The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-04-10
Raising Pop Corn
May Be Overdone
AS a Result of Attractive
Prices Interest Is Gain
ing Momentum.

prepared by the United States Department.
of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Service.
Indications now point to the posi-
bility that pop corn growing may be
overdone in 1881, say specialists of the
United States Department Of Agricul-
ture. Pop corn prices, they point out,
are very sensitive to supply. and price
depressions due to overproduct1on
have occurred in the past. After
few years of fairly normal produc-
ton, If short crop occurs as the re-
suit of unfavOrable weather or other
causes, the price rises to figure at
tractive to growers. Immediately many
new producers appear who flood the
market with disastrous effects to the
old growers as well as to themselves.
Relatively high current prices for
pop corn and low prices for field corn
have combined to make pop corn ap-
pear desirable crop. says special
lists of the bureau of plant industry.
Judging from current correspondence,
they say, many old growers are ex-
panding their acreage and others, at
tracted by stories Of their neighbors'
profits, are planning to substitute pop
corn for part of their field corn acre
age.
Interest Gains Momentum.
The present interest in pop corn
has been gaining momentum for more
than a year as the result Of attrac-
tive prices. Ordinarily the unbalanced
situation would have corrected itself
before now, but the weather of 1880
coIspired to reduce the yields of pop
corn as we'll as of field corn and so
put off the day of price rectification.
Stocks of old pop corn were pretty
well cleaned up during the winter of
1929-30 and prices rose considerably.
In response to this stimulus, acreage
was expanded in 1890 but the effect
was offset by the unfavorable wealth
er. Prices of pop corn have declined
somewhat lately, partly at least in
sympathy with general price levels,
but they are still relatively high as
compared with field corn, the special
lists point out.
What is happening may be illus
say, which is the leading state in the
production Of commercial pop corn.
In 1890 Iowa increased her pop corn
acreage to nearly twice that of 1929
and nearly three times that Of 1927.
If, instead of the heat and drought Of
ha1
favorable for corn, enough pop corn
would have been produced to glut the
market, and overproduction such as
that of 1925 would have occurred.
Pop Corn Acreage.
The pop corn acreage of the United
States is only about one-tenth of 1
per cent of the total corn acreage,
the department workers comment. AL
though the commercial growing of
pop corn is concentrated in certain
districts to a considerable extent,
much of the best land in the heart
of the corn belt is suitable for grow
ing pop corn. 1t can be appreciated,
therefore, they say, that the acreage
of this crop can lastly be overexpand-
ed. The unusually high prices of
year ago, together with the relatively
high prices at present, as compared
to other grains, may easily lead to
the production of too much pop corn
in 1881 If the season is favorable. 1t
may be well for those who are plan
ming to increase uncontrolled acreage,
and especially for those planning to
grow pop corn for the first time, to
consider the situation carefully before
plunging too deeply, the bureau warns.