Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1892 — HOLDING THEIR GRAIN. [ARTICLE]

HOLDING THEIR GRAIN.

MANY BUSHELS OF WHEAT IN GROWERS’ HANDS. Intormation Regarding the Distribution of Wheat and Corn—Biggest Reserve on Record-860,000,000 Bushels of Corn Held by Farmers. Government Crop Report. The March report of distribution ol the wheat |ind corn by the statistician of the Department of Agriculture makes the stock of wheat in growers’ hands 171,000,000 bushels, or 28 per cent, of the crop; 63,000,000 of spring wheat, and 108,000,000 of winter wheat, much of tho latter in States which have practically no commercial distribution, but entering into local consumption for bread and seed. This is the largest reserve ever reported, that of the largest previous crop, in 1884, being 169,000,000 bushels. The exports from July 1 to March 1 were 164,000,000 bushels, the fall seed '26,000,000 bushels, the consumption apparently 200,000,000 bushels, but a large , proportion is taken for consumption in the fall, and winter, and the actual, consumption is disproportionately greater than in the spring and summer. The assumed consumption from March 1, 1891, to March 1, 1892, is 300,000,000 bushels fo* a population of 64,300,000; the exports. 206,000,000 bushels; the seed, 56,000,000 bushels; a distribution of 562,000,000 bushels, with 41,000,000 visible and 171,000,000 invisible stocks. There are 27,000,0(0 bushels not accounted for previously, which came in the unprecedented squeezing of all sorts of reserves, mainly from the always uncounted stocks of flour between mill and mouth and from small uncounted slocks between the f rmers’ granaries and the visible supplies. The average weight of wheat is 58.5 pounds per measured bushel, which is the estimated weight of the crop of 1887, and is 9-10 of a pound above the average of eight previous years. The estimated quantity of corn in farmers’ hands is 860,000,000 bushels, or 41.8 per cent, of the crop. This is the largest proportion ever reported, that of 1889 excepted, which was 45.9 per cent., or 970,000,000 bushels. The seven principal States have a surplus of 546,000,000 bushels, or 41.5 per cent, of their product, against 66.7 of the great Crop of 1889. The proportion merchantable is the largest ever reported, 88.5 per cent., against 85.7 two years ago. The average of eight previous crops is 82 per cent., and the lowest average 60 for tho frosted crop of 1883. The present average farm price of merchantable corn is 39.2 cents per bushel; of unmerchantable, 25.7 cents.