THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



209 



number of bushels of wheat to be made in Virginia, 

 that cannot be arrived at from any data that 

 we know of; with, the many outlets for produce 

 and the blunders in the census tables, it is impos- 

 sible to get at anything like an estimate of an 

 average crop, numerically speaking. 



It is said that a much larger breadth of land was 

 sowed in wheat last fall than is usual. But we 

 cannot learn how that fact has been ascertained, 

 and do not believe it. The price only rose extrava- • 

 gantly in the latter part of summer, and it was 

 too late then to make preparation for a much 

 heavier seeding than usual ; farmers cannot in a 

 moment change all their plans, and adapt their 

 rotations to the speculations of a merchant, and 

 if they had — as they have not — the labor and teams 

 that would enable them to rotate according to the 

 market, they are too wise and wary to try such 

 ventures. Besides, the fall was so dry that in the 

 most extended wheat regions the trouble was to 

 plough and sow the accustomed quantity of land. 



In other States the crops are said to be good, 

 but we have yet to learn that they are anywhere 

 better than an average. In the West, Northwest 

 and North, the winter was very hard, and the 

 spring late, dry and cold, circumstances particu- 

 larly unfavorable to the full yield of spring wheat, 

 which is largely sowed in those regions. Passages 

 like the following from the Ohio Farmer, are 

 continually meeting our. eye : "Within .the last 

 two weeks, great and abundant rains have refresh- 

 ed the parched earth, and changed ike gloomy antici- 

 pation of the husbandman, into br ight prospects of a 

 rich harvest, and a bountiful return for the year's 

 toil" But this is all a mistake ; a fortnight's 

 seasonable weather never yet made "a rich har- 

 vest" out of well founded ''gloomy anticipations," 

 though a three days rain has ruined many a bright 

 prospect, and may yet in this particular instance, 

 if our present weather invades the later crops of 

 the free States, where the weevil also threatens to 

 divide the crops with the sickle. 



It is true that more wheat has been sowed in the 

 Northwest than usual, but under the impetus of 

 immigration rather than high prices ; and that will 

 doubtless affect the quantity somewhat, but not 

 much, we think, as far as price is concerned, in 

 view of circumstances which did not exist at the 

 last harvest, and certainly not to such an extent as 

 to operate a fall on the principle of over produc- 

 tion. 



The prospects of the crop abroad, as far as any 

 indications are yet afforded, are not very good, as 

 may be seen more fully in an article of the Mark 

 Lane Express, which we take from that very valua- 

 ble Journal, the New York Economist, (which 

 should be in the hands of every producer in the 

 country.) 



• As to "how the markets will rule" the coming 

 season, that is ticklish ground, and very few are 

 entitled to tread it confidently ; but from all we 

 can see we have no doubt that wheat, however it 

 may start, will be higher this year than it was 

 last, and we advise farmers not to he in a hurry to- 

 sell. The price now is so much higher than here- 

 tofore, that a man, sure of more than he dreamed 

 of two years ago, can afford to risk something for 

 the sake of a rise such as we anticipate. We — 

 and the fact is mentioned that the motive may not 

 be misunderstood— mean to sell early ; because 

 we want money, having failed to get more than 

 one-seventh .part of the eleven thousand dollars 

 due us from the gentlemen who labor under the 

 delusion that they patronize the Southern Planter 

 by owing it an aggregate debt of more than £9000. 



Our opinion in this regard is based on the class 

 of facts that will be found in the above referred to 

 article from the Mark Lane Express, and from 

 other considerations which lead us to believe that 

 prices will never again come down to "old levels." 

 Wheat has never risen, in any era, on an average 

 of prices, to the proportional rates of other pro- 

 ducts—perhaps providentially, as it is the main 

 breadstuff of so large a part of mankind— but it 

 has always felt the fluctuations of other staples, 

 and risen, if it was at a lower rate, as they have 

 risen. We think it will do so now, and thus give 

 the farmers some of the benefits of the great gold 

 supply, which all other classes seem now to be en- 

 joying. It will also derive some advantage indi- 

 rectly from the same thing. Within the last year 

 more wheat was consumed in England, though 

 the prices were higher, than the year before ; and 

 everywhere the demand for other food at enhanced 

 rates was increased, and is still increasing, but not 

 exactly in the ratio of wheat. This would seem 

 to shew that the condition of the great consuming 

 class is improving, and that high prices are in part 

 the result of competition among the buyers as 

 well as of a scarcity of the article sought. 



The Board, too, is now clear : there is no surplus 

 wheat in the world, and we begin the sale of the. 

 crop now with at least a chance of short crops in 

 several countries, which, if they do fail, will need 

 supplies, and must look mainly to us to furnish 

 them. 



These are our opinions and the g wands of them. 

 But every reader owes to himself even more than 

 to us, to examine them well for himself, and not tr- 

 act upon them unless he is fully satisfied of their 

 correctness. If we thought that our opinions 

 were to guide the farmer we would be very chary 

 of expressing them generally, and would perhaps 

 be absolutely silent, if we could suppose that by 

 taking our advice without proper reflection on his 

 own part, ho should make us wholly responsible 

 for the amount of his revenue. 



