The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-24
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According to the United States de-
partment of agriculture. the 1914
wheat crop Of the United States was
estimated to be ss1.OOO.000 bushels.
The estimated surplus carried over
from the 1913 crop was about 10000
900 bushels. There was, therefore,
total available supply Of Ss7.0O0.OOO
bushels. As the normal annual per
capita consumption of wheat in the
United States is about 5.3 bushels.
52O.000.0OO bushels should meet our
normal domestic requirements for
food; in addition. 100000 bushels
are required annually for seeding.
100000 bushels, therefore. should
supply the normal domestic demand.
This would leave q surplus Of $751;
000, 900 bushels. OF this surplus about
21O,0O0,000 bushels were exported by
January 80. This left 147.O0O.OO0
bushels. or 100000 bushels more
than our average annual export for
the past five years. for export between
February 1 and the appearance of the
new crop. or for carrying over into the
next crop year. The amount is suffi-
cient to permit the export of nearly
100000 bushels a day until July 1.
before which time the new crop will
begin to be available. This is about
the average recent expectation.
The large demand for our wheat
arises from the fact that there was an
estimated worlds shortage of over
400,000,000 bushels outside of the
United States; from the fact that the
Russian exportable surplus of 1OO.-
100000 bushels is not available gen.
orally, and from the fact that the bel
ligerent nations are eager to secure
food supplies. If it were not for these
things we should be discussing ways
and means of disposing of our ire
mendous surplus of food products.
AS has been states. the new Ameri-
can crop will begin to appear before
July. The Argentine crop is now COM
ing on the market. 1t is estimated
that from that source there will be
available 100.000,0OO bushels. A sur
plus of 100000 bushels or more
from India will be available in May
and June. The increase in the fall
sown wheat acreage Of the United
States in 1914 was Ill per cent, or
over 100000 acres; in the northern
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winter wheat shows an increase of
from three to thirty-three per cent. as
follows: Denmark, 3 per cent: Italy.
5 per cent; Switzerland, 10 per cent;
United Kingdom. 10 per cent; United
States, II per cent: India. % per cent;
Canada, 33 per cent.
But suppose a shortage in wheat
should develop in the next three
months. what would be the situation?
There is a great surplus in other food
crops in the United States, a number
Of which can be used as substitutes.
Wheat does not constitute more than
1870 Of the normal diet, about the
same az poultry and eggs. Meat and
dairy products constitute 1870; vege-
tables 11To; fruits, nuts, sugar, fish
and other items, the remaining 1879.
There arc larger supplies Of corn and
other grains, meat animals, dairy pro-
ducts. potatoes, and fruit at thesbpen-
ing of 1915 than for many years. The
most important competing products
are corn and potatoes. This Ii shown
by the fact that while the normal con-
sumption of wheat is 5.3 bushels Il
Maine it is only At bushels. and in
Michigan 5. In the wheat growing
states where wheat is abundant, such
a. Minnesota. the average is To,
whereas in the south, where corn is
much used. the average is 4 bushels.
Normally about 3 per cent Of the corn
crop is consumed as food. OF our to-
tai crop. about 80 millions would be
used for food. the remainder for other
purposes. The remainder could be
| used for foods and substitutes used
for animals. The potato production
in the United States averages 3.S BUSH
els per capita. This year the available
supply is Al bushels. The average
price Of meat animals was 7% cheaper
in January than a year ago, butter 90
lower. the price of chickens slightly
lower. of potatoes $3.50 lower; and of
apples it was 1870 lower.
1t would seem, therefore, that the
United States is not likely to be
threatened with a shortage of food
stuffs.