The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-18
NO FOOD SHORTAGE
LIKELY, WILSON TOLD
department Of Agriculture In
ventOry Shows Produce on
Hand in Plenty.
GRAIN CROPS ARE HUGE

WASHINGTON. Feb. 17-Presidcnt Will
son has been advised by the Secretary
OF Agriculture that there is no danger
Of a food shortage in this country as
a result OF the extraordinary demands
by Europe upon the supplies of the
United States.
President Wilson called upon the
Secretary OF Agriculture for ar opin-
ion soon after he received Mayor
Mitchel's letter urging an embargo on
wheat expectations. II is believed this
opinion by the Department OF Agricul-
turc will end consideration Of an EN-
bargo by the Administration. at least
for the present.
Amount ~ wheat Available.
In a statement issued to-day the De-
partment OF Agriculture says:
1.-THE 1914 wheat crop OF the United
States was estimated to be SOL 900. 900
bushels. The estimated surplus carried
over from the 1913 crop was about
10. 900 900 bushels. There was. there
fore, a total available supply Of ss7.-
600, 900 bushels. The normal annual
per capita consumption OF wheat In the
United states is about SO bushels SEQ
900, 900 bushels should meet our normal
domestic requirements for foo In ad-
dillon 90. 900. 900 bushels are required
annually for seeding SO. 900 900 there
fore should supply the normal domestic
demand.
This would leave a surplus Of 49,
900, 900 bushels. OF this surplus about
$40, 00O. 900 bushels were exported by
January 30. This left I47. zoo. 900 bush.
els. or 40. 900, 900 bushels more than our
average annual export for the last Ave-
years. for export between February |
and the appearance OF the new crop
or for carrying over into the next croT
year This amount Is sufficient ~ per.
init the export OF nearly 1000. 900 bush.
els "a day until July I, before whicf
time the new crops will begin 20 b,
available. This is about the average
recent expectation.
THE large demand for our whea'
arises from the fact that there wa,
an estimated world shortage OF ovel
400. 000. 600 bushels outside the United
States. from the fact that the Russian
exportable surplus of 100, 900 ,00'
bushels is not available generally and
from the fact hat the belligerent ma
tons are eager to secure God sup
plies. If II were not for these thing.
we should be discussing ways and meant
OF disposing Of our tremendous surplu,
Of food product.
New Crops Appearing.
."As has been stated the new Amer
lean crop will begin to appear before
July. The Argentine crop is now com
ing on the market. II Is estimated ina
from this source there will be avail
able 100. 900. 600 bushels. A surplus o
$4,000 900 bushels or more from Indi;
will be available in May and June. tn,
increase in the fall sown wheat acre
age OF the United States in 1914 wa.
III per cent. or over 1000. 600 acres
IN the northern hemisphere general,
the average OF winter wheat shows al
increase Of from 3 to 33 per cent, Al
follows:
Denmark, 3 per cent. Italy. 5 pc
cent. Switzerland. 10 per cent. Unite,
Kingdom, 10 per cent. United States
II per cent. India. 20 per cent. an
Canada. 80 per cent.
"But suppose a shortage in whea
should develop In the next three mon"
what would be the situation? Their
IL a great surplus in other God crop
in the United States. n number o
which can be used as substitutes. Whea
does no. constitute more han IL pc
cent of the normal diet. about tn
same as poultry and eggs, Meat an
dairy products constitute is per cent
NaUaf ahlsa nor cent fruits NUT
sugar, fish and others items the re
naming 10 per cent. There are larre
supplies OF corn and other grains. mo-
animals. dairy products, potatoes an
fruit at the opening OF 1915 than 70
many years.
Corn and Potatoes Plentiful.
The most important competing prod
ucts are corn and potatoes. This !
shown by the fact that while the norma
consumption of wheat Is So bushels, l
Maine II is only ~ bushels and l
Michigan s. In the wheat CROWN
States. where wheat is abundant, sue
as Minnesota, the ge Is 10, wherea
in the South, where corn Is much uset
the average is 4 bushels. Normal
about 3 per cent. OF the corn crop II cor
sumed as food. or our total crop, abot
$4,000, 900 would be used for food. III
remainder frr other. purposes. The n
mainder could be used for foods n sui
~stitutes used for animals.
'The potato production in the Unite
states averages IS bushels per capt
This year the available supply Is 4
y bushels. The average price OF mel
. animals was per cent. cheaper In Jan
nary han a year ago butter. 2 per cen
lower, price of chickens slightly lowe
potatoes 80 per cen, lower and apples ;