New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-15
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
WHEAT.
THE ERRORS OF OFFICIAL REPoRTs-EXPoRTS
FOR MARCH AND TEN MONTHS.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

THE ERRORS OF OFFICIAL REPORTs-EXPoRTS
FOR MARCH AND TEN MONTHS.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
SIR: II has taken only two months to prove
that the official report OF wheat in farmers hands
March was an impudent untruth Presumably
the intentional deception was that OF scattered
correspondents upon whom the Department
chooses to depend. and who prefer to serve the
wishes Of spectators or the supposed interests OF
the Changers. But the Department owes 1t TO the
country and to itself to put an end to reports 50
speedily proved untruthful. March ]. according
10 the Department. the wheat remaining In farm
crs' hands was only Is 900 bushels which. with
~ 76l 900 in visible supply made lo3'6 900 BUSH
ola Since that time two months consumption for
food has vanished namely 80. III 900 bushels. and
wheat for spring seeding $4,000. 900 bushels and
% PA 1919 bushels were exported In March and
Aprl making 90, 49,. 900 disposed Of and leaving In
the country only 49, 766. 900 bushels. according TO
the Department But the quantity In visible sup
ply alone April q was 65.775O0O and May It was
e. 1876 OO0 ard since either date several million
bushels have been received from farms at West
ern and at Pacific ports.
II was pointed out in comments on the March
report that II was at war with the similar report
of March l. 1894. and that the discrepancy was
about So 600 900 bushels If the quantity consumed
In feeding animals was az large as the Depart
ment had declared. 1t was then shown that the
quantity on hand last year mus, have been larger,
the crop larger, and the consumption in feeding
smaller than the Department reported. leaving on
hand March J. instead Of 1888 0OO 900 bushels. about
2l2 coo 900 bushels The quantity disposed of dur
ing the last two months above stated. would
leave about ll9 900 900 bushels on hand May ]. Of
which about 64o00OOO bushels were in visible sup
ply. We shall now see. within about six weeks
whether the quantity in sight will entirely vanish.
as IL must If the official report was anywhere near
correct Exports thus far in May have been about
as large as last year from both coasts, though
diminished from Atlantic ports by the advance In
prices. Exports equal to last years. about a..
600 900 bushels in May and June. and two months
consumption for food about 81 900 900 bushels are
quite impossible from the visible supply Of $4,000
600 bushels if there not left in farmers hands
a large quantity of wheat May /. Of which, In fact
about 1000 900 bushels have come forward in hall
of May this side of the Rocky Mountains. besides
the receipts from farms which supply the heavy
movement from the Pacific Coast.
The preliminary returns Of exports in APRIL
flour included. make lo7l9o45 bushels. against
a. 222 7S3 last year. After some months of delay.
the official report for March and nine months Of
the crop year has been published. showing net ex-
ports in nine months four included. equal 10 Ill.,
1872 666 bushels wheat. against l3ONJ.bbs the pre-
vious year This accounts for 100. Ill bushels
during the current crop year. against li2.lls.45l
for the same months of the previous year and II
is worth noticing that the preliminary statement
covers exports Of 30156.0Sl bushels from Pacific
ports against % $40 last year. and only sO3S4-
69j bushels from Atlantic ports against ll92o.l1S
last year In the month IF April the exports were
against 227l 922 In the previous year. while from
Atlantic ports the exports were S,32ii1S bushels.
against $3.50 SCI last year While it Is evident
that the advance in prices this side has t. some
extent limited Atlantic shipments. and given the
Pacific producers a better opportunity TO market
their products. II is. on the whole. matter o1
some surprise that the decrease In Atlantic ship
ments has not been greater. II is presumably
because foreign buyers were impressed as well as
domestic holders with the notion that the crop
this wear was TO be very short but the bounteouS
rains throughout the Northwest within the last
few weeks seem TO have removed that appr"hcn-
sion, and II Is now the general belief that the
Yield this year will be fairly large w. NJ. q.
New-York, May II. 1895.