Evening star., 1923-12-20
CANADIAN GRAIN
BIG WORLD FACTOR
Enormous Shipments Change
Price leveIS-FIour Drops
in Northwest.
BY j. c. RONLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star
NEW YORK, December 20.-The
amount of wheat moved from the
canadian head of the lakes prior to
the close of navigation this week has
mad a softening effect on the technical
position of that grain, so far as world
trade is concerned and "A correspond
ing effect on the export markets for
the United States product. The
Canadian crop exceeded 10000, 900
bushels and from September l to the
closing of the Sault Ste. Marie locks
the amount shipped into aud ont of
Fort Williams and Port Arthur broke
all former records.
The enormous total Of 23l, ,053, ,799
bushels of grain were moved by two
Canadian railroads from the prairie
provinces to Fort Williams and Port
Arthur in that period, an increase of
~ i9;76S over shipments of last year.
ne shipments by rail and water out
or those centers to the east and to
Europe totaled 3l2266.474 bushels.
World Grain Supplies.
Not all these receipts and ship
ments were wheat. OF the former,
wheat represented 1914 4.2640S1 bushels,
and of the latter 1S0.406 bush els.
In addition to this terrific Canadian
output the South American farms
give indication of far greater pro-
duction than forecast 10y early estl-
mates. Russia is shipping between
20.000.oO0 and 30,O00.000 bushels that
was entirely unexpected. Europe has
a crop 200,000.000 bushels greater
than last year. As the price of Amer
ican wheat is well above that of
Canadian wheat and of the world
level as whole exports have been
moving slowly.
They have been moving at less than
half the rate established last year,
but since July l have totaled over
$4,000, 600 bushels, or about what was
carried over from the 1922 crop. In
spite of these facts, however, grain
men predict that the situation of the
American grower is sure TO snow a
decided Improvement next spring.
They estimate that OF the 1928
crop well over 600,0OO,000 bushels
will be required for domestic con-
sumption and seed. The latest gov
ernment figures showing 4O,191.000
acres sown to spring wheat were
higher than some anticipated. as the
area is 19.1 per cent above average
and shows a reduction OF only 1875
per cent from last year. This added
consumption for seed and food grain,
experts state, will leave no eXtraor-
binary volume of surplus for further
exports, and the annual carryover
market.
Much Wheat Being Fed.
The high price of corn and the low
price of hogs they insist, is divert
ing a large volume of wheat TO feed
ing purposes This tendency has
been furthered by the fact that so
large percentage of this years
crop was of low grade, suitable for
stock food. This view is upheld by
the Department of Agriculture, which
says that substantial amounts of
low grade wheat are being purchased
by feeders in preference to corn"
Some authorities place the amount
of wheat used for stock food at
100000 900 bushels.
A price wall Of 80 cents busheI
above the market quotations has been
erected by the tariff against a flood
of foreign wheat into this country,
and shipments from outside would not
be attracted unless the American
price rose to such point that this
differential would be overtopped.
Flour Prices Slashed.
Flour took a slide in the Pacific
northwest today when Seattle and
Portland miIIers slashed the wholesale
price to $40 a barrel for the best fam
iIv patent flour This marks a reduc-
tion of 40 cents a barrel for the grade
in question within the last three
months, and compares with price OF
IS a barrel delivered. at this time last
year. The selling price today is about
half that of 1920.
The Improvement which was noted
in the Kansas hard wheat flour market
a fortnight ago has not continued.
Nearly all millers III that section report
a. dull condition of trade. They say
bakers never buy on large scale at
this time of year, desiring to keep low
for inventories