The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-10-06
Seed Wheat For
1917 IS Problem
Does Anybody Know Where the
Seed Wheat for 1917 is Com
!, ing From?
TUE SEED IaRAIN CRISIS

Large Areas in Spring Wheat
Sections Has no Wheat Suit
ed For Seed
Where is the seed wheat for
1917 coming from9 Does anybody
know1 Has anybody stopped to
figure it out? If the reader is
well supplied he probably thinks
Others in the state are. If he is
not, he probably thinks th:t
somehow he can get seed next;
spring. In both cases the pro-
disabilities are that he is wrong.
Now here is the situation as It
is deweloping-furthe data may
change these figures somewhat,
but they are authoritative to
date. September LII, inclusive,
the Minnesota grain inspection
department, which passes on
all grain coming to the markets
of the twin cities and Duluth, re-
ported 3,14O cars of spring whea
grading No. 3 and below and Oil
cars Of No. Equality and better
these Oil cars grading as fol-
lows: Four hundred and forty
six No. 2 Northern, 1913 No. /
Northern and 81 No. l Hard. At
the other end Of the line 1,626
cars graded No. 4 Northern.
Well mixed samples show that
wheat grading more than No. 2
Northern is badly shrunken and
is not desirable for seed pur-
poses. This would Indicate that
probably 80 per cent OF the
spring wheat crop of the three
states is out Of the seed-Mheat
class and that only about one
hushel in five is desirable for
seed purposes.
But this is not all Of the
story. The millers need this hlg
grade wheat in order to make
flour Of the right grade and
color, consequently they are bid
ding for it in the markets and
buydn, as fast as they can. Dur
ing the period mentioned l47
cars of Western wheat and l.
694 cars of winter wheat pas
sed Minnesota inspection. There
has been some movement Of Can
adian wheat to the twin city
markets, overriding the ten-cent
tariff, and there is some talk OF
the puossibilty Of bringing in
Argentine wheat to stabilize the
quality.
The point to get clear in mind
is the fact that on present lmdl-
cations there is not nearly enough
.high-grade wheat to fill the
trade requirements and to pro-
vide seed for next years acreage
If the usual spring wheat acreage
is sown in 1917, not less than
100000 bushels will be requir-
ed for the three northwestern
states. Taking the II. s. & H. es'
innate (issue Of Septemer Is,
page 639) Of an $4,000, 900 bushel
crop for the three states as the
basis of computation and fig "a
twenty per cent Of this crop OF
seed quality, we come ], ,OOO, 900
bushels short of producing
enough good wheat in the three
states to give us our seed for
next year. This is assuming that
tie farmers are able to hold
back for seed purposes every
thing that grades No. 2 and
better. That they cannot hold
it back is shown by grain re-
ceipts figures as Furnished by
the railway and warehouse com
mission.
What viii. be the effect Of
seeaing low-grade wheat next
spring? What will be the effect
Of importing seed wheat from
other localities?
To both of these questions
the answers may be given that
the wheat grower will be in the
position Of the man who has
bred a fine line Of stock for
many years and has the choice
of either going on breeding with
I the stunted membrs Of the herd
or Of taking new blood lines al
together and trying them out.
The northwest stands in danger
Of losing it's commanding positio
as the grower Of wheat Of high
milling quality unless il can in in
some way retain the best Of it's
1916 crop for 1917 seed purposes
This might be done. The gov