The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-14
WORLDS WHEAT SUPPLY
REPORT of THE AGRICULTURAL DE-
PAYMENTS sTATIsTICIAN.
America VIII Not he Able to Supply
the European shOrtaGe--President
Returns to Washington.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13.-The following
relating to the wheat situation is an ex
tract from the complete monthly report of
Mr.. John Hyde, the statistician of the Ag-
ricultural Department, which will be issued
tomorrow. High prices for wheat have for
several weeks past been bringing out sup
plies quite freely and increased supplies
have, in turn, reacted upon prices, causing
some decline from the highest figures of
August. The general tenor of the informa-
ton CLEANED from all available sources is
not, however, of a character TO warrant
the expectation or the fear, according as
the matter is regarded from the consumers
or the producers point of view, of any
material cheapening of wheat until another
crop is in sight with a prospect of ampler
stocks. With an annual average European
product of over Lips 10000 bushels during
the six years from 1891 to 1896. inclusive,
we exported an average of 66,373.S72 BUSH
els a year. This year the European crop,
according to Broomhall's Corn Trade News,
will, in round numbers, amount to 1929, Co.,,
coo Winchester bushels, or 49, 900 bushels
less than the average of the six years in
question. If we make the comparison with
the figures given by Beerbchm for 1897 the
deficiency in the European crop is still
being: Average for 1S91-1S96, 1,423; crop of
1897, LBS; difference, 113. That is according
TO Beerbohms estimate of this years crop,
there is a deficiency of 1l3, Coz, 0J9 bushels In
European countries as compared with their
average product for the six years 1S9l-lS96-
an average which includes the exceptionally
ITO make up the deficiency little help is
to be expected from India, Argentine or
Australia Tor months TO come, and IN so tar
as Europe Will have TO import larger
quantity than usual she will have to draw
il mainly from North America and especial
ly from the United States, the Canadian
contribution being relatively small. Official
returns for Ontario and Manitoba give for
these two provinces an aggregate of 81, :
O42, 253 bushels. If the Argentine crop shall
escape the ravages of locusts it seems like
ly to turn out unusually well, and from
January, 1898, when the bulk of the harvest
VIII be got in Argentine, that country
may have more or less wheat to export, as
the latest mail advices represent the crop
as being in fine condition and the weather
highly favorable There are, however, many
chances of serious damage during the next
three or four months. 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 throughout most of the Aus
tralian colonies, 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
ordinarily tend to encourage the sowing of
increased breadth in India should the
weather be favorable this fall. but any in
clination on the part of the poorer cultiva-
tors to take advantage of such favorable
conditions will probably be in great meas
ure 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 a larger surplus
than is to be expected out of this years
crop. If to our average annual export for
the six years-1S92-1S97, we add a European
shortage of $4,000 600 bushels figured out by
Broomhall, we get a total of 265373.Sl2 BUSH
els and in so far as fall short of sup
plying that quantity. Europe. as compared
with an average year, must suffer scare
ity in her bread supply, except in so far
as she can avert it by drawing on the
stocks that may remain out of previous
crops. The worlds reserves have, however,
been reduced in consequence of the short
wheat crop of last year, and a deficiency
in some of the other important food crops
will not tend to relieve the tension of the
wheat market