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Show I GOVERNMENT CROP REPORT.. A summary of the March crop report re-port for the State of Utah and for the United States, as compiled by the Bureau of Crop Estimates (and transmitted through the weather bureau), bu-reau), U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricul-ture, is as follows: Wheat on Farms Utah Estimated stocks on farms March 1 this year, 1,300,000 bushels, bush-els, compared with 1,892,000 a year ago and 1,G73,000 two years ago. Price on March 1 to producers, $1.-49 $1.-49 per bushel, compared with $.90 a year ago and $J.21 two years ago. United States Estimated stocks on farms March 1, this year 101,-000,000 101,-000,000 bushels, compared with 244,448,000 bushels a year ago and 152,903,000 two years ago. Price on March 1 to producers, $1.64 per bushel, compared with $1.03 a year ago and $1.34 two years ago. Corn on Farms Utah Estimated stocks on farms March 1, this year, 34,000 bushels, compared with 66,000 a year ago and 63,000 two years ago. Price March 1 to producers $1.17 iper bushel, compared with 84 cents a year ago and two years ago. United States Estimated stocks on farms March 1, this year, 789,-000,000 789,-000,000 bushels, compared with 1,-116,559,000 1,-116,559,000 a year ago and 910,-894,000 910,-894,000 two years ago. Price on March 1 to producers, $1.01 per bushel compared with 68.2 cents a year- ago and 75.1 cents two years ago. Corn of Merchantable Quality Utah The percentage of the 1916 crop which was one of merchantable quality is estimated at 75 per cent compared with 78 per cent of the 1915 crop and 78 per cent of the 1914 crop. United States The percentage of the 1916 crop which was of merchantable mer-chantable quality is estimated at 84 per cent, compared with 71.1 per cent of the 1915 crop and 84.5 per cent of the 1914 crop. Oats on Farms Utah Estimated stocks on farms March 1, this year 1,120,000 bushels bush-els compared with 1,316,000 a year ago and 1,758,000 two years ago. Price March 1 to producers, 68 cents per bushel, compared with 52 cents a year ago and 50 cents two years ago. United States Estimated stocks on Farms March 1,' this year 394,-000,000 394,-000,000 bushels, compared with 598,148,000 a year ago and 379 -369,000 two years ago. . Price on March 1 to producers, 56.9 cents per bushel, compared with 42.7 cents a year ago and 52.1 cents two years ago. Crop Summary Stocks of grain on farms in Utah on March 1st have been reduced to the lowest point in several years. Unprecedented prices for wheat, the keen competition of buyers for foreign for-eign markets, and the need for ready cash on the part of the farmers have all been contributory factors depleting deplet-ing the wheat supply. The long cold winter and the high prices for hay and forage have made necessary an unusual grain ration for live stock and used up the reserve of corn, oats and barley. Owing to the heavy eastern demand for the high grade western wheat to take the place of northern spring wheat which was almost a failure due to rust, shipments of wheat out of the state have been extraordinarily large. The length and severity of the winter coupled with the shortage short-age of rough feed has worked ravages rav-ages on the live stock in many localities. lo-calities. Losses of sheep from ex-, posure and lack of feed are reported report-ed quite heavy in some parts of Tooele county. High prices for wool and lambs Induced many sheep men to risk old and unfit ewes on the winter range and losses among this class of stock have been the greatest. The earliness of the snowfall snow-fall caught a considerable acreage of beets still unharvested and the continuation of cold weather and snow made it Impossible to salvage any material portion of them. The beets left in the ground all winter will not be fit for sugar making but ought to furnish fairly good stock feed if harvested at the earliest possible pos-sible moment. It is yet too early to say anything definite concerning the condition of winter wheat, but the heavy covering of snow during the winter will surely not prove harmful. 'EDWARD C. PAXTON, Field Agent for Utah. Weather Summary The mean temperature for December, Decem-ber, 1916, was 23.2, which is 4.1 below normal; January, 1917, 15.3 which is 10.8 below and February 25.7 which is 3.9 below. The past winter was the coldest winter as far as recordB show since 1892 but many report that is was the coldest on the average for over 50 years. The min. imum temperatures were not as a rule lower than those previously recorded, re-corded, but the cold weather persisted per-sisted for longer periods. The snowfall snow-fall was also heavy. The early cold weather damaged some fall grain, but most of it was snow covered and wintered well. Stock losses were severe se-vere in places due to heavy snows on the ranges and lack of feed. The snow In the valleys at the end of February had disappeared, and the farmers In many parts of the state were planning to plow early In the month of March. At the higher stations, between 5,000 and 6,000 feet, the snow was a foot or more in depth at the end of February, and in the mountains It was very deep. ! As the snow melted In the valleys ! most of it was absorbed and abundant abund-ant soil moisture was reported. Al-i Al-i most every correspondent reported j that the prospects were very good ! for next season's supply of Irrigating 1 ! water. I ALFRED II . THIESSEN. , Meteorologist |