The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-03

Warrington, d. G., Aug. 1.-Tnere
has been 90 much famine In the
world Of late that the public will
appreciate the assurance that there
,is to be plenty Of food for every
body after the present crops are
harvested.
II the cornerstone OF the
food structure Of the non-oriental
world. and the supply Of it deter
mines largely whether western ma
tons are to be we'll or poorly fed.
Most OF the wheat 10 raised In the
northern hemisphere. and the crop
il at present so far advanced that
reliable estimates Of it can be made.
And It is certain the wheat crop is
to be abundant. From Mandalay
to Saskatchewan, from Finland to
Colorado, the reports are unvary-
ingly excellent rs the threshing
season rapidly approaches.
The United States 10 the greatest
wheat producing country in the
world. Her position is now more
clearly without : rival than before
the war when Russia was an active
competitor in all markets.
The United States is to have .
near-bumper crop. During the five
years that preceded the war period
the average crop here was 687, 000,-
900 bushels. During the war, under
the stimulant of government en-
couragement and high prices. the
average annual yield was $4,000
600 bushels. The latest forecast
of the crop now being harvested
made by the bureau of crop esti-
mates, is $40, 000, 900 bushels. So it
becomes evident that We are to
have war time>yield to meet a
peace time need.
The Farmers Make Good.
This crop is a magnificent &C
complishment. Throughout the
wheat belt the fields are yielding
sturdy average acre returns. crops
that are not unusually heavy but
are generally good and uniform.
Early in the season there were
varying influences mitigating
against a heavy yield, but condi-
tons have continued to improve
right up to the harvest season and
the forecasts have grown constant
ly more optimistic.
The contribution that the United
States will this year be able to
make to the wheat rationing of the
worlds estimated as follows: The
crop will be $4,000. 900 bushels. To
this should be added 10000, 900
bushels held over from last year.
This is twice the average holdover
as there were difficulties in trans
portation and difficulties in financ-
ing European purchases. Thus we
will have 960,000,000 bushels on
hand.
The normal home consumption OF
wheat is 560,000,0 900 bushels. Eighty
million bushels must be held to
plant next years crop. Thus is
more than half as much wheat as
our own people consume. 1t is a
splendid contribution to the world
supply. Before the war our aver
age export was los, 900 900, and the
average war time export was but
24O 900, 900 bushels. So We are do
ing handsomely this year.
In Canada the wheat crop prom
lses to be better than it has been
for years. Hardy Canadians have
been pushing into the prairies of
the Northwest, around Medicine
Hat, Calgary and Moosejaw, bat
thing slx-month winters, and 40
below temperatures. When crops
we're good, profits were large, but
there have been bad seasons. For
the past three years there have
been mostly crop failures, and the
suffering has been intense. But
promises to contribute
LOO, 100000 bushels of wheat for ex-
port this year.
In Argentina where the harvest |
season is December and January.
he last crop was fairly good, and |
here is still an unsupported bal ance |