St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-08
SPLENDID OPPORTUNITY For
AGRICULTURISTS TO LAY
HOLD ON.
SHOULD NOT RUSH SALES.
VIEWS OF j. w. BOOTH, HEAD OF
OF THE ELK VALLEY FARM
ING COMPANY.
OF CROP CONDITIONS.
Which Would Seem to Indicate
That Delay in Marketing
Is Advisable

j. w. Booth, a prominent merchants
or st. Louis, Mo-, who is largely in
terested in farming in the vicinity of
Larimore, N. D., is visiting ST. Paul,
having just determined an inspection
of the wheat fields. To a Glob e re-
porter Mr.. Booth spoke interestingly
on the grain situation in the United
States, and his remarks contain some
timely suggestions. He said:
Il have been interested in wheat
fields in Grand Forks county. neal
Larimore, since 1881, being one of
stock company, known as the Elk Vals
ley Farming company. My observa<
lions on the wheat producing states
may be stated thus: In the fall wheat
states we have Kansas, with $4,000, OM
bushels; Missouri, 20, 100000 bushels: IL.
Hno1s, 15,OOO,000 bushels; Indiana, 2O.<
100000; Ohio, 25,O0O,OO0; Kentucky and
Tennessee, $1,000, coo, being a total Of
100000 bushels. There is a deficit OF
O0,0OO,OO0 bushels, caused by shortage
and damage by wet weather in thess
seven states. Taking the visible sup
ply at 3S,OO0,000 bushels and the in
visible estimated at 2000O0O0 bushels
and the spring wheat crop at an esti-
mate of 1SO, OO0,000 bushels, we will have
300, 100000 bushels of wheat in the
country. include California and Pacific
coast states and east of the rockies,
outside of the above states, at $50, O0O, OOG
bushels, the whole crop and supply
will be but 100000, 900 bushels The home
consumption and milling and seeding
interests requiring 400,0G0,000 bushels,
will leave US but 100000 of wheat in
hand for export purposes and will
leave us without any wheat on hand
when the new crop of SO begins I'd
move.
I'm addition to these figures, owing
to conditions surrounding crops abroad,
L believe that in all probability we
will have the usual demand upon US
for wheat, as Great Britain and France
give promise of a large deficit in their
crops and with an immense shortage
of rye crops in the European countries.
while the railroads of the North
west have made extra efforts and ar
rangements, anticipating a free move
ment Of the wheat crop, it is neither
to their interests nor those of the pro-
Queer to market their crop moro
rapidly than a good strong demand
may require If the small farmer will
stack his wheat and the larger farmer
enlarge his granaries and only market
the crop as their pressing necessities
for the time being require, not only
peIIef prices are nlShly probable, but
the wheat trade will be better SUBJ
served and will prove more satisfac-
tory to all parties Interested. This sug-
gestion does not contemplate anything
like concerted action or organization,
looking to the handling of wheat, but
simply to handle it in such a way and
in such quantities as the ordinary mer-
camille business is conducted
The central markets of this country
are looking to the Northwest for an
of wheat in the near future
and to thwart this idea and to place
themselves on a much more independ-
ent plane, it behooveS the producers to
pursue ordinary practical business
methods, and by so doing it should in
crease the wealth of the Northwest
fully S15,0G0,000 to S20,OO0,OOO. Farmers
Minnesota and the Dakotas
should on a very conservative basis
realize from 60 to 65 cents per bushel
at local points That higher prices must
prevail on wheat is generally conceded
both by the miller, exporter and spec!l-
lator, but the idea is that the farmer
will this year do what he ordinarily
does, to market his entire wheat crop
in sixty to ninety days after harvest.
1t is but seldom that such an oppor-
western farmer as is now promised
and it remains with him to determine
whether his wheat is to be sold on a
basis of so cents a bushel or 60 to So
cents at interior points,