Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-13
STATE BUYS CORN
Of INFERIOR GRADE
To THAT It RAISES
By RALPH SMITH

l.. ud CuILlNdL4OI "a SOL ~ AZ SCAA-
eral throughout the state. Unlike
other crops that are raised success
fully in particular localities, corn is
produced in quantity in practically
every county.
2. In acreage planted and in labor
expended in its cultivation. II not in
dollars and cents. the corn crop is
second only to that Of cotton.
3. The farmers themselves and
their ''home markets" are without
adequate facilities for handling
corn either as commodity OF
commerce or product for the
mills.
he size of the crop and its wide
spread production combine to en-
! phasize the Importance of the mar
keting problem respecting corn and
Its relation to the general pros
perity Of the state. Whatever loss
the farmers may sustain through
their inability to market their
corn obviously will be reflected in
the field of commerce and indus
try.
AS pointed out in the opening
announcement Of the better market
Ing campaign that has been inaugu-
rated by The Atlanta Journal and the
Country Bankers Association Of
Georgia, there has always been a
market In Georgia for corn, but un-
fortunately this market has been and
still is restricted to imported corn.
Georgia corn has never been handled
extensively in the Georgia market.
Heretofore, the bulk Of the Georgia
corn crop has been consumed at home
for fattening cattle and hogs and for
stock feed.
Better Than western Corn
Georgia corn admittedly Is as good,
Or better than western corn. 1t
makes better. sweeter meal, and
there Is none better as stock and
cattle feed. Relatively little here
tofore' has been ground in the big
mills Of the state, and in the larger
distributing points the grain dealers
and brokers have dealt sparingly in
Georgia grain.
A number Of things have operated
not to prejudice the mills and grain
dealers against home-raised corn, but
to make them purchase the imported
grain. It is far easier and more sat-
isfactory for an Atlanta grain nrer-
chant to purchase a carload of west
ern corn than it is for him to handle
the same quantity Of Georgia grain
The greatest difficulty, or obstacle
that has hindered and continues to
hinder the sale Of Georgia corn 1T
Georgia is the fact that there is no
point Of contact" between the grain
dealers and the grain producers. In
a word. there is no exchange where
the dealer may inspect at his will
samples of corn that may be offered
Cor sale in quantity,
The Atlanta Commercial Exchange
is now engaged in an effort to estap-
lish a point Of contact" Tor the
When sample tables are installed in
the exchange where the dealer may
inspect and classify grain that IS
offered for sale. step In the right
direction will have been taken. But
it still will be Incumbent upon the
producer, or his agent. to see that
fis samples are available at the ex-
change.
The creation of point OF con-
tact" is only one Of the steps lneces..
sary to the satisfactory solution OF
tors for storing the grain. once 1t Is
shipped into Atlanta or other concen,,
tration POINT, where 1t may be stored
and distributed as the demands re-
quire. A.
Ianta Commercial Exchange is work.
ing on a proposition for the erection
Of one or more immense grain eleva--
tors in Atlanta. on the theory tnat
climatic conditions in Atlanta are
more favorable for the preservation
Of grain that points further SCUM.
abu7 dance of elevator and storage
facilities in Atlanta OF elsewhere In
III not cure conditions en-
tirely. There are certain other thlnes
that must DE done. and It IS up u
the producer of the grain to do them.
indeed, the problem of marketing the
corn Of Georgia this year and sb-
seuuently, never will ho solved UNI
less the fncmer himself LENDS a hand
oven after his grain has been mar
vested. .
The farmer cannot expect mis- la
bors to end with fodder pulling 'and
corn cutting. He must shuck and
she'll his corn after 1t IS ut and
he must see that his grain Is fan
red, cleaned. graded and properly
sacked before he can expect to flnd
Dealers Contention
Grain dealers tell me that they
have fought shy Of Georgia corn in
days gone by because they had no
assurance that they would have de-
livered to them in quantity the class
ano or aracter Ct corr they hao agreed
to buy.
When a dealer buys white corn.
he expects to receive white corn. ana
rot a mixture of red, white and blue
corn.
Moreover, when a dealer buys corn
he expects to receive the corn in
standardized sacks, free Of shucks
dirt. dust and broken cobs. A deal
err hasn't the time, money nor facil-
tiles for regarding, cleaning and re-
sacking the corn he nuys. and II
the product he purchases doesn't
meet every standard requirement, he
is out Of luck when he resells the
corn to a customer. be It mill or feed
store.
The matter Of quantity is some
thing else that enters into The ques-
ton. There are literally thousands
CT farmers in Georgia today whose
corn cribs are bullying with I'M
lively few Of these men have enough
surplus corn of a given grade, or
even mixed grades, to make up a
car load. yet corn cannot be shipped
profitably or satisfactorily in less
than car load lots
Jones here, Smith there, and
Brown on the adjoining farm may
have few bushels Of surplus corn.
1t is futile for one Of then to seek
to sell this corn at a distance, be-
cause of the transportation problem.
But If Jones, Smith,, Brown and a
few others with surplus corn in their
cribs will shuck, shell and grade
car load shipment will re COMPARE
lively easy.
There have been erected at various
points In Georgia grain elevators