Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-09-30
The Worlds Yield Of Wheat.

The following, relating 10 the wheat
situation, is an extract from the COM
plete monthly report of Mr.. John
Hyde, the statistician of the Agricul-
tural Department
High prices for wheat have for sew
eral weeks been bringing out supplies
quite freely. Increased supplies have
in turn reacted upon prices, causing
some decline from the highest figures
of August. The general tenor of the
information cleaned from all available
sources is not, however, Of character
to warrant any material cheapening OF
wheat until another crop is in sight,
with a prospect of ample stocks.
with an annual average European
product of over l ,428, 100000 bushels
during the SIX years from 1891 to 1896,
inclusive, we exported an average OF
t66,373,872 bushels year. This
year the European crop, according to
Broomhall's Corn Trade News, will, in
round numbers, amount to 1923, OOO,-
900 Winchester bushels, or SO, 10000
bushels less than the average Of the
six years in question. five make the
comparison with the figures given by
Beerbohm for 1897, the deficiency in
the European crop is still greater, the
figures being: Average for l89l-l896,
I,428,OOO,0O0; crop of 1897, 1885,
100000; difference, 100000.
"That is, according to Beerbohm 8
estimate of this years crop, there is a
deficiency of 100000 bushels in
European countries as compared with
their average product for the six years,
1891-l896-an average which in
cludes the exceptionally small crop of
1891. To make up this deficiency lit
tie help is to be expected from India,
Argentina or Australasia for months
to come, and in so far as Europe will
have to import a larger quantity than
usual, she will have to draw it mainly
from North America, and especially
from the United States, the Canadian
contribution being relatively small,
Official returns for Ontario and
Manitoba give for these two provinces
an aggregate of 5l,042,253 bushels.
If the Argentine crop shall escape the
ravages of locusts, it seems likely to
turn out unusually well, and from
January, 1898, when the bulk Of the
harvest will be got in in Argentina,
that country may have more or less
wheat to export, as the latest mail ad-
vices represent the crop as being IN
fine condition and weather favorable.
There are many chances Of serious
damage during the next three or four
months.
1.-The latest accounts from Australia
indicate that the drought from which
that country has suffered for the last
two or three seasons has been broken
and that the wheat crop Is giving good
promise. But the area was narrowed
by drought at seeding time, and, as
stocks must be low, it is not likely
that, even with full yield, the crop
will be one out of which any great
amount can be spared for expectation.
The present high prices would ordl-
narily tend to encourage tie sowing
fan increased breadth in India should
the weather prove favorable this fall,
but any inclination on the part of the
poorer cultivators to take advantage
of such favorable conditions will prob
ably be in a great measure thwarted
by the impoverished condition in
which they have been left by the
famine in the greater part Of the wheat
growing districts.
But, leaving out Of view the fact
that the burden of supply for Europe
will fall more largely than usual upon
the United States, it is evident that
there would, in any case, be demand
for larger surplus than is to be ex-
pected out of this years crop. If, to
our average annual export for SIX
years, (l092-l897) we add a Euro
pean shortage of 100000 bushels,
figured out by Broomball, We get
total of 265, 373,872 bushels, and in so
far as we fall short Of supplying that
quantity Europe, as compared with an
average year, must suffer scarcity in
her bread supply, except in so far as
she can avert it by drawing on the
stocks that may remain out of pre-
vious crops. The worlds reserves
have, however, been reduced in con-
sequence of the short wheat crop OF
last year, and deficiency in some OF
the other important food crops will
not tend to relieve the tension Of the
wheat market.