The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-03-28
MORE WHEAT IS
GOOD BUSINESS
State Food Administration Issues
Call for Larger Acreage Both
for Profit and Patriotism.
SAYS WHEAT PRICE SURE
Besides, Big Crop Means Backing
the Boys Who Have Been Sent
to the Front to Fight.

The Federal Food Administration
for Minnesota Is issuing a call for "a
larger acreage Of spring wheat. It
makes the following statement OF
world needs the basis for the call:
The United States, Canada, and the
Allies ENGLAND, Frar ce, Italy and Bel.
gtum) in 1917 produced 400,000,000
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. It is not likely
the Allies can produce more In 1918
than in 1917 because their production
has continually decreased since the
war began SO that in 1917 they pro-
duced 150,000,000 bushels less than
their average production for five years
before the war. IL they produce as
much in 1918 as In 1917 they will need
to import between 550,000,O00 and 600,-
100000 bushels to supply normal de-
mands. The United States is about
$500 miles from England and France;
Argentina is about $500 miles dis
tant; India is about $4,000 miles away;
and Australia 1880 miles It is evil
dent then that If there is any scar
city Of ships, the more wheat surplus
we have In the United States the
better It will be for all concerned.
The Outlook In the United States.
In 1917 the United States produced
about 650,000,00O bushels with sur
plus Of about 50,000,000 bushels above
own needs. In 1917 the winter
wheat belt produced 418.000,0oo bush.
els and the spring wheat belt pro-
duced 232,000,000 bushels. The out
look for winter wheat last December
1 indicated probable yield of 540,-
100000 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 standpoint Of the
individual farmer to SOW wheat ON
land that will produce a materially
better crop of something else or sow
wheat on a farm not equipped to han
die the crop economically.
Prices and Profits.
The SILT per bushel guaranteed
price for 1918, is high enough to
make the growing Of wheat decidedly
profitable with fair crop. It would
seem, In view of this fact that the
outlook for raising wheat on good
wheat land is as promising as the
outlook for any other crop and be-
sides this, the patriotic appeal to
furnish bread for the millions who
need 1t, is very strong. It is doubt
full if the farmers of the Northwest
can make greater contribution to
their country, or to humanity gener-
ally, than to grow wheat
Wheat Looks Most Surely Profitable.
It is the opinion of Andrew Boss,
Vice Director of the Minnesota, Elk
pertinent Station, that wheat looks
like the most surely profitable grain
crop this year. He states: The high
price Of oats and barley at the pres
emit time, however, is-likely to bring
an increased acreage of these crops at
the expense of the wheat crop. Farm
ers will do well to consider the pos
sibilities of profit from these crops
before changing the acreage materi-
ally. The average yield Of wheat in
Minnesota for the last 10 year per-
iod was 1875 bushels an acre, at $500
bushel, which is about the price
that the average Minnesota farmer can
expect to net for this years crop, this
would briAg return of $27.00 an acre.
The average yield of oats for the same
period was 3O.8 bushels. To bring
$27.00 an acre, oats would need to sell
at S7.9 cents bushel this year. The
average yield of barley for the same
10 year period was 1876 bushels. To
bring SGT 90 an acre, barley would need
to sell at $1.14 bushel. While oats
are bringing something over 80 cents
now, and barley is much higher than
s1.14, it is not probable that present
prices will be maintained If a normal
crop of the small grains Is. secured,
especially if corn should prove to be
a good crop. That is why wheat looks
the most surely profitable grain crop.
ssBarley and oats must compete with
corr as a feed crop Farmers Will
prefer to feed corn IL It is available.
The consequence will be that barley
and oats will shrink in price more
quickly than wheat. Corn probably
: would be keener competitor for
wheat than the small grains were II
not for the seed shortage. If this IS
over come corn may yet crowd wheat
for the increased acreage. The aver
age state yield of corn for the last 10
year period was 1928 bushels per acre
TO bring as much as an acre of wheat,
corn must sell at $3.50 cents per bushel
With live stock at present prices, it II
likely that it will sell for that, even
though a normal crop Is secured"