The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-04-02
A Short Corn Crop.
Prospects Are for Reduced Acre
age Of Corn and a Correspond
ing Shortage


meat exports, with the execution
aereemen, for provisioning German.
and with the prospect Tor Il preiiiii
nary peace by the end OF Mafch, th'
demand for food and feed OF the pr"
duct of 1919 appears 10 be consider
ably increased. Hogs have advanced
about two cents pound. Every Stci
in the qualification Of Europe and th'
restoration Of order. now proceed
ing slowly but more or less surely
from this time forward until EUROPE
resumes normal production wll' entVl
tallv increase the European d. nand
! especiallv for meats and fats
! think il is 10 be assumed that Eu-
jrope will considerably increase hei
cereal production over that OF lasl
wear but she can not Immediately
come to an increase Of meats because
of the depletion Of her herds. when
it will take many months, and IN some
cases years, 10 restore
/ The American Supply Of corn ON
farms on March was 5000 bu-
shells compared with 1923, 4G5. 900 bu-
shells average for 1911-1913. The
amount on farms at this time is "a. 2
ner cent of the whole crop compared
with 37.2 per cent for the five year
average; the amount shipped out from
the farms 10 this time this, year is
1916 per cent compared with 2O.2 per
cent for the five year average. the
totals of these percentages are re-
speetively 4S.7 per cent this year COM
pared with 51-4 per cent for
the five year average. That is to say,
a smaller percentage. Of the crop at
this time is on farms. or has been
shipped out. and a correspondinSlN
larger percentage, therefore, has been
fed to live stock.
This circulation signifies, what is
otherwise confirmed. a larger supply
of animals on the farms and indi-
Gates correSpondingly less corn Of last
years crop 10 be sold between now
and the harvesting Of the new crop.
AS the supply Will be less the rel@ i've
price is not likely to be less but rather
to be greater.
AS l have pointed out heretofore,
the prospect at this time is for Il de-
creased average of corn in 1919 on
account Of the incrcsae of winter
wheat and the prospective increase OF
spring wheat Therefore, it does not
seem 10 be at all likely that the sup
ply of corn available during the Year
1918 From these angles it woald
seem that we face continuing high
prices and probably higher prices for
meat and bread.
The point OF this observation is
that the Southern farmer should make
sure his supplies Of meat and bread
by planting food and feed Stulls and
increasing his farm animals.
The prospect for preliminary peace
has already advanced the price OF.
cotton somewhat, as the market re-
Elected last week. This recalls the eN-.
perience Of early last fall when the
tide Of war was turned against Ger
many and prices of cotton advanced ir.
anticipation Of GcrmanS'S defeat. The
then outran tho reality be-
cause there was not careful consider.
alton of the industrial and iinancia!
disorder following the termination OF
hostilities nor Of the time necessary TO
bring about real and final settle
ment Of peace. 1t would be unfortu.
nate If upon the present Prospect o! II
preliminary peace with Germany cot
ton farmers should assume a complete
restoration OF prc-war demand :tnG
should plant accordingly.
Exports Of cotton continue to pick
llp slowly. and now have passed thi
exports for this time last year. :lc-
cording to the figures Of Secretary
Hester of the New Orleans Cotton lex
change. | have full confidence they
will continue to improve and | am
hopeful that the total exports will
reach 100000 bales compared with
about 4.50O.000 bales last year. am
hopeful also that American mill con-
sumption will increase somewhat over
the rate Of the last few months. and
that tho exports and domestic con-
sumptio" Will exceed exports and
American consumption last year. i:lit
eve: if these expectations are fully
,;.Iized. and even if free commerce
IS restored With the nations of Contra
europe IN the next lew weeks, dS IitON
seems TO he altogether probable. The
cotton situation Will be far from COM
fortab to producers If wc have the
same acreage us last year and if the
seasons arc normal.
II can not be too often repeated that
last year q short crop WAS due in prn-
cip;,l part TO drought in Texas and
Oklahoma Average conditions III
those states this Year on The Sam
acreage vii! lproducc 1T Least 100000
bales more than last year. and uHdc:
conditions existing. and practically cor
tain to continue with only slight i'm
provcmcnt. that supply is AL tha' We
| hope Germany and Austria may con-
sumo in twelve months.
Germany's and AuStria's $ consulnp-
! ton 1911 10 1911 inclusive WAS from
2.300. 900 TO 100000 bales in round
numbers Il year. Certainly III her pres
cnt disorder POLITICAL social. indus
trial. and financial. Germany cannot
possibly come TO prewar consumption
within twelve months II seems TO me
| that a consumption Of 100000 bales