New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-30
Big Drouth Sends
Wheat to Highest
Price Since 1864
Seed Rushed by Special
Train to Winter Sown
Areas

Chicago. Marcn 29.-On distressing
reports Of damage by drouth 10 win
ter sown wheat. the highest war prices
were touched to-day in the wheat mar
ket, the quotation for May delivery
jumping to within one-eighth of a cent
of Sl.99 bushel. To-day's record,
which resulted from excited rushes to
buy. was the topmost ever reached by
any future delivery since 1864. The
more sensational crop damage reports
came from Southern Nebraska. Kan
sas reports also tell of severe damage,
and seem to imply that unless rain
falls soon the yield in many parts
might be almost nil.
News comes from Omaha that five
carloads of seed wheat for Nebraska
farmers whose winter wheat fields
have been damaged by drouth are
being rushed from Minneapolis there.
1t is expected the damaged winter
wheat fields will be seeded 10 spring
wheat within ten days. .,
Reports from agents in the held
for the University Of Nebraska. the
Omaha Grain Exchange, the Nebraska
Farmers Alliance and Omaha bankers
indicate that 70 per cent OF the winter
wheat fields in the southern hall OF
the state nave been destroyed; MaIV
of the fields in the northern hall OF OF
the state are damaged from lO - ~
per cent.
Seed Wheat Sought
Farmers have expressed readiness
- resoed winter wheat acreage to
sDr;ng wheat If seed wheat, when
,hev have been unable TO obtain, Is
furnished them promptly. Railroads
bo,e Given shipments OF seed wheat
r;obt Of way over other freight, 1t was
announced. and a supply will be avail
,ble 20 farmers in forty-eight hours
I, was obtained BY a purchasing com
rittee~ appointed Yesterday at con
ference Of university representations
farmers and the Omaha Gram TX
change.
Washington. March 29.-With an en-
barqo on the export OF wheat from ~
oentina. North America IS INC only
Source Of supply accessible TO EUROPE
~bc world has been looking forward 10
a bountiful production OF wnest tnl'
.oor ospecially in the United states
~ nrices have been an incentive TO
. snt larger areas, but high prices are
~ insurance against drouth. Inc gov
oTnment's December report indicated
s, i,crease in this country OF between
20 600 and 100000 acres over the
preceding fall. .,,.. 80
consequently, it was generally e%-
-, .cd that a considerably greater
npantity would be produced tins year
Eews that lack Of adequate snow cover
80 in the last winter has been fol-
led by prolonged and severe drouth'
.o,, coming from all districts OF the
ain winter wheat belt. rs, therefore,
very Disappointing.
Yield Below Expectations
p.,,rts Of swinter killing" are com
,,oo ot this season indeed, they never
ss;i % come-but condition reports this
yesr are far worse than any ever made:
Even allowing for wild exaggeration. II
,b.t h prescnt in the reports, II rs ap-
ne,cnt that the yield OF winter wheat
Iii he considerably under expecta-
tionx Crop experts representing agri-
cultural colleges. the big gram houses
ond farmers' associations concur with
other Investigators IN asserting that
the damage is 20 great as 10 amount al
most 20 a catastrophe
Already the chances OF saving the
croo on considerable areas IN consid-
ercd homeless, and much winter-sow
acreage has been abandoned TO be re-
sown with spring wheat.