Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-07-08
The Maryland Wheat Crop.
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore sun.
The reports received by the San from the
counties Of Maryland indicate a short crop Of
wheat. The harvest is over and threshing
has begun. 1t was known before harvest
that the crop was short, but the extent of
the shortage was not fully understood until
threshing had begun. 1t was then found
that many heads which appeared to be full
were, in fact, empty. Much damage was in
ficted by the milk weevil, which sucks the
grain dry while it is in the milky state. A
great deal of injury was done also by the
Hessian fly. This insect attacks the straw at
the joint before the wheat has fully headed,
causing the straw to fall and die. Southern
Maryland does not usually produce much
wheat, tobacco being the staple but this
year the ordinary yield is greatly reduced,
perhaps more than half The same unfavor-
able reports come from the great wheat grow
ing counties Of Western Maryland, WASH
ington, Frederick and Carroll, which ordi-
narily produce between four and five million
bushels. 1t is not likely that these three
counties will thresh this year more than two
or two and half million bushels. Mont
gomery, which is also good wheat county,
ls short this year. On the eastern shore
Kent Queen Anne's and Talbot and parts of
Dorchester and Caroline is splendid wheat
country. The crop in these counties is re-
ported very poor.
II is not only the wheat crop of Mary land
that Is short. The peach crop ordinarily
brings large sum of money to the counties,
and this year there are few peaches.
The tobacco counties have suffered from
. severe drought, aud this will reduce the
amount of crop planted or else make the
planting very late, with the result of inferior
quality Of product, which must sell at low
prices.
Our reports from Virginia Indicate a short
crop of wheat In that State, except in several
Of the counties of the Upper Shenandoah
Valley. In Rockbridge and Augusta there
10 fine crop.
The next consideration which will concern
the farmers is the price they will receive for
their wheat. That the crop of the United
States will fall far short of the estimates it is
generally believed. This should stimulate
prices, and q further stimulant is the fact
there is no depressing surplus to go over.
The surplus has been wet blanket to the
market for many years, and the farmers can
congratulate themselves tina by reason of the
short crop in EuroDe in 1897 IL has finally
almost disappeared When the Letter corner
was at its height the Sun ventured the pre-
diction that whatever benefit the big prices
then prevailing would bring, they would be
to the advantage Of spectators and largely
at the expense Of the farmer in selling the
new crop. That prediction seems to be full
filled, and the market is undoubtedly suffering
from the reaction which followed this Letter
corner, as it follows all corners. 1t may be
that later on the wheat market will revive
and the farmers will get good or fair prices.
As soon as the farmers get money to spend
they begin buying, the factories start up to
Oil their orders, gold comes from Europe to
pay for the wheat exported, and, while our
city people may have to pay little more for
their bread, all classes of society share with
the farmers their good fortune, When whea
goes up in price, as the result OF gambling
manipulation like the Letter corner, it is
simply hardship upon the poor in increas-
ing the price OF Dread for which they receive
no compromising advantages.