Smyrna times., 1898-05-18
THE GROWING WHEAT CROP.

The appearance of the growing wheat
looks healthy, green and thick enough
on the ground as though but little or
none was winter killed or destroyed by
late seeding and at this time it looks as
though there would be good yield should
the weather conditions continue favor
able until harvesting time, when if
farmers should not be too eager to dis
pose of their crop as they were last sea
son when first sales were made at S.65
and $.75 then all the way along up to
$1.00 a bushel, making a difference of
30 to 80 cents, they will obtain higher
prices for this years's crop.
From accounts received from various
European countries and printed day
by day in the newspapers, it is stated
that the reserve supply of wheat has
become so small in England, France
Russia, Spain and Italy, and the price
of bread advanced owing to scarcity,
has caused bread riots in Italy and
Spain, while in France the duty on
wheat has been suspended until July
1st, in order to encourage impOrta-
tions. Russia is reported to have pro-
hibited further exports from that
county, while England is bidding up
prices in order to obtain needed sup
plies of American wheat, and France
is eagerly competing with England in
order to obtain their necessary require
ments. The Argentine Republic and
India shipments have largely decreased
their crops not yielding as large as
was anticipated, so that the United
States is the only country on the
globe that can supply the needs of
| these European countries, whose re-
serve stocks of wheat are so near ex-
hausted
If, as has been stated, the Worlds
visible supply of wheat has been re-
| duced to twenty-seven million bushel
| of wheat, then it may be assumed that
before the growing crop is ready for
market, this estimate will be largely
reduced by consumption, so as to cause
material advance in prices of both
wheat and -four. 1t may be an agree
able surprise therefore to wheat grow
ers, should the coming crop command
all the way from one dollar to q dollar
and twenty-five bushel.
Farmers who had experience last
summer threshing their wheat in the
field and who were delayed day by day
by continuous rainfall that damaged
their wheat badly, so that when it was
threshed and ready for market, they
were obliged to sell it for what they
could obtain as damaged. Some far.
mers who kept wheat for bread, when
it was taken to the mill for grinding,
were informed that it was musty and
the flour would be musty also, which
when made into bread they were obliged
to eat.
1t is always wise for farmers, when
they grow a crop of any kind, to Sc
cure it from damage or loss by expos
ure to uncertainty of the conditions of
the weather and experience has taught
all good farmers that if they have nc
good buildings to put their wheat in
before they thresh, then it is safer to
stack it carefully and securely as pos
sible; and then for more safety get q
policy of insurance on it in stack, 81
as to be protected from lightning ol
fire otherwise.
Farmers generally assume too many
unnecessary risks with their crops
They work hard from March to Decem
Der, in all sorts and conditions oi
weather, in order to grow their various
crops and if not secured when grown
and are damaged or destroyed, then
whole seasons work has been barren O.
profitable results when it should have
been remunerative and would hav,
been had proper care been taken of tn,
crops after growing them. r. H. G.