Business: Corn and Wheat

Corn is regularly the biggest crop in the U. S. although wheat and cotton attain more prominence in the headlines through their political significance.

This year, corn prices have risen with the rest of the cereals; and the corn belt’s main worry has been as to the size of the current crop. Preliminary estimates as of Oct. 1 by the Department of Agriculture indicate a crop this year of 2,459,000,000 bu., compared with an actual crop of 3,046,387,000 bu. in 1923. Whether the higher price per bushel will compensate the corn-belt for its fewer bushels this year, remains a difficult problem.

On Oct. 1, the Department also estimates the spring wheat crop at 266,000,000 bu., and the winter crop at 855,000,000 bu., or a total of 1,509,000,000 bu., compared with 1,299,823,000 as an actual crop in 1923. Thus the wheat farmer will not only receive a higher price per bushel, but he will have this year a larger crop to sell. Thus his prosperity this year is beyond doubt.

The estimated corn crop this year is lower than the actual crop harvested in any year since 1914. The total wheat crop this year, as estimated, is fourth largest since 1914, being surpassed by 1,592,740,000 bu. in 1917, by 1,549,303,000 in 1915 and by 1,538,124,000 in 1918.