The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-03-29
MORE WHEAT means
MONEY FOR FARMERS
What S tate Food Administra-
ton Says On Subject
PROFIT AND PATRIOTISM
Big Crop Is Evidence That Boys
Over There Are Being
Backed Up


Backed Up
The federal food administrator for
Minnesota is issuing a cali for a larger
acreage OF spring wheat. 1t makes
the following statement of world
needs the basis for the call:
The United States, Canada, and
the allies ENGLAND, France, Italy and
Belgium) in 1917 produced 100000
bushels less wheat than they needed.
Shipping is so limited and so badly
needed for other products that wheat
cannot be brought from more distant
points where there is a surplus such
as Argentina, Australia and India.
This has made very rigid economy in
the use of wheat necessary. 1t is not
likely that the allies can produce
more in 1913 than in 1917 because
their production has continually de-
creased since the war began so that
in 1917 they produced 15O,000,0O0
bushels less than their average pro-
duction for five years before the war
If they produce as much in 1918 as in
1917 they will need to import be-
tween 55G,0o0,000 and 600,O0O,000
bushels to supply normal demands.
The United States is about $500
miles from England and France;
Argentina is about $500 miles dis
tant; India is about 10000 miles
away; and Australia 1880 miles 1t
is evident then that if there is any
scarcity Of ships, the more wheat sur
plus we have in the United States
the better it will be for all con-
cerned.
Outlook in the United States.
In 1917 the United States produced
about 650000,00O bushels with sur
plus OF about 5O,000,00O bushels above
our own needs. In 1917 the winter
wheat bell produced 41S,OOo.OO0
bushels and the spring wheat belt
produced 232,000000 bushels. The
outlook for winter wheat last Deem
Der 1 indicated probable yield of
.540,GO0,000 bushels. 1t may be more
or less. At any rate much more
spring wheat will be needed than can
be produced so that every acre of land
in the spring wheat belt that is suit
able for spring wheat and that can
be handled reasonably well should be
seeded to that crop. 1t, of course, is
not wise from the nd-point Of the
individual farmer to sow wheat on
land that will produce a materially
better crop Of something else Or SOW
wheat on alarm not equipped to
handle the crop economically.
Prices and Profits.
Present prices for wheat are not so
attractive as prices for the coarse
grains The S217 per bushel guaran-
teed price for 1913, is high enough
to make the growing of wheat de-
cide6ly profitable with fair crop.
At present no one has authority to
set a price on the course grains. There
viii undoubtedly be some authority
given By congress for the readjust-
ment Of prices between wheat and
the coarse grains. Certainly no sane
committee Of men would, in the face
of the present need for wheat, adj
just prices unfavorably to wheat, SO
in planting wheat the producers will
be accepting sure thing SO far as
the price is concerned. 1t would seem.
in view of these facts, that the out
look for raising wheat on good wheat
land is AS promising as the out
look for any other crop and besides
this, the patriotic appeal to furnish
bread for the millions who need it,
is very strong, 1t is doubtful if the
farmers Of the northwest can make
"a greater contribution to their coun-
try, or to humanity generally, than
RI I~s- L
Wheat Looks Most Surely Profitable
1t is the opinion of Andrew Boss,
vice director of Minnesota Expert
jnent station. that wheat looks like
the most surely profitable grain crop
this year. He states: "The high
price of oats and barley at the present
, time, however, is likely to bring an
increased acreage of these crops at
the expense of the wheat crop.
Farmers will do well to consider the
possibilities of profit from these crops
before changing the acreage materi-
ally. The average yield of wheat in
Minnesota for the last ten year period
was 1876 bushels an acre At 50 a
bushel, which is about the price that
the average Minnesota farmer can
expect to net for this years crop.
This would bring return of SGT an
acre The average yield of oats for
, the same period was 30S bushels. To
bring $27 an acre, oats would need to
sell at S79 cents bushel this year.
! Average Yield of Barley.
| The average yield of barley for the
same ten year period was 1916 bush
els. To bring $27 an acre. barley
would need to sell at $114 a bushel
| While oats are bringing sometime
over 80 cents now, and barley is much
higher than $1.14, it is not probable
that present prices will be maintained
if normal crop Of the small grains
is secured. especially if corn should
prove to be good crop. That is
why wheat locks like the most surely
profitable grain crop.
Barley and oats must compete
with corn as q feed crop. Farmers
will prefer to feed corn if it is avail
able. The consequence will be tina!
barley and oats will shrink in price
more quickly than wheat. Corn
probably would be a keener competi-
tor for wheat than the small grains
We're it not for the seed shortage