Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 217, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1916 — U. S. WHEAT CROP UNDER HOME NEED [ARTICLE]

U. S. WHEAT CROP UNDER HOME NEED

Government Estimates Show a Big Slump In Present Cereal Prospects. Washington, , Sept. B.—Heavy damage to the country’s cereal crops during August caused a loss of many millions of bushels in prospective production, cutting down the outlook for wheat to below the amount required for home consumption. The department of agriculture’s monthly fojecast, issued today, estimates the wheat crop at 611,000,000 bushels, or 9,000,000 bushels less than is calculated to be necessary for domestic use. A carry-over of approximately 160,000,000 bushels of old wheat from last year’s recordbreaking crop, however, will make up the deficiency and leave something like 100,000,000 bushels available to supply the heavy demands of foreign nations for American wheat. Spring wheat, parched by hot and dry weather, showed a loss of 43,000,000 bushesl since the August forecast of production, while com estimates were 67,000,000 bushels smaller than forecasts a month ago. A preliminary estimate of the winter wheat crop places the production at 455,000,000 bushels and that of spring wheat at 156,000,000. The prospective spring wheat crop is the smallest in 22 years and 200,000,000 bushels less than harvested last year. The combined winter and spring f wheat crop is the smallest since 1900 and rthe acre yield the lowest in 23 years. The heavy loss in prospective production of com was due to drought. The total crop is forecast at 2,710,000,000 bushels, which is 22,000/100 bushels smaller thart the average of the last five years. An unusually-short output of white potatoes for winter supply is forecasted. Production of 318,000,000 bushels is indicated. That is 6,000,000 bushels less than forecasted a month ago, and the smallest crop since 1911. Oats losses from the production estimate made a month ago are 43,000,000.