Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-03-24
INJURED BY THE BICYCLE.
Heavy Declination in the Value OF Hay
and Oat Crops.

and oat Crops.
The production of American hay
amounted to 65,OO0,OO0 tons in 1903,
55,0G0000 tons in 1894, 47,000,000 tons
in 1895, and 100000 tons in 1896. In
other words, says the New York Sun,
the production Of hay has declined one
third in four years, and there has been
considerable though not correspou-
dinghy large decline in the market value
of the crop during the four years sue
ceeding 1892. The gross value of the
hay crop that year was S570000,O 1000;
last year it was S370000,00O. New York
ranks first among the States in the
product Of hay.
This decline in the product and SELL
ing price of hay is due to several
causes. One and perhaps the chief one,
Is the bicycle, which has 10 great eN-
tent, superseded by the use Of horses:
and another is the substitution Of eec-
tr!city and cable traction for horse pow
er on surface railroads. The mileage Of
these surface roads in all The cities Of
the United States is nearly $1,000, and
the use of electricity and steam power
has, by gradually reducing the number
Of horses required, reduced also the
demand for hay.
Along with the reduction in the mar
ket price and product Of hay, there has
been q similar reduction in the price
but not the production of oats,
also extensively used for fodder. The
average price of oats per bushel, which
was AZ cents in 1890, was 80 cents in
1894 and 20 cents in 1896. 1t is now
about 1S 1-2 cents, reduction of more
than one-half in six years The oat
acreage of the United States is 21,000,-
900, and this item Of agricultural pro-
duct is important in iowa, Illinois, Min
nesota and Wisconsin. The same
causes which have operated to de-
crease the market price of hay have
operated also to decrease. rhe market
price of oats, and the failing off in both
would no doubt be even greater than
1t Is but for the increase in the foreign
demand, stimulated by the export Of
these products at price low enough to
meet foreign competition.
In the year 1890 the expectation Of
oats in the United States amounted to
100000 bushels. In 1896 it was b.
100000 bushels, and during the SIX
months ending on Jan. the American
shipments Of oats amounted to H.
100000 bushels, with indications that
the total exportation of American oats
for the fiscal year ending on July 1,
1897, will amount to 100000. There
has been q similar Increase In the ex-
portation of American hay to foreign
countries. In 1891 the total exports OF
hay We're 2S,0OO,00O tons. In 1896 the
volume Of expectation had risen to Co.
100000 tons, and the American market
for these products is likely to continue
so long as the diminishing demand in
the United States makes it impractical
BILE to sell here proftably all Of the hay
and oats grown.
There is a homely expression which
declares that when one door shuts an-
other opens, and apparently, the door
which is open to the American farmers
with q surplus stock Of unstable hay
and oats is the door of foreign export.
Meanwhile, the spread and improve
ment of the bicycle have gone on unin-
terruptedly, and the speed and conven-
ience e transportation on surface cars
have been promoted greatly by the re-
tirement of horses.