Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1886 — CONDITION OF THE CROPS. [ARTICLE]

CONDITION OF THE CROPS.

The Decline in the Condition of Spring Wheat ai Compared with Last Tear. Winter Wheat ‘ Area—Tletd of Oats and Barley Lower—lllinois • Corn Prospects. A supplemental crop statement issued by the Agricultural Department at Washington says that the increase in the 1 corn urea in seven years has keen about 20 per cent., and the present area is about 75,00(1,000 acres. The increase is rapid in the more recently settled Western States. Settler, find the demand for wheat fixed and little variable, except that the world's supply affects the demand everywhere, while the demand for corn is elastic, and may be doubled with prices sufficiently low. Wheat is the sport of speculators, while com has seldom been cornered. Of Bpring wheat the report says: The condition of spring wheat has declined from 91.5 in June to 83.3, In consequence of high temperature, drying winds, nnd want of rain. Last year the average condition was 9ii in July, and in consequence of high temperstnre at a critical period, fell to 80 at the time of harvesting. Thu apparent depreciation In June is 15 points, but it would be a serious error to apply that reduction to the 145,000,000 bushels of spring wheat harvested, which represented a condition of 80 at harvesting—only 3 points above tho present condition. Should there be no further reduction the present condition shonld insure about 130.000,010 bushels. The loss of vitality so early in the season exposes the crop to further injuries by the heats of July nnd August, and renders it highly probable that the average condition nt harvest may be still lower. With favorable weather in July and August increased condition may be maintained, though the chances are confessedly against it. Making allowance for this probability, a judicious and reasonable interpretation of the July report of winter and spring wheat would show a prospect for an increase of about 80,000,000 bushels abdve the official estimate for 1885. The threshing of winter wheat and the meteorological conditions of the next two months may easily add 10,000,000 to these figures, or subtract quite as large an amount. The winter-wheat area already assures nearly enough for home consumption and Beed. The average exportation of wheat and flour for the last five years has been 116,000,000 bushels. The present expectation favors a product nearly sufficient for this rate of exportation, in addition to consumption. The exports of the last year are some million bushels less than this average. The surplus will probably be ample, therefore, for any foreign demand likely to arise. The distribution of the last year Is as follows: F.stimated consumption, food, 271,000,000; seed, 51,474,900. Exports from preliminary statement, 93,590,020. Total, 416,071,520. Crop of 1885, 357.112,0'J0. Drawn from crop of 1884, 58,959,520. The visible supply has been decreased during the year about 13,000,100 bushels, leaving about 46,000.000 bushels to come from the surplus in the hands of the farmers. The condition of oats is lower than in any former July report since 1879, when the yield averaged 25 bushels per acre. The present condit’on is 88.8 against 87 in July of that year. The average of rye is 95.6 against 87 last year. The condition of barley averages 89.7 against 92 last July and 98 iu Julv of the previous year,