The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-04
Tho Wheat Crop In 1899.


The size of the wheat crop of 1899
is lust now the subject Of anxious in
quiry and speculation. The condl-
tons are such that the farmer is justi.
fed in looking forward to fair prices
for the present crop. Prices we're
reasonably good for the crop Of 1898
and from present advices the worlds
production this year will be less than
that of last year, and with no eXces.
sive surplus to start with. The lat
est government estimate OF this years
crop in the United States is interpret
ed by the New York Produce Ex-
change to mean that it will be about
500 000, 900 bushels, or about = hun
dred and twenty million bushels less
than last years crop. 1t will require
about four hundred and twenty mil
lion bushels for bread and seed in
this country, leaving hundred and
fifty million for export, in addition
to the surplus brought over from last
year. That surplus is varlously esti-
mated at from fifty to a hundred mil
lion bushels. During the year end.
ing with the present month of June
the exports of wheat will have been
something like two hundred and TWEEN
ty-five millions. If this amount is
reached next year it will consume
our entire product available for ex
port, including largo part OF the
surplus carried over. Reports indi-
cate that at least as much v i'll be de-
nanded this next year by the bread
importing countries OF Europe, and
with smaller crop in the exporting
countries to supply it. In England
it is estimated by those who are well
informed that the worlds wheat crop
of 1899 will be from 24l 600 900
to 1852 000,000 bushels less than
that OF 1898. In Southern Rus
sia. where the bulk of the great
exports come from, it is report
ed that both the wheat and rye crop
have been destroyed by drought and
in other parts Of Russia the yield is
smsll The asst number Of the Mark
Lane Express, the eading authority
on the subject, summarizes the sltua
ton as fellows: 1.-THE latest crop re-
ports from Austria Hungary, Italy
and Germany are decidedly favorable
to the growing wheat. The Frence
and Spanish reports may be called
average, while those from Russie,
Roumania, Poland and Bulgaria are
decidedly uanfvorsble.'
France will yield, according to the
estimates, a little less than last year.
and Great Britsin's crop is about the
average. In India the crop was light,
while the outlook in.Austrslis is good
II we are to judge by these figures
alone there would be every reason to
anticipate a strong foreign demand
for our wheat. But scarcity of wheat
is not the only clement entering into
its market value. During the whole
OF this past year there has been
grievous bread famine in large pro-
vinces of Russia, but the people are
too poor to buy bread. When the
price of wheat is low millions of peo-
pie in Europe eat wheat Tread. AS
soon 80 it advances they stop its use
and substitute rye, barley or pota-
toes and the yield of these crops are
always to be considered in cOnnec-
ton with the price of wheat. The
present reports indicate, however,
that the same conditions which caus-
ed the short wheat crop in Europe
have operated against the other ce-
reals. In the United States it is like
ly that with a good season the corn
crop will exceed the average, because
many wheat fields were plowed in the
spring and planted in corn. If the
price OF wheat should advance mater
islly it is likely that the amount con-
sumed in this country will be largely
below the estimate and the people
will use more corn bread and pota
toes. Upon tho whole the present
outlook if favorable for fair prices
for the wheat crop that is now being
harvested, and there should be an
increased demand for our -four in
Cuba and Porto Rico and Congress
should see that tariff duties do not
stand between US and our markets in
those Observation-Disclosures Sun.