Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-01-21
GOLDEN GRAIN,
From the Boston News Bureau)

tFr0m the Boston News Burcau)
Not so Very long ago dollar wheat"
was the pinnacle of the prallies hopes,
and the ascent thereto had been Wcari-
somely long In the middle nincties. for
three years running, wheat brought an
average Of barely 50 cents bushel on
the farm. To-day the wheat growers
aspirations are quite firmly and general
ly fixed on sL5O per bushe; and this price
altitude, lately derided, seems to-day
close to attainment. Some optimists are
even talking s175.
The proportions of the spectacular re-
cent climb of wheat prices may be ap-
preciated only when it is noted that in
the past six months. or since the mid
summer period Just prior to the out
break Of European war. there has been
added to the American price of wheat
some co cents a bush"l, or an appreca-
ton Of over IS per cent. from the level
ruling in July. All this. moreover. has
happened without the artificial stimuli
which in former times occasionally sent
wheat skyroCkctlng,-the historic cor
ners' operated in Chicago. Four times
have present prices been slightly sur
passed by abnormal corner quotations
since the Civil War but for periods of
normal commercial trading the present
rise marks an entirely new chapter.
on July ! last. before the war shad-
ows gathered, and when our domestic
prospects We're becoming finally assured
of the hugest wheat harvest ever rcaped,
the active nearby September option was
quoted at IS cents. At the end OF that
month, with war Just ready to break.
there had come a a cent jump to IS cents.
By the end of tho calendar year 1914
with the war dragging on and three-year
predictions made for It, the fairly cor
responding May option showed the
equivalent of a further rise OF Il cents.
to STA So far In January there has oc-
CURED a further sensational advance of
10 cents. to slila..
Tho crop now marketing. which reach
ell the record dimensions OF SOL 10000
bushels. is given n gross valuation at GO
ing prices of 81 263"n.Nn year ago to-
day the preceding crop Of 763 00,o00 BUSH
els was given, at - cents por hushel. an
appraisement of about s7oi coH,on Here
is net price increment. tossed into the
lap Of our Western wheat growers. Of
ss62. nNcoo. This margin is 10000, 40
more than the combined total value TO
the growers Of the two succeeding
wheat crops of 1899 and 1894.
The causes of the situation are now Of
course as obvious as they are striking
War buying by foreigners disdainful of
prices and the even more urgent buying
by the charity ministering to the instant
| wants OF the Belgians. have been second
ed ny the consequent needs of domestic
milers and the natural proclivity of
farmers to hold and of bull interests
to play along with the tide American
wheat IL to-day the major instance OF
war distress coined into gold
| In the past fortnight the buying for the
Belgians alone chiefly under Rockefeller
auspices. has aggregated about $40 0to 0Oo
Our exports. which in the twelvemonth
iust prior had run almost even with "a
| year before. have since july reached
| the unprecedented total OF 2U. 1872 900
| bushels, against only lioHo,co year
| earlier.
We are shipping out 100000 worth of
| wheat a month where year ago our ex-
ports was but third as much. The
| farmers opulcnce in grain and In gold
| * to-day the mainstay " our trade bal
Ance