8 



Wheat. — The price of wheat is a little lower than last year. The com- 

 parison in prominent wheat-growing States is as follows : 



1873. 1872. 

 Per bashel. 



Ohio $1.31 $1.42 



Michigan 1. 35 1.46 



Indiana 1.22 1.32 



Illinois , 1,10 1.23 



Wisconsin 97 1.03 



Minnesota 80 83 



Iowa 79 85 



Missonri 1.13 1.41 



Kansas 1.00 1.42 



Nebraska 7^ 78 



The influence of a partial crop failure in 1872 is marked in Missouri 

 and Kansas, causing great scarcity and high price. The fact that Kan- 

 sas this year obtains a higher price than Wisconsin, and Missouri higher 

 than any other State west of Indiana, shows that other causes than fa- 

 cilities for transportation affect the price of grain. The quantity grown 

 in Missouri is much less than half the crop of Iowa, and is largely 

 manufactured in her own mills. Kansas always obtains remunerative 

 prices for wheat, because immigrants at home and in adjoining Territo- 

 ries absorb any surplus without necessitating a dependence on eastern 

 markets. 



Other crops. — Eye commands rather better prices than last year in 

 New England, slightly lower in the Middle States, in the South varia- 

 ble with increase or decrease of quantity, (being saved mainly for seed- 

 ing winter i)astures,) and in most Western States slightly increased rates, 

 just in proportion to the rate of yield and comparative supply. 



The averages for oats are some above and. others below those of last 

 year, according to local production. The prices in j)rominent States as 

 follows : 



N. Y. Pa. Ohio. Intl. 111. Iowa. Mo. Kans, 



1873 43 43 35 32 28 27 30 23 



1872 44. . . . 43. . . .29. . . .25. . . -19. . . .16. . . .23. . . .22 



A reference to the tables will show a positive increase in the prices 

 of barley in nearly all the States. 



A heavy increase in the price of potatoes is observed in the Western 

 States, while a decline is seen in the seaboard States. The comparison 

 in the West is as follows : 



Ohio. Mich. Ind. 111. Wis. Iowa. Mo. 



1873 88 76 85 112 80 88 87 



1872 63 63 54 46 44 22 50 



The price of hay rules a little lower than last season in most of the 

 States; rather higher in Massachusetts and New Hampshire ; lower in 

 lihode Island and Connecticut; about the same in New York ; a decline in 

 New Jersey and Pennsylvania, a majority of the Southern, and most of 

 the Western States. The following illustration of different sections is 

 given as the price per ton . 



N. Y. Va. - Ga. Texas. Tenn. 111. Kans. 



1873 818 00 $17 20 $20 50 $12 75 $15 50 $8 75 $3 90 



1872 18 60 2125 25 31 13 52 15 46 9 47 3 89 



For the value of other crops in and details of local prices of the above, 

 reference is made to the tables. 



The influence of the law of supply and demand upon, price — relative 

 quantity acting with great delicacy as an indicator of value — is all-pow- 



