WHEAT GROWING IN AMERICA.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 131, 22 March 1879, Page 3

WHEAT GROWING IN AMERICA.

The following does not give a very cheerful prospect for the growers of wheat in New Zealand. The extracts are made -from American sources by the 'Auckland News': — " How the farmers of Australia make dt pay when they only obtain an average of or eight bushels is somewhat puzzling. Turning to America, the yield of wheat is the most unprecedented ever known. The area of wheat laid clown in the country is perhaps unparalled in the annals u£ history. Ward Beecher, .fur F" = e -time last year, was out on a jeett-.rin?' t.-ur in tiie Western States of Calii\;rai<*, tine! ha seems to have had wot- '?ivul s--.uc.ess Going on to speak of t. ; ie country Through which he passed. Mr Beecher gives a glowing picture of the ■wonderful capacity of the soil and climate •of the West for the growing ox wheat. His statements will, perhaps, stagger the ■faith of English farmers. " How little does one know," he remarks, " of his country who studies it only in maps and •reports. Distances, magnitudes, varieties, contrasts, and scope cannot be represented on paper. One must pass days and .nights for weeks looking out upon the ■vast realm of cultivated territory to be 'filled with wonder at the endlessness of the resources of -our land ; and, then, tracing his path upon the map, to realise that he has seen almost nothing—that 10,000 breadths of that line would still leave the half unseen. It was my good fortune to strike into Michigan about the middle of wheat harvest. As we moved down into Illinois the harvest was just •closing ; but my route curving again to the North, in Wisconsin the harvest was in its earlier stage, and in Minnesota it was just beginning, while a little later in lowa, it was over and done. But for y-rag weeks we move through' wheat iijoi-i— wheat, wheat, wheat ! The rolling prairies, the hills, the valleys were gulden with ripe or ripening grain. Everybody talked \yheat. The crop is enormous. Enough- to feed this continent and glut the vPieat importing markets of Europe. The richness of the earth-yield of every kind throughout the great North-West "this year is astounding, But it was not 'imtil v/e reached California that the •crowning visions of wheat-culture came to our knowledge. On the great scale •one ranch had a return of 300,000 dollars 'from *.he wheat crop ! Talk about large wheat-farm of 100 or 200 acres ! Why a thousand acres of wheat, averaging from .twenty to twenty-five bushels per acrq, would be regarded as not worth mention:in°- ; ten and twenty thousand acres of vwheat are not uncommon. When a friend told me this, I laughed at him ' I am green, I admit ; Atlantic green. If you had said that twenty thousand acres of ■wheat had been known, 1 should believe, Vbut to say that ten and twenty thousandpatches are not uncommon is drawing the bow a little too strongly.' And so it was appealed to one who was an authority on such matters, by whom it was decided ■against me. There being no summer rains in California, the wheat is seldom housed. It is put in sacks, and stacked •up in the open field without covering for •weeks and months." According to the "Chicago Commercial," it is estimated that in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, llhnois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and lowa, the aggregate acreage is 9,750,000 bushels and rh° yield 190,000,000 bushels, against ..150.000,000 bushels last year, an increase of 40.000 000 bushels, of which Kansas and Illinois contribute the greater shares. Tr> articles in the ' New York Tribune ' MrFawcett estimates iha total acreage of -spring and winter in the* State at Hi. 500.000 acres. This is an increase of £.500,000 acres over the previous vear, or ;:n increase of 14 000,000 since 1572. The total yield is set down at 407.000,000 ■bushels. Of this 249,500,000 are winter-, sown. The average yield per acre, according to Mr Fawcctt's calculation, is a fraction under 12 bushels. The crop this season is about 15 per cant, increase ->ver that of last year, when the total •stimated yield was 325 000..000 bushels. California stands at the head of the -arious States with 40,000,000 bushels of ■.••/heat. The San Francisco ' Bulletin ' •,nd 'Call' have reports|showing an aggregate of 2,799,000 acres planted, an in•rease of 400.000 acres, and estimates of lie crop in each county foot up 41.35G.000 wshels for the State. The ' Call' thinks hat, after deducting the quantity remired for home consumntion. the State ./ill have 33,000,000 bushels for export, ' nd that the exportable surplus cannot y any possibility fall below 25,000,000, ■ a increase of 7,000,000 bushels-over last y,:ar. With such a tremendous yield of wheat, left for export after the home are required, will be very rcc«..indeed. Mr F-nvcett presents the - llowing figures ns the total exports of • :eat, or its equivalent in flour, since .70 . Years. Bushels. 1871 52.574. 11l 1872 38,995 755 1873 52,014 715 1874 91,5:0.408 1875 ... ... 72,802,(305 ]B7O 74,750.!)00 1877 IOOOOO.noO The yield for 1877 was 325,0' ; 0.000 -••-. els." Of this it is estimated2lo,ooo,ooo •••'."ls were used for home consumption ,-,0-1, iMvi-ur.' 100,000,000 in round ::lumbers for exportation. The crop of

the current year is estimated at 407,000,000 bushels. Upon tlie basis of the figures of 1877, the home requirements for food and seed may be set down at 270,000,000 bushels, leaving about 140,000,000 bshls. for exnort. If this information be correct, the English market will be supplied this year from America to a far larger exteht than even last year, and prices must rule low.