Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-19
CORN SUPPLY And DEMAND
Some Reasons Given for the Expected
Increase in Prices.
ESTIMATES SHOW A DECIDED SHORTAGE
Home Requirements and Demand for
Export More Than Equal the Prob
able Amount-wheat shares
Somewhat in the situation.

Those whose business 1t is to keep in
touch with the grain market and who esti-
mate the coming crop of the country at
large as freely as a farmer will guess at the
Weld of his twenty y-acre tract are predict
Ing good prices for corn during the coming
year. They base their statement upon figures
which they allege show there will be a de-
ficiency in the yield for the season. 1t Is
estimated that 1t will require 1000, 900 900
bushels to satisfy the needs of this country
alone. The exports for the last year were
208,744.930 bushels, against 176, ,9i6,365 for
the year previous, which was the largest
on record up to that time, and the exports
so far this year show but little decrease in
the figures for last year.
In 1895 and 1896 there was a surplus Of
the crop carried over to the following year.
but last year the yield was below the re-
ouirements, and this surplus was largely re-
duced. until on July last the visible supply
of corn in this country was placed at 22,-
$4,000 bushels. On the report made by the
Agricultural department on October / last
the yield for this year was estimated at
1850 $4,000 bushels, much the smallest
Weld since 1894 But the professional grain
men say an the trade indications point to a
much smaller yield than that estimated by
tho Agricultural department.
conservative estimate of the corn yield
for this year is said to be 1,750 000, 900 bush
els which. with the estimate of stock in
farmers hands at the beginning of the year,
and the visible supply of last July, makes a
total supply available for this year of
2172 900. 900 bushels. With the amount re-
uuired for home consumption and the indi-
Gated demand for export experienced grain
men figure there will be a shortage in the
supply this year and on this condition base
their prediction that the price will advance
as the winter comes on.
The outlook for wheat is also said to be
unusually good. Men who make it a study
watching the conditions which affect the
market say there are small stocks abroad,
which with increased consumption will
create heavy demand for this cereal. 1t is
reported that the Russian government will
this year be forehanded and is now buying
up much of the product of that country 20
he held In reserve for the famines which
visit some sections of the empire almost
YEARLY. To such an extent has this been true
that nearly all the wheat offered in that
country this year has been taken by the
government for these possible emergencies.
This has removed Russia for the time being
as a competitor of the American producer
and gives a better field for our wheat.
These things are given as the reasons for
the present farge exports of this grain.
There may be drop In these exports when
the waterways of Europe are closed on ac-
count of winter, as most of the shipments
on the continent are made through these
channels: but as q general proposition 1t is
believed the export demand for wheat will
continue while the present crop on this side
holds out.