Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-17
Billion Bushel Wheat
Crop to Test Storage

with n wheat crop OF over n billion
bushels In prospect In the United States
this scason--the greatest crop the
country has ever produced--the needs
for efforts by farmers and elevator
companies TO market and store the
grain with the least possible loss and
congestion OF traffic Is impressed by
the bureau OF markets OF the United
States department of agriculture. In
calling attention to this great market
Ing problem the department says that
every possible measure should be
taken To insure the safe storage and
hauling Of this enormous sum,
Last year. with crop of about s00,-
0OO, 900 bushels, the rushing Of the grain
To market Immediately after harvest
caused a congestion all the way from
the terminal markets 10 the farm. The
wheat backed UP" after the terminal
elevators were full and congested the
railroads and all country elevators,
The result was that embargoes were
placed on all further shipments until
the terminals could be cleared. For
tunutely. the winter was an open one
OF the loss que W s'o'aS' Npuiu h"' =
been heavy.
North Dakota Congestion Recalled.
Attention IL called by the bureau OF
markets TO the situation that prevail
ed in North Dakota In the winter OF
i9l5-l6 following a crop IN that state
OF $50, 100000 bushels. Owing to a
congestion of elevators at country sta
tons, due to the inability of the rail-
roads to carry the wheat away as
rapidly as the farmers hauled 1t in,
platforms were built and hundreds OF
thousands of bushels of wheat were
piled up in the open. In addition great
quantities of wheat were stored in i'm
provised bins.
One result of the condition was that
during the following summer many
farmers provided themselves with gal
vanized storage tanks on their farms.
In Washington and Oregon last year
and in 1917. many farmers built port.
able wooden storage bins to hold about
1000 bushes each.
Stacking a Partial Solution.
In some parts of the country last
summer. especially in Indiana. for en-
ample. stacking was feature of crop
handling where ii never had been be
fore Stacking is a partial solution OF
the grain congestion problem which
every farmer can apply. Furthermore
he is likely to be gamer by the
practice, for wheat that sweats in the
stack except during an unusually dry
harvest season. will he Of better
quality than if threshed from the
shock. Ii stacked al once after har-
vest. weather permitting. the farmer
may then thrash and market the wheat
at his convenience. There is the fur
Their advantage that the wheat will not
deterorate should rains come, as 1t
would in the shock AS marketing
proposition stacking as soon as the
wheat has become thoroughly dry
after harvest is good business, partic-
ularly with a billion -bushel crop and
congested storage facilities in sight.
Offers Plans For Granaries.
Farmers should consider the ques-
ton of providing themselves with stor-
age facilities. Provision may be made
to store. wheat in buildings already
constructed on farm granaries and
portable bins may be provided. The
United States department Of agricu-
ture has specifications for portable
farm granary. issued as Markets Doc
ument No. IL.
Impure Sed Corn on Market.
Much irnpure sed is on the market
according to the botanical section OF