Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 306, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1911 — COSTS LESS THAN 55 CENTS A BUSHEL TO RAISE WHEAT IN CANADA. [ARTICLE]

COSTS LESS THAN 55 CENTS A BUSHEL TO RAISE WHEAT IN CANADA.

A FREQUENT QUESTION ANSWERED. Western Canada probably suffered less from weather conditions during the year of 1911 than did almost any other portion of the country. Seeding was most successful and the growing conditions up to July wel-e never better. Crops of all, kinds showed wonderful growth at that time and were universally. good, but there was not the usually excellent ripening weather in August and the effects' of this were felt. Many fields that late in July promised 40 and 6p bushels yield of wheat were reduced to 25 and 30 bushels, while some of course gave the full expectancy and others somewhat less. The quality was alss lowered. In face of these conditions, it is found that during the months of September and October, the total amount of contract wheat marketed and inspected was about 20 million bushels, which realized a total of 18% million dollars, the average price for this wheat being 97% cents; that below contract for the two months was a little over 15 million bushels, which at an. average price of 89% cents per bushel realized a little over eleven million dollars, or a grand total for all wheat of 35 million bushels, which realized a total of a little over thirty-one million dollars. .On the first of November, there was in the hands of the farmers of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta for sale and seed about 130 million bushels of wheat, from which fact some idea may be had of the value of the wheat crop of 1911. A careful canvass made by the Winnipeg Free Press made of a number of men farming in a large way indicates that even with the extreme expose of, harvesting the crop, which has been caused by the bad weather and difficulty in threshing, wheat has been produced and put on the market for less 'than 55 cts. a bushel. The average freight rate is not over \3 cts. per bushel. This would make the cost of production and freight 68 cts. and would leave the farmer an actual margin on his low-grade wheat of 17% cts. and for his high-grade wheat of 19% cts.; and though this' is not as large a profit as the farmer has every right to Expect, it Is a profit not to be despised, and which should leave a very fair amount of money to his credit when all the expenses of the year have been paid, unless the value of low-grade wheat sinks very much below its present level.