Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-07
Remarkable Year In the History of
American Agriculture.


The present year will go on record, says
writer In Harpers Weekly, one OF the most
remarkable from the farmers point OF view,
In the history OF American agriculture. II has
been season of contradictions, and at a cursory
glance It would almost Sc that like causes have
failed to produce like effects. One OF the
driest years on record. 1t has proved also one
ing season there was almost constant apprehen-
sion of crop failure In spite OF late frosts ana
spring freezes, of druuths almost unparellslei
in intensity and extent of territory covered. and
with unusual visitation from insect enemies, the
hnrvests, with the exception OF wheat and cotton
are more abundant than for years.
m Tae area m planted to corn last spring amount, az
record. For three years the crops had been
small and prices had suffered less than any
other grain in the general depression of values
Low prices for wheat and cotton induced a
curtanent of their area, and this land was
tary increase a considerable acreage of winter
killed wheat was ploughed up in the spring and
put in corn In no state of Importance the
acreage smaller than that of the previous year,
and the overshadowing Importance of the great
American, crop may be realized when 1t is re-
mcmbered that the area devoted to this crop
alone this year amounts to almost one-fourth
OF the total area of Improved land in farms in
1890 while It's immensely may be measured by the
iset that IT'S acreage equals the combined area
ware and Maryland, and is greater than the
total area Of the United Kingdom or Italy or
Norway. The season not entirely favorable
most districts suffering at some period of growth
from lack Of rainfall, but the average rate of
yield in the whole country was higher than In
recent years and the total crop is estimated
ut 2s12 900 bu., 10000 900 larger than any
previous crop.
,,hns The heavy M Yield in spite of adverse con.
measure making up for the deficient rainfall
As natural result of large crop prices
have steadily declined since the result became
assured, and is now selling as low as IA
cents bushel in Kansas, figure before
reached under modern conditions. A large
am mount OF capital, both rural and urban. Is taxi
TassS ns adHansSe " rr,s of low prices and is now
PROBABILITY the movement during the next five
months will be disappointing both to the graia
trade trad, and to railway interests expecting large
tonnage In the near future. The large surplus
mus. mus taken care of and removed from i'm
corn prices for perhaps two years to come as
every every market advance will open these cribs
succeeding crops. ''''' WIZ"
The wheat crop was underestmated during the
whole whole growing season. The damage to Winter
wheat from, drouth was severe, but the Yield
OF spring wheat in Minnesota and the Daiotas
bNH msiency The total crop is estimated at i6O 900
mens psSns,5 nnS w snesn lien for all domestic REQUIRE
9lu crops enough to supply all probable export
In oats the crop exceeded sOO OOO 900 bu. by far
,he T.. largest ever grown. and the largest small
grain T crop ever grown in any country. So far is
the price in Chicago declined from sse 10 1sine
PER pu.; nSing the farm value west of the Missis-
slnpi river as low lie.
,,, nor several years farmers have been advised to
slow more potatoes. Last spring they listened
10 thls advice from the secretary of agriculture
ana from other less prominent but equally con-
,lnclhs sources and planted 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 acfenge to give product beyond all possi-
bic demands for domestic consumption This ex-
cessire production. furnishing surplus for which
there Is no adequate outlet. has crushed prices
below cost of production in many sections In
tne northwest this is especially true the ruling
prices not paying cost of digging and handling
SO that many growers have abandoned the results
of their years work. y.
The crop is estimated at 2S2 OOO 900 bu or nearly
6oOW.eoo bu. in excess of the heaviest crop ever
before grown. and the experience of the present
year should be sufficient to prevent hereafter the
sudden enlargement of any crop until a market
for the surplus has been assured.
The fruit crop of the year phenomenal. es-
pecialy In view of the frosts in May after apples
and small fruits were in bloom. The apple crop
Is one Of the largest grown. n heavy def
cheney In New England and small crop In
New York being made up by the heaviest crop OIL
record west of the Allegheny mountains. The
extension of fruit culture in years has been
rapid. and as new orchards constantly coming
into bearing a liberal supply of fruit for the
American table, at moderate prices is now as
sured in almost any season.
The yield of all kinds of vegetables was in
keeping with the character of the season In other
lines of production, assuring abundance and vari-
ETY., as well as low priced food for all classes
The following statement shows the acreage and
production of the principal and some minor crops
of 1885, estimated by the wri'er. based upon
systematic local returns received during and after