Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1897 — GRAIN CROPS ABROAD [ARTICLE]

GRAIN CROPS ABROAD

RUSSIAN WHEAT YIELD GREATLY REDUCED I All Accounts Agree that There la a Deficit, but Much Difference of Opinion Exists as to the Amount of the | Shortage. Condition of Foreign Crops. The Agricultural Department, in its monthly review of the foreign crop situation, devotes much attention to the grain crop of Russia, especially wheat, on account of its magnitude as a factor in the European supply. The review says that all accounts agree in representing the wheat crop as deficient, but much difference of opinion exists as to the extent of the deficiency. After quoting many dispatches painting the crop situation in various provinces in very black colors, and i the statement of the American consul at ' Odessa that this year’s crop has proved a failure, the review calls attention to the fact that since harvest Russia has exported grain “very freely.” The report continues: * “The exports of wheat from Aug. 1 to , Oct. 23 amounted to 4,152,840 ! against 2,855,040 quarters, and 3,383,780 quarters during the corresponding period iin 1896 and 1895 respectively. Those | very large exports have led commercial papers to withhold their credence from the more pessimistic of the reports which have been published. That the crop was deficient was admitted, but that the failI ure was so serious as such reports implied few of the grain dealers of western Europe believe. “Recently, however, some change of attitude is becoming apparent. Stocks in the ports are not increasing in the manner usual for this time of year, and the opinion is freely expressed that after th’a month Russia can be relied on for only very moderate shipments. “It is generally understood that Russia had large stocks of wheat left over from the crops of the preceding year, and this fact, coupled with the good prices which have prevailed, may account for the large exports which have taken place, even though the crop failure in large parts of Russia has been extremely serious.” The review says the estimates of the Russian crop are so uncertain that their reproduction would be of doubtful utility. The preliminary official figures for France show a reduction of 26 per cent below 1896 and 17 per cent below the average for ten years. As for five years France and Russia produced 26 per cent of the world’s crop,, the review says a heavy shortage in both countries would, therefore, be sufficient in itself to produce a very sensible effect on the world’s supply, independent of the short crops in Aus-tria-Hungary, the Danubian and Balkan countries and elsewhere, and the shortness of the last'crop in India, Australia and Argentina. In Germany rye, which is the principal bread grain in that country, has been officially estimated at 4 per cent less than last year’s crop. The various estimates for Austria-Hun-gary are more or less conflicting, but there is no doubt as to there being a heavy deficit in the wheat crop. The wheat crop of the United Kingdom is estimated a little short of 51,000,000 bushels. The preliminary estimate of the Italian wheat erop makes it 85.131,000 bushels, against 1441722,700 bushels last year. The Roumanian wheat crop is estimated at 37,134,720 bushels. The Bulgarian wheat crop is estimated at 40 per cent, rye at 35 to 40 per cent, and barley at 25 per cent less than last year. The wheat crop of Turkey has been estimated at 50,800,000 imperial bushels. As regards crops now growing in the southern hemisphere, the news continues to be favorable on the whole. In Argentina drought, which for a time in some provinces threatened serious injury, seems to have been generally broken, and danger of any serious loss from such a source seems now, in the advanced state of the crop, to have passed. The Indian wheat crop has been sown under favorable con- ! ditions, and the same is in general true ! tff the winter grain crops of Europe, and both in India and in Europe the weather seems, in the main, to have been very favorable to the growth of the seed.