The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-10
CANARYSEBD.
Great Number of Countries That
Have Reduced Their Pro-
duction Of This Grain.

An envelope bearing an English stamp
and an English postmark brings to ''The
News" the following interesting circu-
lar
During the last few years of depressed
values in most food grains 1t MAJ have
escaped the notice OF many that a very
decided change has taken place in the
production of canaryseed.
The country that is specially responsible
for the last heavy reduction in values is
the Argentine Republic, where the pro-
duction has been taken in hand on such a
scale that for SOM time it almost APP
peared as if the principal price regulator
were for the future to be centred in that
country.
The immediate cause of the Argentine
Republic entering this field of enterprise,
appears to have been the high prices es-
tablished during the years 1892 to 1898,
the value of canaryseed ranged
between 70s and sos per or. (467 ibs.). In
the latter year, as a matter of experiment,
/ some LOCO qrs. were grown, and this was
soon followed by the production of about
5000 qrs. in the following year, and as
much as 10000 to 10000 qrs. in 1895. The
prices then ranged from about 4os to Cos
per Or. for a short time, and while a small
portion of the Argentine producers had
the advantage of realizing such prices,
the bulk of the seed was thrown on an
over-stocked market, with such disastrous
consequences that the prices dropped
down to as low as 22s to 23s per or. for
La Plata and us to 2Ss for f. a.. q. Turk
ish seed. and remained at those figures
during the best part of last year.
Considering h ia canaryseed Is only cul-
tivated on a mall acreage, and that its
ingathering disposal is much more
expensive han hat of the great food
staples. it was found that it would only
pay the farmers if they could realize for
same a price considerably above that of
wheat, and as soon as the Argentine far
mers were impressed with the apparently
permanent nature of these low figures,
the abandoned the production in just as
striking a way as they had taken it up
a few years previously.
According to the latest reports the grow
ing of canaryseed has practically been
abandoned. and there is nothing obtain
able in that country except a very few
odd lots for which owners are looking
for prices far above those realizab1e at
present,
Concurrently with this movement, one
of the leading countries that used to be
distinguished for supplying most of our
European wants, viz, Holland, has been
almost entirely beaten out OF the field,
so that the acreage in that country, once
supplying as much as 70, 600 qrs. from a
single crop, has dwindTed down to next
to nothing.
In England likewise the farmers have
given up growing canaryseed year by
year, and It is now quite a rare thing
to see a sample of native seed.
Morocco, another country that used to
supply Europe with a number of cargoes
of this seed, beside regular steamer par
GELS, has also reduced its production very
considerably indeed.
Spain, which at one time used to get a
special price for its excellent seed, has
also been unable to stand the general ten
dency of low prices, and had to give up
growing to a very large extent.
The only country that so far has steadily
kept on producing this seed, and which
has from time immernoria1 been familiar
with Its cultivation in Turkey. During
the time when wheat ruled at very low
figures. Turkey has kept on growing this
seed, being. satisfied with getting for
same a little over wheat price, but now
- LII S0llStdSl ably over
the value of canaryseed, 1t is hardly to
be expected that Turkey will, even pro-
viding that the crops are favorable, have
anything like its usual acreage under this
crop.
Up to about five years ago, when the
value OF Canaryseed had at no time been
lower than about BIS, and very frequently
doubl and treble that price, the bulk Of
supplies used to be in the hands of Greek
houses. who having made advances on it
at harvest time, distributed such GUAM
titles as We're from time to time wanted
to the various ports in Western Europe
the United States of America.
Now this system has been entirely al
tered, the seed being mostly thrown on
the general market soon after harvest.
so that at the moment the visible supply
IN turkey itself is most insignificant and
practically the whole of the worlds sup
ply Is in the hands of either direct con
sumers, or Of the general trade through
Although at present these available
supplies would perhaps be sufficient to
Keep the trade going, 1t remains very
much an open question whether. with
no great additions to be expected from
this years crops. the extremely low fig
ures we have established now for such
an extensive period can be relied upon
Tor the. next year or SO. 1t is Just a most
ton where the slightest r-e-conssderation
amongst a number of holders, or unfa-
voraDle reports as to growing crops NAV
considerably affect values.