The Washington herald., 1919-02-15
RECORD WHEAT
CROP FORECAST
Holland Says All Signs
Point to a Prosperous
Year for Farmers.

nave Deen so Tar THIS winter, Nhe pIoo-
ability is strong that the worlds
greatest harvest OF wheat will be
gathered before the season ends next
fall
Already reports are coming TO New
York from other parts of the coun-
Try which tell of the early promise
OF the wheat harvest and these re-
ports give encouragement to all who
have been saying that upon the har-
vests OF this year will depend in great
measure the continued prosperity OF
the country. Some Of the leaders in
the securities market have been say
ing. one to another. that the prob
ability Of great crops will without
question. inspire renewed and pos
sibly very great activity In the Sc
Curities market
Record wheat Crop.
From Kansas come reports that.
always allowing for possible un-
favorable weather conditions. the
farmers will harvest this year the
largest crop OF wheat ever garner
sd in that state. In some parts Of
the South where the cultivation Of
wheat iS now large. apprehensiOns
wNrc felt early in the winter thai
nv reason Of the peculiar kind Of
winter weather We have Lad. the
wheat that was planted early in the
winter or late in the fan might not
H5atUT- satisfactorily. These fears
Scer1 now to have beeu ended. If the
south does as well in the produC-
tiOH OF wheat a. IL did last wear its
harvest will seryn greatly to sup
Ticmcnt the wheat which - grown
in the greater wheat belts OF the
nited Ststes.
The weather has been unusual. even
phenomenal. in many parts of the
'a.'. ry where wheat is chiefly Culti-
vs''" II the Northwest. for instance
the January OF this year was peculiar,
l'.. u via amy precedent, because 1t
Was he miIdest first month of the
ve"r which the farmers of that sec
tion ever experienced. They looked
o.. ~ Inc sky eaCl day and saw an
unusual sun whose rays were very
mid. almost warm. whereas 1t was
thci~ hope that the sun would be
darkened. the weather cold and that
L-4Ny Y SHOWS NrIP about to fall. When
the farmers measured the extent of
the frost in the soil up to the latter
part OF January they found that IL
20 -iHcd n. two or three inches
below the surface. A deep frost is
'- .... --.1 If IhaTe is to he an abund-
ant harvest OF wheat. There came,
i1veN er. Fhou- the Oay OF the ground
hog. a gratifying drop in temperature.
Then the frost penetrated well into
tine SOL. There followed an abundant
fan Of SNOW. Thee two con ditiOrS
were essential If the farmers were to
look with encoUra cement for a sue
CesstIl growth Of wheat
Rail Needed.
lt. afer the spring months set in.
''.'re shoHld come an abundant
dow. .ai or rain. lasting on ard on
= a@ lie plant.nG aFd growing sea
g.. rhur h. farucTst can count
70. "~ au ~Nfr4ord nary harvest Of
Wn.at. ar'rr oU" allowance for GER
fr.u 'a1%r-~ r"or sometimes apposr
Tr. wr-.-T.w"r
-.-.-sn- r,,,..,-. j.. ysr 10 a~gia. but
rH, winter conditions have an imvor-
Z .t.' oTs"' I.-.on =nrinc prospects,
-.r.G %. a. 'ho' ragt arca Of the Far
N.Sr vns-c whca: and other grains
s... .-rI-tvrr"u N" prospect for
--.-r.- -.'"-' Low watcIad r,fIh
rufrrs, .t'- ..- b. aI1 Of those who
Will c-.IIvI-,. '',r .nH 70 wheat until
harvest 5s.=
if the 1crc WIN IS now enter
IaIrCd Cr q rr-ord-uakru- spring and
winter ynsa' crop b" realized. then
there seems to BE- basis in the opin-
ION Of those who are competent to
Judge. for the belief that the farm
lands OF the U1ited States Uloy yield
iu 1919 i, crop Of wheat Of approx
u.a'-Iy 10000 80 bushels
The government guarantees the
price which viii be pc id to farmers
f,~ tn" wheat they will harvest in
I'9. The expectation is that Europe
s.rI make an unusually heavy de-
rIaEd for rye and probably as heavy
% demand for other grain foods as
was the cas-" in 1918.
Undoubtedly ,he products Of the
farms aud ranches will command sat
tsfactory prices. although there may
he some price reduction for certain
kinds OF rroDE. but wheat and live
rstoCk are likely TO return TO those who
cultivate these products as large a
profit as they did last year.
The bankers OF the Far West report
to their friends in this city that the
farmers as 2 whole received in 1918
satisfactory returns for their products
and II their gains from the cultivation
of tho land and the raising o. live
stock arc as satisfactory in 1919 as
they were in 1915 the chaEL-s are that
the American farmers will be able
either greatly to reduce or else com
PIetely TO liquidate their obligations.
They are likely to find themselves as
productive class in position OF
financial Independence
The farmers are yet to receive A
considerable amount of money for
their products OF last year which have
not yet been marketed. Speedily beef
cattle will be brought from the
ranches to the railroads, and upon the
faEn. there remain considerable
smOUnts Of wheat and other grains.
Nevertheless. the probabilities are
great that the farmers will put con-
siderable amount Of new acreage to
the cultivation of grain. especially
wheat and rye. 1t is possible that the
new crop will move to the markets
ktimetime before a considerable part
Of the old crop is cleaned up and the
bankers predict that the marketing OF
the production OF this year will ex-
tend over twelve months
From the Far Northwest a report
was received this morning that wages
and the cost OF farm operations have
not deCeased. Should there be a de-
crease by springtime this probably
would be on-et by considerably larger
planting operations. This. plus the
marketing OF farm products that have
been held over. will necessitate a large
amount OF financing. the burden Of
which will fall upon the banks.
COTTON MARKETS.