The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-09
Loss in Production Will Be
Offset Largely by Gain
in Prices
ALL FARM PRODUCTS
BRING GOOD RESULTS
Large Corn Production Throughout
the Country-Reports Show That
Florida May Become Heavy
Producer of Corn
nv HOLLAND

they did last year ana III 19l4, yet lHo
latest information from that section of
the country indicates that what the
farmers lose in harvests they will gain
in prices. Reliable information received
in New York this morning from Mime
sofa and from North and South Dakota
report that the wheat crop of the three
states will be approximately 13O. 100000
bushels. 1t Is not of the best quality,
yet it is fair. Montana sends gratifying
which shows that her har-
vests of wheat will amount approximately
to 100000 bushels. Therefore, these
four states in the northwest, including
the one in which wheat cultivation is the
latest industry, will yield approximately
175, 900, 900 bushels of wheat.
In view of the extraordinary climatic
conditions that have prevailed during the
past summer in the northwest, there
figures are regarded as fairly good. From
the latter part of June until the end
of July, the heat was of phenomenal in
tensity and duration. The nights were
almost as bad as the days These con-
ditions greatly impaired the growth OF
the wheat and explain the heavy falling
off in the production of wheat in those
states.
"A lew years dSO, LILO piOohNsAOAA '@S
made that Montana would be found
among the great wheat yielding states
of the country. This prediction was re-
garded as a little yenturesome. Mon
tana's eminence as a producer OF
metals especially copper, Identified that
state as among the great metal producers
of the country, and there was no idea
that she would become one of the great
wheat states. There were, however, vast
Ii 70 hA no
ticularly adapted to wheat cultivation,
and the energetic farmers of that section
ventured into agriculture of that kind.
This year Montana's wheat, while OF ex-
cellent quality, is of remarkably good
quality.
In the northwest, barley and oats have
begun to move from the harvest fields to
the market. These grains are of excel
lent quality, although somewhat light IN
weight At one time, the apprehension
was great that the flax and corn crops
of the northwestern states might be
found to be partial failure. Now the in
formation that has come to New York
within a day or two is more gratifying,
for it reports the outlook of both crops
is fairly promising. In fact, in southern
Minnesota and South Dakota, should the
weather which has been favorable for
some days continue until mid-September,
the probabilities are that there will be
as large a corn crop harvested as was
ever garnered in that section.
AS 1T WAS A YEAR AGO
A year ago, the corn crop in the north
west was almost failure. Had it been
equal to the crop of the two preceding
years then the aggregate harvest of In
dian corn in the United States for 1915
would have been in excess of 100000
bushels. Fortunately in other parts of
the country the shortage in Indian corn
in the northwest was in part made good.
Reports have come to New York from
Florida, which, If accurate, and If fur
Their tests are successful will justify the
hope that this state will become one of
the largest corn producing states in the
union Some of the reports from Florida
tell of harvests approximately 100 BUSH
els to the acre and the corn is of excel
lent quality.
Turning from Florida to the northwest.
it can be reported that the state of Wis
consin is to harvest an unusually good
crop of Indian corn The country may
not and probably will not harvest 2,O00,-
1000 bushels of corn this year, but the
outlook now is for an average crop.
FARMERS AND PRICES
Farmers in the northwest are rejoiced
at the prevailing market quotations for
agricultural and live stock commodities.
They are receiving in some cases the
highest prices ever obtained by them for
their commodities Dairy products COM
nsand excellent prices and live stock is
sold readily at prices which mean fair
profits to the farmers.
The sudden developments in the Bal
kans and the general situation of the
European war did serve for time to
cause some reaction from the very high
prices received by the farmers for their
commodities late in August. The farmers
will nevertheless have large amounts of
money to deposit or to utilize through the
sale of wheat, for they possess a consid-
cradle surplus of old wheat. The best
opinion in the northwest-and this seems
also to be true of other parts of the
country-is that the year 1916 will prove
to be fairly profitable one for the farm
ers of the United States. This is the
conviction felt in all lines of business in
the northwest. No small part of the do
nestle business there is dependent upon
the volume of the farm trade, and those
who are in control of this business seem
to have not the slightest apprehension
lest there be a falling off in fall and
winter business.
The monthly report Of the ninth fed
eral reserve district. which covers much
of the far northwest. is regarded as on
the whole very encouraging. The man
ayers of the federal reserve bank report
that the very high prices that prevailed
will, to a considerable extent offset the
heavy decrease in the total wheat yield.
Moreover, there is a good deal Of wheat
left over from the harvests of last year
which has not yet been marketed.
The autumn harvesting will not be CON-
plete before the farmers of the west be-
gin to prepare for next years crop. Some
of the authorities are persuaded that the
falling off in wheat and other grains this
summer was partly due to poorly pre-
pared ground. Many of the farmers be-
leve this to be the fact that are now pre-
pairing to do large amount of blowing
this fall and otherwise prepare the soil
so that whatever the climatic conditions
of next summer may be a fairly good
harvest can be relied upon.
There appears to be no difficulty In OBJ
tanning in the west all the funds neces-
sary to move the crops from the harvest
fields to the markets Some of the
smaller banks are borrowing from the
larger banks so that they may be able
better to meet the demands of their Gus
toners. The federal reserve bank of Min
neapolis has perceived nothing in business
conditions that would indicate that there
are localities where the crop situation
has so far created an unusual demand
for funds.
The business situation in the northwest
is excellent and this is true of both
wholesale and retail trade All industrial
enterprises are occupied in filling orders
and there is not sign of slackenine
of the excellent volume of business that
has been in progress since January /.