The Illinois Wheat Crops.
--By The following from the
Chicago (abolition)
Tribune, of the 25th ult., it will be seen that the staple crop of the "Garden State" is perishing.--That paper says:
‘
During the past week or ten days we have had several reports from the interior with regard to the damage which the wheat has sustained in consequence of the recent heavy rain.
Hitherto we have refrained from giving the reports publicly lest they might prove exaggerated, and unnecessarily excite our markets: but yesterday we conversed with several intelligent gentlemen, who confirm the gloomiest statement received.
Along the line of the Dixon Air Line Railroad the damage is the most severe.
In that part of the country the wheat was mostly harvested with "headers," and the stack imperfectly built, so that drenching rains have thoroughly saturated them.
Along the valley of the
Fox river the wheat in the stacks is nearly all growing, and some of them are reported to be ‘"a mass of growing pulp"’--the grain growing like tort on the top of them.
Along the
Chicago,
Burlington, and Quincey Railroad, also, the damage is extensive, though not quite so bad as on the other Northern roads.
In confirmation of these reports, it is proper to state that during the past three or four days a very large proportion of the wheat received is inspected and "rejected," in consequence of its damp and poor condition.
One firm in this city had fifteen car loads of wheat sent him, and eleven of them were rejected.
Another had twelve car loads, and eight were rejected, and some even gave worse returns.
This is undoubtedly a great calamity to the country.
The crop was, at best, far short of an average; and it is feared that this will reduce it to but a small percentage of last year's abundant yield.
’
