Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-08-30
WORLDS WHEAT CROP.
Yield Of 1893 Estimated to be
tho Largest Known IN
History.

AOnce1 1855. Vu4AC VIZ
farmers of the Northwest have
ample reason to feel jubilant over
the crop prospects for the present
year, there is another phase of the
question that will not be so pleas
ing to them. Along with the en-
couraging reports Of their own
bountiful harvests come reports Of
abundant crops throughout the
wheat producing countries of the
world in brief, "there are others, u
and the Northwest must share its
prosperity with them. All the
evidence up to Aug. Is points to
the largest crop of wheat o n record,
with the possible exception of1s94
This means a possible year Of
lower pr1ces to temper the joy Of
a bountiful crop in the North est.
The wheat crop of the world 70,
the year of 1897 was approximately
2,15O, 100000 bushels. The
statistlcians of both Europe and
America have been doing some
considerable figuring for a couple
of weeks past, and their estimates
for 1898 will range from 2, SOC, $780,.
600 to $500, cocoon bushels, the
largest crop estimate in the
worlds history. These statements
are in many cases based upon re-
ports of the condition of the
wheat in vast sections of the
country where the crop was still
unharvested at the time the re-
ports were made, and from othe
sections on very scattered returns
from the machine. While admit.
ting that 1t is yet too early to figure
on the worlds wheat supply for
the year, they claim to base their
estimates on reliable authority and
feel authorized even at this early
date in announcing that the crop
will fall between these figures, and
at the least, more than equal the
worlds ordinary requirements.
This is contrary to what Was the
case last season and to what was
clearly evident at this time last
year.
Broomhall, the eminent Eng lish
crop statistican, puts his estimate
ut $500, 600, 900 bushels in round
numbers. Secretary Rogers of the
Minneapolis Chamber of Com
MERGE, who is considerable of a
mathematician himself in the grain
realm, makes an estimate 500, 00o,.
600 bushels larger, and claims to
be we'll within the bounds of judg.
ment.
Large yields are the general
story all over the wheat pro luciug
world. Most encouraging reports
of yields or prospects come from
every section of the world where
the cereal is grown in any guam.
tity, and in. nearly every instance
more or less increase is prophesied
over last year. ...-,-- Z
Estimates for the United States
are for CROP Of from 825, 600, 600
to 700, 100000 bushels. against an
actual yield of SIS, 900, 900 bushels
last year.
A year or more of low prices for
wheat is, therefore, the natural
inference, conceding the approxi-
mate correctness of the above
figures as to the probable worlds
production Of 1898. The average
wheat grower will undoubtedly
interpret the signs in that way.
But there is another side to the
story, and an important side, too.
There must be considered the
annual increase IN the wheat con-
Stunning population, which is large,
and the growing use of the cereal
as an article Of food. These are
quite significant factors in the
case. But of the greatest import:
ance Is the story told by abnormal.
" small wheat reserves at the epd
of this last crop year. Theresa
undeniably q severe exhaustion Of
the reserve stocks of tho world,
and this is an argument that must