UNITED STATES WHEAT CROP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1737, 14 July 1917, Page 4

UNITED STATES WHEAT CROP.

A wheat crop of 505,000,000 bushels, which is foreshadowed by (he United States Department of Agriculture for 1917, although 75,000,000 bushels ’below (lie yield for the immediately preceding season, would not be a low record. The smallest combined winter and spring harvest for the States was 552,400,000 bushels, garnered in 1903-04. The decline in production this year is nevertheless unfortunate, and with home consumption anything like normal, there would not be sufficient grain to meet the domestic demand, which is set down roughly at about 000,000,000 bushels. For a substantial diminution in that item, however, the conductors of the “economy campaign” are hopeful, and the resultant saving ought to leave something available for export overseas. The prospect of an improved spring yield has materialised, the production being stated at 283,000,000 bushels, as against 158,140,000 bushels for the preceding season. The total yield for 1915-10 was 040,000,000 bushels, and with farm stocks and visible supplies on hand the aggregate was reckoned at 704,500,000 bushels. There was thus about 104,500,000 bushels of a surplus. It seems more than probable that the supplies in North America will fully suffice for local requirements, and that by the practice of economy there may remain a moderate balance for shipment to the United Kingdom.