Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-04-12
Food Problem to Become More
Acute, According to Estimates
Placing the Production at
436,OOO,OOO Bushels.
NEAR FAILURE IN 2 STATES
Condition in Nebraska Placed at
So, Kansas 45 and Other
States Better, But I'm
usually Low.

Chicago, ili., April 9-Acceptina
wheat crop conditions shown BY
the government report as q calam-
. 'sy, tho TSsi from m; ; I a : gasss,
for May options to $2.f3a4 for Sep
tenber. July advanced TO 1870.
May corn sold up 534e and May
oats, 13Ac.
1t was only this week that May
wheat, responding to private estimates
OF crop damage. marked an epoch in
prices by selling at So. Yesterday was
q holiday on the board of trade, but
Thursday May wheat closed at $2.05N.
The opening today touched $2.O7h, and
this was followed by a decline to
$2.04M on the appearance of the sea
raider. Then came the government .
port n h market mad al almost
perpendicular jump to new records,
May sold to $2.14 and fluctuated with
July, a half n later a full cent aboys
that level.
Washington, ID. c., April IA pros
pecttve slump of more than $4,000, 900
bushels in the winter wheat crop. as
compared with last years crop. is the
first war feeding problem confronting
department Of agriculture today-the
first for the 1917 harvest-forecast that
much of a decrease, although the acre
al is much greater.
The food problem Of the coming year
being n Of the paramount questions
affecting the United States in the war,
extraordinary interest centered on tho
government report today, showing tho
condition and the estimated production
or the winter wheat crop planted last
autumn.
Must Supply Allies.
4 Tho nvfnr% ~ ~ 49,; - r,,l.naA ,e~
usually about twoothirds OF the entire
~roductio of wheat in this country, is
a vital question, inasmuch as the allies
VIII depend to a large degree upon
American supplies and Argentina has
placed an embargo on wheat and fleur
exports.
The winter wheat area last autumn
was 10000, 900 acres, the largest acre
age ever planted. How much Of this
acreage will have to be abandoned be-
cause of the conditions which prevailed
during the winter has been a cause Of
much speculation. Reports from diff
ferent sources reaching the department
OF agriculture haye indicated there was
some winter killing Of winter wheat in
many sections of Kentucky, Tennessee.
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Okla
honla, Kansas and Texas, and of hard
red winter wheat in the western and
south western plains, particularly in
Kansas n Missouri. Whether the
extent of the damage is more#than the
average was uncertain.
Lack of adequate snow covering dur-
ing the winter has been reported, and
prolonged and severe drought condi-
tons have followed. Much Of the win
tter sown acreage that has been aban-
doned undoubtedly will be sown to
spring wheat because Of the indicated
shortage of the winter crop and the
prevailing high prices.
Let Half a Stand Grow.
Cereal specialists of the department
OF agriculture are recommending to
that il the crop is not more
than half killed, in The northern part
OF the belt seeding to spring wheat is
recommended, but in the southern part
or the region planting Of corn is pros
posed.
Record Rye Crop Forecast.
notwithstanding the heavy decrease
In the prospective winter wheat crop.
the production Of rye is forecast by the
department Of agriculture at $4,000, 900
bushels. the largest output OF tina crop
ever recorded in the United States. Last
year the production OF y was 1888
coo bushels; in 1915 it was 54,O50, 900
bushels; and the average of the pre-
tvious five years was 37,568, 900 bushels.
Washington, d. c.. April 1.-THE win
ter wheat crop of the United States will
| NC dOouI foV,UVV,UVV OuSYelS, ING Q6-
partment of agriculture our to-
day in it's estimate of the crop which!
was sown last autumn on one OF the
largest acreages ever planted, but
which had adverse conditions through
the winter.
Last year 461,744,00e bushels were
harvested, and 673, $4,000 bushels were
produced in 1915. Condition on April
/ was 1914 per cent of a normal, com
pared with 1873 last year. 1873 in 1915
and 1862 the 10-year average The con-
dition decreased 22.3 points from De-.
cember / to April i. compared with an
average decline of 4 points in the last
10 years between those dates.
Condition of rye on April 1 was S6.6
per cent of a normal, compared with,
87.8 last year, 89.5 in 1915 and 500 the
10-year average.
Condition of winter wheat in the im-
portant growing states on April ] was:
Ohio, 80; Indiana, 65; Illinois, go; Mis-
souri,. 81: Nebraska, 35; Kansas. Is:
Oklahoma, "A.