The Cost Of Raising A Bushel Of Wheat

THE COST OFRAISING A BUSHEL OF WHEAT. The Michigan erop report for January i, which has just come to hand makes decidedly interesting reading. Statistics are given showing the average cost of raising grain and hay in the different counties of the state. In readiag these figuies it is well 'to recollect that owing to the partial failure of the erop of 1887, the cos' per bushei of raising and marketing wheat in the south.ern four tiers of counties of the state was about ten cents greater than it was in 18S6. The following, excerpt of the cost of producing and marketing one acre of wheat, will give our farmtrj some idea of the correctness of the average estímate made by the various correspondents. Southern Washtenaw Counties County Cost of l'lowing $'57 170 Cost of Fitting 109 144 Cost of Fertilizers.. li 10 Cost oi Manure m "40 5? Cost of Seed 1 21 1 34 Cost of' Drillmt; 35 36 Cost of Harvcting I 41 t 25 Costot Starking 66 SS Cost of Threshing .97 '05 Cost of Marketing 64 45 Interest at 7 per cent 3 S5 4 9 Insurance 06 06 T;ixes 35 3.i Cost of Repairs 97 63 Total 13 66 14 69 To the credit ofeach acreof wheat, the average correspondent in the southern counties places $1.46 as the value of the straw per acre and 58 cents as the rental value of dweiling vvhile the VVashtenaw correspondents places these at $1.69 and .57 leaving the net cost per acre at $12.43 'n washtenaw and $11.62 in the southern four tiers of counties. In these counties the average yield is estimated at 16.12 bushels, which makes the average cost per bushels 72 cents. In Washtenavv the average yield is estimated at 14.94 bushels which makes the average per bushei 83 cents. The state erop statitician says: "If the expenditures for wages, fertilizers, seed, interest, insurance, taxes and repairs, less rental value of dwellings, be considered capital invested in the erop the net profit on investment in the southern counties is 9 and 8 tenths per cent and in the state 14 and 7 tenths per cent." The cost oí producing and marketing one acre of oats in the southern counties is estimated at $12.91 or after deducting the straw and rent an average of thirty and a halt cents a bushei in the southern tier of counties. In Washtenw, the cost of (iuction is estimated at $13.66 per acre an average of thirty-one cents a bushel. The cost of producing corn is estimated at $15.92 per acre in the southcrn counties of Michigan, which after selling the stalks gives the average cost of production in the southern counties of 26.4 cents per bushel. On account of the lighter yield in thiscounty last year the cost liere is estimated at 32 cents a bushel. The net cost of producing and marketing a ton of hay in the southern counties is estimated at $4.80. In Washtenaw the estimators place it at $5.45. The estímate is that one and three tenths tons of hay were yielded to the acre and the net cost per acre was $7.09 made up as follows: Fertilizers .05 cutting and curing $1.90, interest at 7 per cent $4.69, insurance .059, taxes .33, repairs .63, total $7.66 from which is to be taken .57 the rental value of the dwelhng. It would be interesting to know what our farmer readers think of the correctness of these figures and we would be glad to have them write us. The topic is certainly one wofthy of study.