Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1878 — Wheat Market. [ARTICLE]

Wheat Market.

There are so many complications in tho market—so many rings and combinations with the wheat dealers—so many pools and variations in railroad and ocean freights—so many war rumors or peace prospects, circulated to affect prices, that no one knows what is the future prospect or probability of wheat. The questions to be decided in settling the subject of raising or holding whoat are so many-sideu and abstruse —so profound and recondite, that the opinions of commercial and agricultural editors are of as little use in directing farmers as are the opinions of Tice ana Couch in foretelling tne weather. And yet a gentleman and scholar (like ourselves) does not want to show any want of decision in replying to anxious inquirers. A good, earnest farmer, who has 2,000 bushels of wheat on hand, inquires whether he had “better sell now, or hold until the results of the European war-clouds are settled.” To show our decision, we would say we think he had better. Many would not give sucli advice without feeling some-misgivings. But one who has been studying the, wheat question as closely as the writer has for a quarter of a century, ought to bo as positive as to the future of that valuable commodity as are the ablest divines at the present day about the question of future rewards and punishments. We assure our earnest correspondent that there are some questions in commerce as well as theology that the more we inquire and investigate the less we know. But while we. are returning to the clumsy old dollar, let us try some of the old practices of our fathers. Our friend should go to his barn, and draw around him on the floor with chalk twelve circles, and write on each circle one of the months of the year. Then shutting his eyes, repeat: “ Let spit, spat, ruling Fate, Tell me when to sell my wheat.” Then spit in his left hand, and strike the spit with two fingers of his right hand, and whatever circle the spit falls on will be the month to sell the wheat. And you will be sure to get your pay in the dollar of the fathers. —lowa State Register.