The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-05-30
VANISHING WHEAT
HOPEFUL FACTOR IN
SURPLUS FOR FARMS
Prices Two Points Lower on
April IS, but Tendency to
Rise Is Indicated
FLAX FUTURE LOOKS GOOD
With Cattle Selling Above Last
Years Quotations, Further
Advances Not Expected

The general business situation con-
tinues to be dominated by the IN
usual higher rate Of activity in the
iron. steel and automobile industries
and continued high rate Of textile
production, says the North Dakota
farm outlook issued by Mr.. Fuller Of
the Agricultural College. Building
construction in April was about equal
to last years level. Distribution OF
goods by railroads expanded.
The general level OF prices received
by farmers in the United States was
about two points lower April Il than
. year ago. In North Dakota prices
received by producers for crops de-
creased from ITO. April Is, to lO3. May
Is. and livestock prices decreased
from 168, April Is. to 165, May Is.
Wheat
There is now evidence of a ten
dency for wheat prices to rise but
heavy marketings Of new wheat and
favorable crop reports may again
temporarily deprcss prices. Reports
of prospects for the Canadian crop
will be an important factor in de-
termining the course Of prices through
the next few weeks.
The recent drop in price appears
to have been due to concern over the
prospects of ending the season with
an increased carry-over and harvest
Ing another good crop of wheat in
1929. Present prospects are for a
fairly good crop Of winter wheat in
the United States but the outturn of
the worlds crop Is still very unccr-
tain.
The tendency for world consump-
ton to increase should not be over
looked. With ar increase in supply
Of ESQ., O0. 900 bushels at the Begin
ming Of the year. the disappearance
Of wheat to date appears to be some
thing owe 100. 900 900 bushels in ex-
cess Of the disappearance in the COR
responding period of last season.
The acreage of winter wheat aban-
dOned to May / is estimated at 6.4
per cent of the AZ. 225 900 acres sown
last fall. This abandonment is less
than half of the average abandon
ment to May l during the last five
years. The acreage of winter wheat
remaining for harvest is the largest
since 1922.
In view Of the present prospects,
farmers who have lands suitable for
producing flax r justified in in
creasing their acreage of flax this
year. The short crop of flax in the
United States in 1923 has resulted in
reduced stocks and increased imports.
Stocks on hand are from 5000, 900 to
10000 900 bushels less than last year
and shipments from Argentina to the
United States have been considerably
greater this year. More linseed oil
moved into consuming channels dur
Ing the quarter ended December,
1928. than for any preceding fall
quarter for which data are available.
Flaxseed prices in North Dakota
declined somewhat from the level
reached the first week in May, but
since May 8 there has been a mater
1al increase in the price of flaxseed,
no doubt due to President Hoover's
proclamation increasing the tariff on
flax from 40 cents to S. cents q
bushel. May Is the estimated aver
age price received by producers in
North Dakota for flax was approxi-
mately $2.16 per bushel.
Potatoes
From present production prospects
the carly potato crop in ten of the
early producing states may be con
siderably light. A decline in price
Of old crop potatoes set in during
the latter part Of March and first
part Of April. but after the middle OF
the month prices advanced consid-
erably. probably due to restricted
market supplies.
Beef Cattle
With the present level of beef cat
tie prices considerably above last
year it hardly seems probable that
any further large advance will take
place before July !. o is there rea-
ION to expect any decline from pres
ent levels.
Cattle supplies during May and
June are expected to be about as large
IS during these months last year. The
number Of cattle on feed in II corr
belt states April ! was one per cent
less than last year. Total cattle re-
cetpts 1T seven leading markets were
nix per cent larger In April than q
year ago and inspected slaughter was
also six per cent larger. On May l,