Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-24
4 YEAR or PLENTY.
PrORrcssiyc strides of the nation
Measured by statistics.
Chicago Tribune.

NHlNdSu lIlDullt
IL Is foregone conclusion that this is
to be year of agricultural plenty in the
United States. The argument is simply as
to the extent of this abundance. From
present prospects the producer will have to
onset little diminution of cash returns by
reason OF natural concessions in price by
more liberal yields 1t Is by no means as
sured however, that the cxportable surplus
OF agricultural products will be so great as
to prove a depressing factor in marketing
this years crcps. The demand for this
exportable surplus unquestionably has a
direct bearing in establishing prices on the
entire production. The wheat crop is the
first of the grain crops ready for market,
and the marketing of the 1898 crop has
begun under most favorable auspices. The
winter wheat harvest is over and the spring
wheat harvest well under way, and there is
an almost urgent foreign demand for wheat
Agricultural plenty in this country is
somewhat indefinite term. An average an
nual production during the last ten years
perhaps furnishes fair basis for compari-
son. In some articles the production dur
ing that period has been so great as to cause
undue depression in prices, but for pur-
poses of comparison thias fact is offset by
the generally recognized depletion of sup
plies OF these particular articles at the
present time. During a period of ten years
there have been no extensive new sections
brought under cultivation and there have
been no revolutions in methods of cultvat
ing or harvesting crops, such as were fac
tors in production prior to the decade end
ing with 1887.
According to government figures the aver
age crop Of wheat during the years 1883
and 1897, inclusive, was All 900 BUSH
els Of 1
bushels, an average crop of oats 691 0O0,-
600 bushels, an average crop of hay 5S,-
100000 tons, and an average crop of cot
ton 100000 bales. A month ago the gov
ernment wheat figures We're taken as out
lining a production Of els 900 900 bushels.
The spring wheat condition has been raised
one and a half points. The indications are
that such an estimate Is too low, and a
number OF statsticians are making a stand
as high as 700, 100000 bushels. On the
other hand. the July government report
was taken as suggesting a 1000, 900, 900
bushel corn crop A material deterioration
Is admitted everywhere, and even allowing
for the high averages which some Of the
non surplus producing states will show, an
estimate of 100000 900 bushels is looked
upon as a maximum. The July oats pros
pect Of 1000 900 bushels must be cut down
to go, 100000 bushels if the reports from
threshings are reliable The hay crop is
generally believed to be up to the record
breaking level Of 1870, 600, 900 tons. The
July cotton average was put several points
above that of the same period last year.
There have been no unfavorable develop
ments since, and, while the acreage is no,
materially greater than in 1897 the outlook
seems to be for nearly If not quite 10 900 900
bales.
For purposes Of comparison, with a view
to deciding whether the agricultural pro-
duction OF the country is to be beyond the
point at which profitable prices can be main
tanned, the following figures NAV serve.