Year: 1875

| The recent storms prevailing in a


large section OF the " est and the South


west, whatever their ultimate effect


upon the crops of the country may be,


will have very decided influence on


the speculative spirit in grain. This
was felt Immediately on the Board of
Trade yesterday, though to smaller
extent than would have been the case
if the storms had traversed a section
further north. The wheat grown In
the section where the storms prevailed
is mostly winter wheat, which comes
to Chicago and Milwaukee in small
quantities as compared with the spring
wheat. This fact, while it disturbed
the local market little less than would
otherwise have been the case, will have
rather more serious influence in gen.
eral than if the spring wheat country
had been visited and winter wheat
spared, since the winter wheat forms
about sixty per cent. of the entire crop
of the United States. These storms
will help to verify the prediction of
the Agricultural Department at Wash
ingtOn, that the surplus wheat crop of
this country for export will be much
Smaller this year than it was last; and
there is also prospect, notwithstand-
ing the recent reaction in Europe, that
the foreign demand for American
breadstuffs will be lower than it was
last year.


The storms have passed over large
parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Missouri. As far as these sections are
corn growing, the damage has not
probably been very great. Where the
corn was still ripening, the rain would
do more good than harm, except where
the floods actually swept it away. 1t
must also be taken into account that
those sections visited by the grasshop-
pers in the early part of the season have
been replanted with second crop of
corn, which can hardly fail to be ben.
etitted by rains, and will come in prob
ably with abundance, if frosts do not
interfere. 1t is not likely, therefore,
that the corn crop will be short, though
it may rule at little better prices tnan
for the past two or three years. Corn,
it must be remembered, is grown to a
largG extent in the sections where the
rain has been serious than any other
grains, and corn is less damaged either
by the rains or by drought than any
other grain would be. The oat crop
will probably suffer considerably; but
even where the oats are crushed down
under the beating rains and winds,
they may be moved with scythe and
cured like hay. Much Of the crop may
thus be saved. In fact, as a rule, the
farmers always save more under unfa-
vorable circumstances than is antici-
pated at the time of the misfortunes.
The hay crop is pretty generally cut
and in stack, and will not be seriously
damaged.


There is little doubt that our crops,
Notwithstanding the recent storms,
will be ample enough to take advantage
Of any increased foreign demand that
there may be, and give farmers good
prices. A week or more of clear wealth
er, with northeast wind, will do much
to counteract the damage done by the
storm, and dry the standing crops and
the land sufficiently to enable good
harvesting The prospect is, therefore,
q favorable one on the whole, and the
influence on the general commerce and
business of this country will be decided
ly good. The South can largely sup
ply itself with grain, and the surplus
of the West may be drawn upon by
Europe.