Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-23
FIGURING ON THE CORN CROP.

Bureau Federation contains a long and interesting
article on the corn crop, the purpose being to OBJ
tain expressions of opinion from farmers generally
as$to the ACCESSIBILITY of increasing the corn acreage
next year. 1t is pointed out that there was on
hand in the United States on November 1st of this
year, ignoring stocks in country nihs and elevators,
4 total of 3,452. 600. 600 bushels of corn. This, the
article says, is 370,0 900, 900 bushels more than were
ever consumed and exported within a single year
in Our previous history. Tables on corn consump-
ton year by year for over 20 years are given, and
it appears that the consumption in the year 1920-21
was 3,0S2, 000. 600 bushels. This is the largest con-
sumption on record. The question is whether, in
view of the large stock on hand, very much more
than our past consumption in any single year, in
crease in the corn acreage and presumably in the.
gross crop is desirable.
In one feature of the article there appears to
be a fallacy. 1t is pointed out that for several years
passed there has been a decrease in the number of
domestic animals on the farms. and as 85 per cent
of the corn grown in the United States is fed on
the farms the conclusion is reached that there will
be a smaller demand for corn than formerly. This
may be true, but It is not necessarily true.9 One
reason for the decrease in the live stock holdings OF
the country has been the excessive cost of feed.
Corn could not be fed to growing stock at the pre-
vailing prices of corn and stock without a loss. The
price OF corn advanced to a higher level than the
price Of live stock except possibly for very short
periods, and it was the high price of corn and other
feed as much as anything else which discouraged
the raising of live stock. More corn is fed to hogs
than to all other animals combined, and the bust
ness Of hog raising is one which can be varied more
quickly and more easily than the raising of any
other class of live stock. Other animals increase
slowly and mature slowly. Hogs increase rapidly
and mature in s or 8 months, SO that it is entirely
possible for the farmer with a large stock Of corn
on hand and the nucleus of a large hog herd to be-
gin breeding about the end of his corn growing
season and have his young animals ready to begin
consuming the corn almost as soon as the corn is
ready for them. The low price of corn will naturally
tend to increase the number of hogs, and thereby
should increase the consumption of corn. Whether
we may expect the former high figures on stock
production to be reached or not is another question,
but the tendency referred to undoubtedly exists.
1t is interesting to note the proportions of corn
consumed. by the various kind of animals. Eighty
FIVE per cent of the crop is fed to animals, and of
this portion, SOB per cent is fed to hogs; 24.5 per
cent to horses 1879 per cent to cattle; I per cent to
sheep; and 81 per cent to poultry. 1t appears,
therefore, that the poultry of the country consumes
j times as much corn as do the sheep Of the coun-
try, and when we get into totals, on the basis of
these hgures we find that the chickens, turkeys and
other poultry Of the country eat up each year over
12O,OOO,O0O bushels of corn. This seems like a large
consumption tor Our domestic birds. but the figures
are there and presumably they are correct.
The question of corn acreage as discussed in
the Bureau news letter is of particular interest to
the people in the distinctive1v corn raising states
such as Iowa, Illinois, and other states in that belt.
North Dakota is not greatly interested from the
7dmS o'o'iuPoint. LIS GOTH PFouucuOn OF this state
IS growing each year, and corn is becoming one of
the very important products of North Dakota. But
it will be some years before corn is produced on a.
large scale in this state for shipping purposes. Most
OF it will be fed. and the corn crop will be used as
one number in the regular rotation, and for the pur-
pose of cleaning or otherwise preparing the soil for
another crop. The marketability of the corn crop
therefore is of relatively minor interest in this state,
but in all probability the corn crop Of North Dakota
could be increased very largely regardless Of the
price OF corn to the lasting benefit of the North Da-
kota farmers.