The sun., 1918-07-23
OUTLOOK FOR CROPS
GREATLY IMPROVED
Marked Contrast Between
Grain and Food Conditions
Now and Last Year.
WHEAT MOVEMENT FAST
Department Of Agriculture
Urges Larger Winter Crop
Acreage Next Year.
WHEAT MOVEMENT FAST

Corn closed yesterday at about
cents decline from the high Of the day
and to az cents Off from the final OF
Saturday. Cash corn was weak, follow
ing heavy decline last week oats
were weak. closing at from 1 to 2
cents decline, and there was very heavy
movement of all grain. A comparison
OF the conditions prevailing this year
with last brings out clearly the ire
mendous improvement in the crop and
supply situation. While II Is true that
the oats crop last year was probably
larger than the estimates. and larger
than this years will turn out to be- the
prospects for the corn crop are equal
to last year. and the crop Is so early
that It Is probable that 1t will be har-
vested ahead OF the frost. and make
hundreds of millions of bushels differ
ence in the feed and food quality OF the
corn. In fact the food value Of the
corn last year was so low that. notwith-
standing the bushels. the actual result
in food and feed quality was much lower
than for several years.
The movement OF wheat Is starting on
with such a rush that 1t shows the coun-
try Is generally satisfied with the pre-
vailing price. The proposition OF the
Department Of Agriculture to increase
the winter wheat area from the amount
sown the past year OF about 100000
bushels to a total Of about 100000
bushels, even II accompanied by some
decrease in the spring wheat acreage
from that Of the present year. would
mean the possibility OF a larger crop.
as the average yield an acre of winter
wheat is larger than the average yield
of spring wheat. While there Is not
as much abandonment OF spring wheat
area, relatively. as there Is reported or
winter wheat area. there have been large
areas which have hardly paid for har-
vest, and II there had been any OPP
portunity to SOW another crop, as is the
case with winter wheat when winter
killed, the spring wheat would have been
ploughed up and the ground sown to
other crops. There Is that tremendous
advantage in winter wheat over spring.
and winter wheat can be raised well
north, as Is shown by the fact that In
Alberta there is an important acreage
OF winter wheat raised every year.
CHICAGO. July 22.-Pronounced weak
ness developed in the corn market to-
day. owing principally to bearish crop
reports and to big receipts. The close
as unsettled, rs to 2%c. net lower,
with August s1.4sA to $1.4Sla and Sep
TENDER $149% to $50. Oats finished
u to 2Mc. off. In provisions the out
come ranged from &C. decline to 1oc. ad-
vance.
Field conditions for corn were almost
ideal, and arrivals Of about sixty-two
carloads here were far above the aver
age for this part OF the season. The
market accordingly began to decline at
the outset. but an unexpected scarcity OF
selling orders made shorts uneasy, and
led TO covering which lasted until mid
session and brought about material up
turns. Meanwhile some talk was cur
rent as to chances of damage from hot
winds. After the demand from shorts
had become exhausted, however. the
market weakened rapidly. Beneficial
rains were said to have fallen in Kansas,
and It was a generally accepted opinion
that. barring some exceptional contin-
gency. the supply OF moisture through
out the belt would prove ample.
Oats reflected the action of corn.
ing advices favorable.
wHEAT-Last weeks big receipts OF
wheat at interior points caused fair
accumulation and the visible supply
showed gain for the week of o,64a 600
bushels, which brought the total to 1914
900. compared with 0,82l 600 last year.
The movement was again large and II Ia
expected that stocks will increase steadily
from now on. Mills have been active buy
ers 10 supply requirements to MI the
recent big business in four but the re-
ceipts have been so heavy that the pre-
miums recently prevailing FOR cash wheat
over the Government minimum have about
disappeared. Local grain merchants are
d. ding quite r. large business In cash
wheat for export and It is expected that
within n short time the movement from
tho seaboard to Europe viii begin to
assume liberal proportions
CORN-Local cash market quiet, fresh
shelled No. . yellow quoted at 81 ao%
No. yellow. sl.s0%. cost and freight
New York.
OATS-I.ocal cash demand was very
slow and prices easy; standard quoted at
s6i?c.: No. 2 white, s5iac.; No. white
SIC: No. white, $40; fancy clipped
white. IS n $50; ordinary clipped white.
81 a SIC. all elevator
RYE-Market easy; No. Western.
s1.sIScost and freight New York.
BARIEY-Market dull; feeding. 1."5 @