Evening star., 1926-06-04
US. CROP OUTLOOK
STILL UNCERTAIN
Hogs in Strong Market Posi-.
ton, Federal Report for
May DiscIoses.
~ the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The outlook for the principal crops
is still uncertain, due to the backward
season, the Agriculture Department
said today in its June report on farm
conditions, but It sees prospects for
IAN exceedingly strong market posi-
tion for hogs for. the next f1ve
months"
with regard to price relationships,
the department said that among the
important crops potatoes alone con
tinued In spectacular position during
April"
"Other cash crops" 1t went on.
STOOD at prices which put them not
far from a parity Of exchange per
unit. The feed crops sell at serious
disa dvantage. Among the live stock
products. wool. butter and hogs con-
tinue in fairly good exchange posi-
tion, while cattle and eggs are neiow
par, but improving. The general inoeA
Of purchasing power Of farm products.
in terms of on.agricultural commodi.
ties, rose one point to SO during April.
Wheat Crop Advanced.
Wheat harvest will be under way
within the month In the Southwest
ana in the Pacific Northwest. said the
report, the crop being unusually ad-
vanced in the latter territory
Forecasts based upon conditions
last month" 1t continued. Suggest
Winter wheat crop this year OF b49 :
900 900 bushels, or about 1bo,0oo.ooo
Ia trNtNQ n a6
increase is in hard Winter wheat.
Notwtthstan nding that reserves will be
low when the new crop comes to mar
ket, such increase in our crop over
last wear would seem likely to put our
wheat prices on substantially an ex-
port basis.
."The hog market last month reach
ed the highest point in six years. The
price advance was the greatest dur
ing any May in 25 years. except for
certain wartime imitation years. With
the supply of hogs In sight TOR
slaughter no greater than last year.
with pork products In storage q per
cent. or equivalent to 1900 900 hogs
less than last year. hogs are in ex-
ceedinsly strong market position for
the next Ave months. The hog-corn
price ratio is near the highest on
record. It is distinctly time now for
hog producers to hear in mind the
violent downswing in prices that has
been caused. in times past. by over
expansion under similar price re,a-
tionships."
Cotton Stocks Heavy.
A survey Of storage stocks Of agri-
cultural products has disclosed that
wheat reserves are moderate and
that cotton stocks are probably the
hea West since 1921. Butter stocks In
cold storage May ! were four times
last years quantity. but eggs were
l 900 900 cases less than last year.
Although little lost time has been
made up. the season is still late. ex-
cent on the Pacific Coast. The work
Of getting in the crops has gone for
ward under irritating and expensive
ltandicaps. Dry weather is still
serious matter in the Southeast, In
the Northern wheat belt, and In
parts of the Northwest. while 1t has
been unduly wet in the Southwest.
Meadows and farm pastures are
generally backward, the average con-
dition last month having been rated
as the poorest in many years. Corn
and cotton are both finally In the
ground, the former coming up tn
fairly good stands through the Cen
trail States. but cotton looking de-
cidedly spotted. A late Spring, how
ever. the report pointed out. does not
necessarily mean an ,lnproductive
season.