Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-07-24
Che State Day by Day,
THYME SHORTAGE.
Some Dealers Phophesy Shortage
of Irvine for North Dnlxoto

SO"c De~AcrS IhOpneAy Shortage
of Irvine for North Dakota.
The harvest season in the Red River
valley and over North Dakota gener-
ally Is now rapidly approaching. The
branch houses Of the harvesting ma
chine companies are all busy as bees at
this season of the year, and are getting
in train loads Of machines with which
to supply their trade. For the next
three or four weeks these machines will
be going out by the car load to local
dealers all over the tributary territory.
Fhe supply of Irvine to be used during
the coming harvest is matter of con-
siderable Importance just now, and the
wholesale dealers are all doing some
great figuring of the amount which
will be needed to supply the demand of
the vast territory. the distribution OF
which is made from Grand Forks This
Is calculated on close estimate of the
acreage in wheat. oats and other
grains on which twlnc is used, together
with estimated yields from the crop
outlook and the probable condition OF
the straw. AS result of the continued
Gains and rapid-growing conditions Of
the past month, it is now estimated
chat there will be an unusually heavy
ktand Of straw this year, requiring a
much larger amount of Irvine than
would be the case where continued dry
weather results in a limited growth of
straw. After these estimates are made
The dealers will Figure" on the prob
able requir ements of the trade in the
states to the south of us, and the IA
eilities of the manufacturers.
Just at this point it mty be stated
there is prophesied in some quarters a
Ahortage, a scarcity of Irvine amounting
almost to famine. The price has
been advancing at the rate of half a
cent a week for month past. and now
ranges at from 10 to 16 cents per pound
wholesale. The harvest is already I'M
der way in Kansas and other states in
the far South, and is steadily moving
northward. The floods of the past week
or two in Iowa and other states south
may materially affect the size of the
crop, and, incidentally. the supply Of
Irvine which will be required in those
states. The orders have been going in
for the supply Of Irvine already for the
supply needed here. 1t takes some time
to have orders filled at the manufacto-
tl6S dis lulS S0dSOll VI TIE yedl, CopS0
cially if the factories happen to be a
week or two or more behind with or
ders, and even though they are working
double time. Two years ago all of the
wholesale dealers had Irvine left over.
One of these wholesale houses found 1T
almost impossible last year to get sutt1-
cient Irvine to fill orders from local
dealers, even by telegraphing to every
distributing point in the country for
surplus stock; and some of the Irvine
occurred in this way did not prove salts
factory. This year the houses have or
Gered what is considered an ample sup
ply early, in order to make sure of be-
ing able to supply dealers. In the I'M
mediate vicinity this year the amount
of Irvine used will probably be some
Srhat less than last year. as the acreage
TN wheat is materially less. Farther
west there is considerable new land
which has been seeded to wheat for the
first time, which will even up some.
I he Irvine manufactured by the state
cenitentiary plant will help some in the
n-atter Of price. but the entire product
will be but small proportion of the
amount required in the state.-Grand
Forks Herald.