The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-03-14
REPORT CROP RESERVE
STATEMENT SENT OUT BY
BUREAU OF ESTIMATES
Comments On the Situation Are
Made BY Paul H. Kirk,
Field Agent u

bureau oil crop estimates through It's
Minnesota field agent m3kes public
the reserves of corn, wheat, oats and
barley on the farms as of March 1,
for Minnesota and the United States.
Regarding reserves I'M Minnesota, the
Minnesota field agent, Paul H. Kirk,
comments are as follows;
The mild winter, together with
good crop to start WITH, has held up
the reserves bof corn. While price has
been high, there was no particular in
ducement for farmers to sell except al
fed to live stock.
Reserves on hand March /, esti.
mates at 81 percent compared to only
% per cent last year. The total amount
remaining on farms being a little over
"a millions bushels, compared to only
about twenty millions last year.
THE merchantableI quality of corn
this year is much higher than year
ago. This year, 81 percent, last year
only 81 percent merchantable.
Naturally, with a set price and no
incentive to hold wheat, most farm :
ers were willing to let the "other
fellow" hold the wheat crop. How
ever, the embargos and freight con-
gregation may, have held up selling
somewhat.
1.-The percent of wheat on hand this
year in Minnesota is only % percent
compared to "a percent last year, and
q percent ten year average. There
is 1885, 900 bushels on farms, in
Guiding Seed compared to $4,000. 900
last year. The total wheat crop was
larger in 1918 than in 1917.
"The percentage Of wheat shipped
out Of county where grown varies
but little from year to, year. There
was 65, percent shipped out this year
compared to so last year when the
milling conditions were somewhat diff
ferent.
"The one striking feature about the
oats situation is the heavy holding in,
storage by farmers. This is much
heavier than for several years, due.
no doubt to the fact that prices have
declined and mild winter has not re-
qnired as much for feed.
with AZ percent Of oats or 57616.-
600 bushels estimated in farmers
hands, shows holdings are much heav-
Ter than one year ago. Forty four
million four hundred and ninety two
thousand bushels and slightly higher
than the ten year average Of 56.
600 bushels. = (. 81
Barley resers es are also much
higher than last year, being 81 per-
cent or I6,058. 900 bushels compared to
S,216 900 bushels or % per cent of
the total crop Barley naturally be-
ing held for fed and winter being So.
mild. cut down anticipated feeding
requirements.
"The average value per acre Of an
plow lands in the state is estimated
at $78 per acre, while the average
value per acre of all farm lands with
is estimated at $94.
"The United States as a whole
shows that the percent of wheat ON
the farms March /, 1919 is slower than
last year and considerably less than
the ten year average, being al per-
cent cen. or about 12s,2szooo bushels this
Corn on FARMS for>United States
this year is 34.2 percent compared to
40.9 percent last year
Oats on farms, March /, for United
States is 3S.2 percent compared to
37.5 percent March 1, last year and
31.5 percent the ten year average.
There is estimated to be 31.9 per-
cent Of the barley crop still in the
farmers hands in the United States
March l, 1919 compared to 2O.8 per-
cent last year ''~ y