The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-06

tent the gain IN the price prevailing
recently for wheat has reacned tne
producer, but It n not believed that tl!e
farmers have derived the principal eq-
vartaga from e. Many who have held
on 10 their wheat, confident that sas
condition OF the worlds market VIII
justify them IN awaiting demand az
an advanced price, Will propaoly yea
lie n the needs OF the world remain
normal and the deficit In countries that
have been Obliged 70 so abroad Is NOT
made IN from unexpected sources.
There Is great probability, however, as
Indicated by the reports OF represenlta-
tlves OF the department, that oeIore
sprlng the reserve supply OF wheat ~
the United States VIII be drawn OUT
for export. u may become exhausted
and IN that event the farmers will go
TO next years market with wheat JUST
from the farms and will not have
any reserved stock 90 draw upon.
Outlook for 1897.
For 1887, the outlook IS at present
confined 10 the operations Of farmers In
planting winter wheat. The conditions
OF winter wheat on December ! aver
aged for the country 995 per cent. as
compared with Sl.4 in 1895, SO per cent
In 1894, and s1.5 per cent in 1888. In the
principal winter wheat states the per-
centages were: Ohio, 1Ol; Michigan,
90; Indiana 100; Illinois 80; Missouri
1Ol; Kansas 1OS; Nebraska 80; Cali
fornia 81.
The farmers OF the country are un-
doubtedly under the impression that
wheat Is to be a good crop In 1897, Tor
they are putting more acres OF u 10
seed. The acreage just sown appears
from latest returns TO be 1907 as COM
pared with the acreage harvested IN
1896. This estimate. which, the depart
ment says. Is preliminary to the COM
pleted returns 20 be issued IN June
next. makes the area sown FOR the mar
vest OF 1857 TO be e3,es6.{7O acres.
From Europe the reports are not
ALARMING FOG the farmers Of that con-
tlnent. The conditions for fall wheat
seeding throughout Europe, except IN
France and Southern Russia, are re-
ported generally favorable. The IN
crease In acreage Is probably not great.
The etatlstician OF the department OF
agriculture. Ike his fellow-Sta tlstician
IN che treasury, has no official opih-
ion, but merely an Unsuitable appetite
for information that can be tabulateu.
he WOOlQ uuNeI llt aOulGCa VI any, AAN
ton Tor the department enlarged and
II6erallzed, SO that from every intelll-
gent consul OF the United states, 10"
Instance, the department would be en-
titled to receive at once, briefly or at
such length as the Importance OF the
information deserved, such news con-
corning crop conditions or prices as
could be turned TO the advantage OF the
people who depend upon their crops
Tor the wherewithal 90 pay the taxes
that so to maintain the different ude-
partmentS of the government. The I'M
portance OF employing our consular Of
ilcers in this work IS regarded by the
government officers who make up the
crop statistics as SO evident as TO need
no further argument than is made in
the statement OF the case to secure It's
approval by the Congress and the pro-
per Officers. At present we are COM
PEELED to await for periods some times
Zoo long the full Information accessi-
bic In great markets. often for weeks
after It has been available 10 alert
agents for other governments.