East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-05-24

Portland, May 23.-Rain is badly
needed throughout the northwestern
grain belt, and farmers are apprehen-
sive Of serious damage to crops un-
less the moisture comes quickly. This,
briefly, is the situation as shown by
reports from special correspondents,
who have tried to get in touch with
the facts from the. most reliable
sources In the vicinity Of Weiser,
Idaho coplous rains are reported, and
crops have been supplied the moisture
needed for rapid growth. Cool wealth
er has had the effect Of preventing to
q large extent the havoc caused to
growing crops throughout Oregon,
Washington and Idaho.
Potato Market.
The easiness of potato market
prices here during the past week
came as a natural reaction from the
extreme high levels to which the
the price had been boosted by those
who were long on potatoes
So great has been the advance and
SO constant the boosting that up to
this time the trade has been unable
to catch its breath. Result was that
when the opportunity did arrive the
weakness became more pronounced
than would have been the case we're
values allowed to take their own
course.
That the market would have reach
ed the present high price the trade
has little doubt but the progress of
the advance would have been less
swift and more steady and sure
Livestock Conditions.
The past week seems TO have been
the turning point of the cattle mar
ket for there is every indication that
extreme top values have already been
reached at 1915 for steers and those
who have been betting on a SO mar
ket will lose their money by a small
margin.
With the turning of livestock pri-
ces, therefore. comes the closing up
of the seasons work in the cattle
market and the opening of the new
period. The past season has been one
of extreme high prices toward the
closing, but very poor ones at the
start. To begin the past season there
was plenty Of offerings and low
dressed meat prices to hold down the
value OF the live product.
Poor Season for Feeding.
With all the high prices that have
been in effect since the feeding pc
riod began, few Of the feeders will
close their years book by showing
the right sort of profits. 1t took
some time for prices to reach de-
cent basis after fed stuff entered the
market and for long time the prof
its were so scant that feeders worked
neck and neck with loss. Those who
held their supplies until the end far
ed best but even these did not secure
the rewards they We're entitled to.
1t was the high cost and scarcity of
feed that dimmed the otherwise
bright prospects fir cattle feeders dur
ing the past season. Hay and grains
reached record values and even
though livestock prices broke few
high records the price did not go far
enough to offset the added cost of
feeding AL.
Small Showing of Hogs.
Showing Of hogs in the Portland
yards during the past week was not
at all satisfying to killers, and there
fore all were eager to secure supplies.
This held the price up to the top and
best stuff was readily taken hold Of
at $7.75. Run of hogs during the
week consisted Of GEL head. COM
pairing with SIC a week ago and 297
head the previous week.
Showing of sheep was the best OF
the season, arrivals of the week to-
falling 1895 head, compared with 1892
head the next best week Of the pres
ent season. While the receipts were
more liberal, demand was good and
prices were held safe and practically
unchanged from the previous week