The sun., 1901-08-17
PRICES OF FARM PRODUCTS.

Nothing else SO quickly. or so disas-
trcusly effects the public mind as reports
and authorizations OF crop failure. The
recently current stories of irouEht ana
the rain of farm crops throughont th'
western corn belt. had awakencd an'ici'
pations Of witl,.sp ruin among tn"
farmers of the Western States, ami
famine prices for farm products III thr
eastern markets. Happily that ahticl'
nation has been modified by Secretary
Wilson'S recent report from the drought
affected region. Mr. Wilson's personal
opinicn of the conditions is sustained
by the official reports to the department
of agriculture at Washington. The "iilA
Grain crop seriously ininrd Is th" corn
Tie output. however. is expected to IL
large enough to meet all demands. Iht
wheat, oats and hay crops are unusually
good both as to quantity ana uualltN
The potato cror is short. and NJ present
prices are aln,nt double what they wcr'
a year ago. 1t is not expected, however
Already word GENES from Ireland that
the potato crop in that country ~ nm
usually large and that what Am"rir''
lacks in that particular Ireland can sup
uly. Hy this means tine tendenc! to *
horhitant prices VIII he checked. An III
stance of this kind occurred !. f"w yeas
ago, when the cabbage crop Of this com
FRY was short. and the demand was sup
Piled hy tho importation of cabbage
from, rs We now recall, Germany. 'Ih'
markets were full of cahbag, and. as W.
remember. of excellent quality. Tn
prices were moderate. 1t may he expect
cd that the same thing will occur IN 'h'
attempt Il supply the demand for roli
toes. The facilities for transportation
and the known character of tho imrri
can market are such aS to attract an
supply needed and prevent except i
rare circumstances. and then only 7"
Il short time. very high prices for Stapl
products.
Present prices are not nyt 'aor.linar
high. We mean of cours" III tn" - n"ri
!: arket In the local markets comnlaihi
have heen made about the high prices d
mandrl for vegetables. every thing seen
ing t. have taken nm upward drift 4
lnwing the potato crop scare. In II
grain market wheat is quote. aS rangii
from 73 to - cents il hushel: corr. fro
60 to Ga cents n buShrl. and eats fru
81 to 40 cents hushel. Prime bail Il h
from % 10 % cents per lnnar"'. "hn'
Interest in these prices will he iicrras
by comparison with those of III" pal
year nf 1893 whcE farm product pric
were ut the lowest. \ cnrions fact aho
the crop conditions and prices i'll Il
is that the crol's of that year were
usually small. and at the same t,nr
prices were the lowest ever known. 1
fall in prices frcm those IF 1892 vas c?'
to G ptr cont. in corn. 3 per cont. IN on
over 16 p"r cent. in wheat aud Il
cent. IN cotton. .rhc estimated loss
pru,lnccrS wGS $220.GOO.000. Tn" nr
quoted for these products in ..nlv Is
was for wnrat. 1O.S1 cents in Nng
G7.S4 cents. in November $50 cents.
will he seen that present prices. IL
season nf prosperity are Int from 2
u cents greater than illniHt the per
Of tho rNtranriiutrN low prices cot
nnrnt upon th" industrial Str@nati
Tho riccs Of these products went lo'
dnrin. the long continued lcprcsSi
,lllring which wheat came to he ronul.
quoted ut 80 cents hnshel. taking
latter quotation rs n basis tn, prices
farm proin Is appear t" have incrra
aiuut 80 per cent. over thos" nf the pa
this increase measuring tho price
ference hrtwecn conditions of rrinrus
preston ana those Of nnrXamplcl gen
prosperity.
In anticipating prices, except as
result ~ S"mc untoward circumstHn
the average would reasonably he
mcdium between these extremes