Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-02-10

agricultural coun-
try OF Argentina. is about completed.
The work is progressing from north
to south with the advance of the sea-
son. just as In the northern hemis-
phere the work of harvesting pro-
crosses from south to north, the cool
or zones always having crops that
mature more slowly.
II It should develop that the Ar
gentina wheat crop is short, the ca
bies would no sooner announce that
fact than there would undoubtedly be
sharp advance In food prices In the
United States and Europe Officials
or the department of agriculture.
who keep closely In touch with such
problems, say the advance In prices
would probably be way beyond any
thing warranted by conditions. The
spectators would seek to obtain an
abnormal profit, and, Of course, the
consumer would pay for 1t all in the
Increased price of loaves.
There win apparently be no wheat
shortage In Argentina, however, al
though 80 many dealers In the United
States and South America are watch.
ing anxiously for such a signal. The
yield OF Argentine wheat is thought to
be large from all the reports of an
Official character that have come up
over the equator from that distant
country. The southern republic Is
none the less having lot of rain.
That impedes the harvest, but 1t may
not affect the quality OF the yield
Much as to that will depend upon the
kind OF storms. The bumper Cana
dian crop Of wheat this past year was
considerably affected by the heavy
storms of sleet and snow which swept
the western provinces after the reap
ers had passed and before the grain
had been thrashed. The official state
ments from Canada indicate that
there will be 100000 bushels of Ca.
madam wheat SO badly damaged by
October and November storms that 1t
will go to market as No. grade and
be at chiefly for animal feed.
But the important consideration to
those who are interested In the broad
question OF the worlds welfare is that
there Is an abundance Of food for
men. women and children during the
year Just beginning. That is on the
authority Of the department of agri-
culture. and is made after investiga-
ton which assures reliability. What
ever happens in Argentina. the wheat
supply of the world from the 1911
harvest will be about up to normal
This will be true in spite of two bad
factors, one the Canadian storms al
ready mentioned and the other the
great shortage of wheat in Russia.
where the yield in 70 governments,
according to the reports from the
Central Statistical Bureau of the Min
istry Of the Interior, show that $685.
10000 bushels have been harvested,
as against IT'S .s96, 900 bushels in 1910
and 7S3,270. 900 bushels in 1909.
There are many people in the
United States to be affected by the
status, because a great shortage of
food staples in any part Of the world
in these days of lightning communica-
ton and ready transportation means
a rise In prices OF all food staples in
this country. and consequent in
crease In prices to the consumers, In.
Guiding poor people In the cities. But
even with quite a wheat shortage in
this years harvest. which apparently
there will not be, there would yet be
food enough. The wheat granaries OF
the world have carried over a large
stock, both from 1909 and 1910, when
there we're large crops. So there is
wheat enough, and the spectators
should not be allowed to promote any
alarm.
Another greater food product than
wheat is also much under discussion
at this juncture. That is the potato,
of which there has been an enormous
shortage. In Germany alone the DO
tato shortage In 1911 amounts to 100,-
o00, 900 bushels. This. however, is not
az serious as II might seem, because
while potatoes both in Europe and
the United States constitute a very
important article of human diet, very
large quantities are also fed to anil
mails and possibly larger quantities
are used for the manufacture OF alco-
hol Experience shows that potato
shortage in any country does not mean
a large demand for importatons
There Ia undoubtedly wheat enough
In the world to take the place of what
ever is needed on account OF the short
age OF potatoes.
nrnMArha Of NhA IanananA