The Washington herald., 1921-06-29

PtiSSS hoo hot yet ueCiineQ 10 tne
extreme low Of the winter. shows
a gain of 100000 acres. while
spring wheat, put in after the de-
preston OF midwinter showed a
decrease of 1,4Oo;000 acres.
The reported curtailment in the
use of fertilizers in the Eastern
States did not show up In the con-
dition figures since the condition
in the East and Central West is
much higher than in the nonfertili-
zer-using States of Kansas and
Nebraska. The condition in sew
eral of these older States was re-
ported as follows: Pennsylvania.
SO; Ohio, s6; Indiana, IS; Illinois,
81: as against Kansas, so; Nebras-
ka. rs. and Oklahoma, 70. In Kan
sas, the greatest wheat State, the
decline was from 81 on May 1 to
so on June 1, representing a loss OF
S3,ooo.o0o bushels in that State
alone.
While the crop cannot be called
short" the reduced surplus COM
pared with last year makes the
prospective supply smaller than a
year ago. while the carry-over
for 1920 was estimated to be about
150.o0O.0o0 bushels 1t is generally
believed that II will only be about
a third of this amount on July lst
next! The International Institute
of Agriculture estimates that the
total world stock Of old wheat will
be down to about $4,000. 900 by July
81. next. This would indicate that
ha l.
and as the rate OF consumption is
growing the total amount required
would be larger than for several
years.
The effort Of Europe buyers to
seek wheat in the most favorable
market may direct trade to Aus
tralia and the Argentine. but those
countries will not be able to sup
ply all of the European demand.
with Russia and India out Of the
market
The worlds wheat crop for 1920
was estimated to be 2.706.0g1. 900
bushels, about 10o.0 900. 900 bushels
greater than the five-year pre-war
average. The surplus Of the ex-
porting countries: United States,
~ Shtiha. ana
India was put at 645 .000, 900 bus
he's. Russia was counted out.
The worlds requirements as es-
timated by the English authority
Broomhall, was put at $4,000. 900
for the season 1s2o-21. At the rate
that wheat has been moving the
carry-over to be left from this crop
will be much smaller than last
years.
Reports from all parts of the
world indicate a crop very much the
same as last year. Importing coun-
tries are moving toward pre-war
normal consumption. Great Brit
aims imports approximate the form
er level. France is still about
Soo,ooo.ooo acres short. and may
raise two-thirds of its requirements.
Belguim's imports are yet low and
Germany's imports are only about
IS per cent of normal. Italy has a
good crop and will reduce her inn
ports.
No exports may be expected from
Rumarlia as the acreage was re-
duced one-half. India has a drought
and prospects are bad and no ex-
ports will probably be allowed.
1t is remarkable that the Ameri-
can farmer should have maintain
ed the wheat crop as he has in the
race of the rapid price decline
From s2.51 received by the producer
OF wheat on May 1. 1920, the price
declined to s2.1s by September /
Yet the acreage was increased. The
producers price went on down to
s1-47 by March 1st and the resuIt
was cut of a million acres in the
spring wheat area. Last fall labor
was still scarce and high wages
were being asked. This turned toe
winter wheat farmer toward a
larger acreage of grain which he
could handle largely by machin-
cry.
The increase in acreage of wheat
also may be attributed to some err
tent to the decline in the prices Of
corn and hogs and the generaIIv
unsettled situation in the livestock
industry. When money is scarce
farmers are inclined to turn to cash
crops and those in which the initial
investment is largely in the form of
team and machine labor. He can
provide this labor at a lower cost
TINS year than for some tim. anJ
therehy be able to produce a cron
at profit even at the lower