196 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



During the summer it ranged mucli lower, going down to 80^ © 91 J 

 cents at the close of July. With the incoming crop, however, prices 

 steadily rose, reaching $1.26i^ ® $1.27 December 30. The same grade of 

 wheat was uniformly about 2 or 3 cents per bushel higher than in 

 Chicago. A still greater diflerence is noted in the quotations of Mil- 

 waukee and Chicago No. 2 wheat in the New Tork market. This is 

 attributed by Milwaukee statisticians to the higher requirements and 

 more strict execution of their system of grading. 



Corn. — The receipts of corn during 1876 were 798,458 bushels, against 

 949,605 in 1875, and 1,313,642 in 1874; shipments 96,908 bushels in 1876, 

 226,895 in 1875, and 556,563 in 1874. Nearly all the receipts of 1876 

 were taken for consumption in the city and at neighboring points. The 

 decline in the corn trade is somewhat remarkable, in view of the immense 

 yield of this crop for the past ten years and the marked increase of its 

 production west of the Mississippi and in Wisconsin. Prices were com- 

 paratively steady during the year, opening at 46 cents per bushel and 

 closing at 44^ cents ; the maximum, 52 cents, was in the middle of May, 

 and the minimum, 42 cents, at the close of January. These prices ranged 

 from 3J to 26 cents below those of 1875, and from 8 to 40 cents below 

 those of 1874. The amount in store at the beginning of the year, left 

 over from 1875, was 24,481 bushels, which, with tlio receipts, 798,458 

 bushels, made the amount handled during the year 822,939 bushels. Of 

 this amount 716,381 bushels were taken for local consumption and 96,908 

 shipped to other points, leaving a surplus of 9,650 bushels. 



Ort/s.— Receipts 1,745,673 bushels, against 1,643,132 in 1875 j ship, 

 ments 1,377,560 bushels, against 1,160,450. The abundance and cheap- 

 ness of corn reduced somewhat the local consumption of oats. The 

 receipts of the crop of 1875 during the first half of the year were of a 

 Kui)erior qualitj^, but the crop of 1876 was one of the poorest ever handled 

 at Milwaukee. A very larg<i proportion of the receipts weighed less 

 than 28 pounds per bushel, and a very small part over 30 pounds. 

 Prices opened at 31^ cents ])er bushel and closed at 33 cents, ranging 

 from 6 to 30 cents below 1875. The surplus of 1875 in store at the be- 

 gining of the year amounted to 66,508 bushels, which, added to the 

 receipts, 1,745,673 bushels, made the total amount handled during the 

 year 1,812,241 bushels. Of this amount local trade and consumption 

 absorbed 301,372 bushels, and 1,377,560 bushels were shipped to other 

 points, leaving a surplus at the end of the year of 133,309 bushels. Be- 

 sides these aggregates, a considerable trade by farmers delivering with 

 their own teams considerably swelled the local consumption, but of this 

 class of receipts no account was taken. 



Eye. — The receipts were 354,859 bushels, an increase of 124,025 bush- 

 els over 1875; shipments 220,904 bushels, a gain of 122,041 bushels. 

 The crops of 1875 and 1876 marketed at Milwaukee were both large 

 and of good quality, especially the former. The ])rices were steady 

 during 1876, opening at 69 and closing at 72 cents, with a very nar- 

 row range of variation. Quotations were from 4 to 45 cents lower than in 

 1875. The surplus left over from 1875 was 10,622 bushels, which, added 

 to the receipts, made the total amount handled during the year 365,481 

 bushels. Of this amount 220,904 bushels were shipped abroad, and 

 93,513 bushels taken for local consumption, leaving a surplus at the 

 close of the year of 51,004 bushels. 



Barlcxj. — The receipts of barley in 1870 amounted to 1,857,208 bushels, 

 an increase over 1875 of 570,623 bushels. The shipments were larger 

 than in any former year, amounting to 1,235,481 bushels, against 867,970 

 in 1875, and 464,837 in 1874. The crop of 1875 was considerably damaged 



