx,1,:o1,