The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-04-09
GOOD PROSPECTS
FOR Big WHEAT CROP

SPOkANE, WASH, April o." Pros
poets for record wheat crops in the
northwest states are more likely 10
be realized this season than during any
similar period in the history Of the
country, and, taking all things into
consideration, there is every indication
that the farmers in the Inland Empire
will harvest more grain than ever be-
fore. However, there need be no fear
that the yield, enormous as it may be,
will cause prices to fall ruinously
low,
A.. w. Lindsay, cashier Of the
Fidelity National bank of Spokane,
who has made study of farm condf-
tlons IN the northwest for 20 years and
IS recognized as an expert, made the
foregoing observation in the course of
an interview after reading reports
from the banks correspondents IN
various parts of the country. He
added:
'Of course, it is early to talk about
the crop of 1910, for many things may
happen between now and harvest time,
Nor is the northwest itself alone con.
cerned as to the means and the oppor-
tunities of comprising this result al
we are not the only wheat growing
country in the world, although the
most prolific in the United States. pos.
sibly on the continent. From Is to
even 40 bushels of wheat to the acre il
not at all uncommon. Contrast this
with the average of the nation, which
is far less than half that amount, and
some idea of the meaning of the har-
vest of the northwest to its residents
may be realized.
AS to the probable price of wheat
and as to when that will occur it is
impossible to say, SO many factors
enter into that equation Last year the
highest prices ruled during the month
or June. The price is governed large
y by the products Of the other nations.
The first thing to consider is the
amount of wheat on hand. Now. II i
true enough that the northwest farmers
have warehoused much of their product
and it is true also that since warehous-
ing the price of grain has fallen. but.
as have said, it was highest in the
beginning of last simmer Neverthe-
less there is no likelihood, in any event
that / can foresee, that the grain price
will drop so low as to wipe out the
farmer s profit on. his last years. crop,
even including the cost of warehousing
and the interest on the boarded capital.
Much depends naturally on the
wheat yield of the southern hemis-
phere. Argentina and Australia are
great wheat countries and both are
harvesting just now. When those re-
turns come in fully this factor may be
calculated more accurately.
Then there is the winter wheat,
which looks well, as far as this section
of great country is concerned. Fur
thermore, seeding time has been under
auspicions conditions-all of which
tends to show a great yield. But there
need be no fear that the yield will be
so great that the price will fall ruin
ously low. In the first place the de-
mand is ever greater than the supply.
This country is year by year exporting
less of its grain, and so far has this
tendency been marked that it would
seem likely that the United States, as
whole, will presently become wheat
importing country.
"Taking in the whole of the north
west, exclusive Of Alberta, / will not
be surprised to learn that the total
yield of 1910 approached that Of the
whole of Canada just couple Of years
ago.
eve might have had banner crop
last season if it had not been for the
windy March and the open winter Of
190S1909. In many places the win.
ter wheat had been SO often frozen
and thawed, lacking protection Of
snow, that it was forced out Of the soil
and the fields had to be reseeded. Then
again, in these places where the soil
though fertile, is light, the March
winds of 1909 literally blew the seed
out of the ground, before it had time
to germinate. Notwithstanding these
drawbacks, last season was the second
best on record in the northwest and the
yield was prodigious.
"This season the weather has been
infinitely more favorable. There was
considerable fall Of snow, which, ly-
ing ON the ground at the most critical
time of the wear, protected the seed
lings from the rapidly alternating
spring frost and thaws, so destructive
to winter wheat. Then again, the
spring has been warm and sufficiently
moist to permit Of the new grain get
ting firm hold on the ground.
"There is also smother factor which
makes for larger as well as heavier
crop and that is the greater amount OF
ground which is being broken by the
plough for wheat. This is by reason
of the large influx of settlers last
year Upwards of $4,000 people set
tied in the Inland Empire alone, dur
ing the summer and fall of 1909.
HMost of these took up land. Some
went in for apple raising and some in
other branches of farming, but there
are numbers who, attracted by the
fertile lands of the northwest, are
breaking land for wheat, bringing more
acreage under cultivation and sub
stantially adding to the assets OF the
country For in the final analysts the
wealth of the cities is based upon the
prosperity of the farmers, who are,
truly enough, the backbone OF the ma
tion. Thus the new settler not only
provides work for himself when ne
goes upon the land, but at the very
least provides employment for. one
bother family in the city, whose bread
.ginner will be occupied in catering 10
/ he wants of the agrieulturists.
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