Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-04-28
monthly-wase with board was from

n9n!hlysrase with board was from
The farmers condition is improv-
ing. Besides the decrease in the cost
of farm labor, cAsh rents are declin-
ing. In South DakOta, rents are half
way back to the 1914 figure. A decline;
is also evidenced In Minnesota. While
many farmers have been obliged to
mortgage their farms owing to- the
fact that returns for the 1920 crop
did not suffice to e their obliga-
lions, the outlook Is comparatively
promising. In North Dakota 10 per
cent OF the farms bear mortgages. ac-
cording to an expression Of opinion
recently given us by representative
bankers. In Minnesota and South Da-
Montana one-half,, OF the farms are
mortgaged. The same group of bank
ers, however, report that a very small
percentage Of the farmers are giving
up their farms. In order to avoid
losses because of the possibility Of
smaller cash returns. farms are be-
ing rented more largely now than be-
tore on a grain share basis. This year.
in Montana, South Dakota n North
Dakota. practically all of the farms
are rented in this way. In Minnesota.
feur-fifths Of the farms are rented
under this agreement, whereby the
renter gives a certain proportion Of
his product to the landlord, and only
one-ffth are rented on a cash basis.
Wheat Held on Farms.
1t is estimated by our office that
the farmers in Minnesota, North Da-
kota. South Dakota and Montana had
marketed by April 1 87.8 per cent of
the last wheat crop. According to this
estimate g. $hn vop.nirHo~ - <ho 1ock
crop on the farms totalled -17,473,777
Isl This estimate is arrived at by
combining the receipts at Minneapo-
lis and Duluth, and adding thereto as
per cent of the wheat consumed by
mills in other cities and by deduct
ing the exact amount Of Canadian
wheat imported into this district. 1t is
in the addition Of the Minneapolis and
Duluth receipts is offset by the omis-
sion of rs per cent of the wheat used
by outside mills. No estimate has been
made Of the carry-over from previous
cr0p years. ~,
Grain Movement. ~
The total of all grains received at
Minneapolis n Duluth during March
was nearly Is million bushels, which
is 5 per cent larger than the February
receipts and about Is per cent larger
HHNA NAS ASSSAPko AoA Il IL a col
age Wheat receipts in March totaled
about $500. 600 bushels which is 6 per
cent less than in February and about
1S per cent larger than a year ago.
March shipments were about IL per
cent larger than in February and
more than 81 per e larger than in
March a year ago.
the month of March totaled $685.
$50 bushels or 9 per cent more than
in February and about 10 per cent
more h a year ago. The total ship
ments of all grains were fully one
fourth larger in March than in Feb
ruary of this year, and also as COM
pared with March of a year ago.
Duluth receipts and shipments Of
grain were not as large as in February
but about SO per cent larger than in
March a year age.
Total stock of all grain in Mime
apolis terminals on April 2 and in
Duluth terminals on March 81 COM
bined. amounted to 26.572,24S BUSH
els. which is 2 per cent more than q
month age and 8 per cent more than
a year ago. AS compared with a
increase in the stocks of corn and a
substantial decrease in stocks OF
wheat. AS compared with a year ago,
there were extraordinary increases in
fax, corn, and oats: and a radical de-
cline in stocks of rye and barley.
Wheat stocks totaling 6,630,650 bush
els were II per cent less than a month
ago and about "a per cent less than
a year ago.
|. Live Stock.
March is the month of the greatest
spring movement OF stockers and
feeders toward the country districts
Shipments of feeders from South st
Pau1.in March were Sc per cent above
the shipments in February but the
, movement was ~ per cent below that
of March a year ago. The increase
was particularly marked in the case
of calves, the shipments Of which in
rMarch were 248 per cent larger than
in February and 20S per cent higher
than in March. 1920.
Cattle are in excellent condition
throughout the district. There is ar
abundance Of fodder. R~eceipts>of cat.
tie were rs per cent and of calves 81
per cent above receipts for February
but % per cent and II per cen re.
spectively below receipts in March 9
year ago. Shipments of cattle and
calves exhibited substantial i~ncreases
of 1913 per gent and PIP per cent a:
compared with February. Compared
with March a year ago. the shipment
Of cattle was 3 per cent Tower and o.
calves 1914 e cent higher. The move
ment of sheep during March wa.
slightly greater than that Of Fcbru'
airy. while compared with March
year ago. receipts were 234 per cen
moro and shipments 1923 per cen
more. The hog market, which is es
pecially sensitive, reflected the recen
labor trouble in the packing industry
Receipts of hogs at South st. Paul FOL
March were II per n below thu
February figure. Total receipts of al
live stock at South st. Paul, measured
by head of stock. were 2 per cen
greater in March than in Februar!
and 5 per cent greater than in Marcel
a year aEo. Shipments were rs pc,
cent greater in March than in Febru
AIRY and more than so per cent great
err than the shipments a year ago.
! Cumulative receipts fof the frs
three months Of 1921 were approx
mately the same as for the same. thre'
months in 1920. but shipments in
creased 22 per cent.
General Price Situation.
Prices during the month of Marcel
exhibited more decreases than ad
vances. mi the declines were large
than the increases. Grain and whole
sale produce were down while live
stock advanced.
The median prices for cash sales o
max. wheat, y and oats, decrease,
in Minneapolis in March as compares
with February while the median pric
es of barley and corn advanced. TIL
decreases in median prices were a
ADnER71SEMENT.