The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-12-28
Prepare for a Corn Famine.

nent Chicago firm of brokers. mem
bers of the Chicago board of trade
aud the New York stock, produce
and coffee exchanges, circular let
ter ON the corn supply which. al
though intended to promote specuia-
sion in that grain, we think we can
put to better use by communicating
its substance to the farmers of South
Carolina for their information against
next springs planting.
It is insisted that .the best posted
private authorities, the trade journals,
the crop experts, and the larger and
best posted grain firms throughout
the country agree that the govern
ment estimate of 1900 million bush
els of corn as this years crop is from
100 to 200 million bushels too high
aud that ga conservative estimate OF
the crop would not be over 170O
million to 1850 million bushels y
The husking shows that the crop
in large portions of the surplus corn
states 1s poorer in quality and condi.
ton than any crop in ten years, much
Of it 6t only for hog food. "The
reserves of old corn have been
reduced to minimum. More cat
tie are being fed on corn in the
surplus corn states than ever before
Various indications go to prove that
the consumption by hogs will be
very large during the coming year
.The continued shortage of feeding
stuffs on the continent of Europe and
in the United Kingdom has stimu-
lated the demand for corn. both for
human and animal food. and opened
up innumerable new uses aud new
markets. Last year saw the largest
export of corn from this country.
This year will more than equal it.
Already since July ] to date we have
exported over 100000 bushels
more than for. the same time last
year, and the demaud seems to in.
crease from week to week, stimulated
in measure by the partial failure Of
the Danubian corn crop, which leaves
Europe almost entirely dependent on
us for its corn supply"
Eighty per cent. of our corn crop,
it is asserted, is consumed on the
farm, and there che feeding aad con-
secuent consumption is larger than
was ever known before. Assuming
the government estimate of 1928
million bushels to be correct, the
statistics are given to prove q short
age of corn supplies next year, as
compared with the consumption this
year, of2l7, 900. .0o0 bushels, leaving
not busheI of reserve November 1,
1899.
The circular continues:
If, however, the generally accepted
estimate of the corn crop as ascertain
ed by the husking is correct, there is
in addition to the shortage of 2l7,-
900, ,OOc bushels, as shown by the
government figures, an additional
shortage of 100. 100000 to 200, ,Oo0.-
600 bushels to be taken care Of;
total shortage so large as to force ex.
treme prices for corn before another
crop is on the market.
But these figures do not tell the
whole story A year ago the visible
supply of corn was AZ million bush
els against 22 million bushels today,
showing q shortage in our immediate
available supplies of20 million bush
ele. A year ago every point not IN
cluded in the visible supply state.
meps was loaded with corn. The
lake ports of Collingwood, Midland.
Prescott, Kingston. Ogdensburg and
Erie contain at least four million
bushels more corn than at the present
time, and not one bushel of it appears
in the visible supply A year ago
every private elevator here and elseA
where was full to overhowing with
corn. Today they are practically
empty, these stocks being at least 8
TO 10 million bushels less than last
year.
A year ago every corn crib at every
railroad station iu the surplus corn
States vas filed. TO day large
msjori.y of the coro cribs are empty.
sod very conservative estimate Of the
shortage in this crib supply (aDd it
must be remembered that the govern.
mens figures do pot include corn that
has left farmers bsnds) would be
somewhere from 80 to 40 million
bushels, so that il is safe to say that
We enter the present crop year With a
stock of corn 10 all positions at least
400, 900, 900 bushels less than ne
actually used during the II months
from March 1st. 1897. to March lsf,
1898 10 other words, consumption
has overtaken the supply, and. as
compared With our actual needs, the
corn crop OF 1898 is the smallest this
| .....u h,e ovor roiaed