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Show PAGE EIGHT December 15, 1926. Associated Beehive Seed Growers of the Uintah Basin. This year of 1926 will soon, be in the past and the year 1927 some of the big upon us. It is fitting at such a time to run over features of the year 1926 so far as our business of Alfalfa Seed is concerned. The year 1926 began with Alfalfa Seed prices quite low and to all appearances they would have stayed that way except for the fact that the staining law was passed practically excluding a lot of foreign seed. For the actual passage of the law, Senator Basin Gooding of Idaho, Senator Smoot of Utah, and our Uintah Congressman, Mr. Don B. Colton deserve a lot of thanks along with the U. S. Department of Agriculture. As a seed company whose interests axe wrapped up with our Utah Seed Growers of Millard county and the Uintah Basin, we have worked with these gentlemen for this legislation for years and we know that the actual passage of the law came almost as a account of opposition from surprise. It seemed almost hopeless on Eastern States whose fanners feared that the cost of seed would be increased and whose Seed Merchants were accustomed to handalfalfa. ling large volumes of imported red clover and Naturally, the passage of the staining law g?ve quite a boom to Alfalfa Seed prices. Too much boom in fact because farmers did not care to buy enough seed at the prices asked to clean up the enormous crop produced in 1925. Consequently the end of the planting season came to find a big percentage of the 1925 Alfalfa. Seed still in dealers s hands. So far as that is concerned it was still on hand when the new crop began to move this fall. So far as the size of our 1926 crop in the basin is concerned the season has been unfortunate for the majority of us. Whole districts have failed entirely where they usually have a number of good crops. Some crops have made striking yields. Some farmers who tried second crop seed have had very poor yields. Several second cutting crops have done fine. It seems that the failure can best be laid to the exceptionally hot, dry, windy summer. Failure is really a little too strong a word for the Uintah THE FACTS OF THE CASE ABE THAT THE CHOP IS A GREAT DEAL LARGER THAN IT WAS EXPECTED TO BE. Latest figures indicate at least a third more than the Government estimate. Basin crop. In spite of this very little good seed has been sold for less than $15.00 per cwt. The present market on our boards is: N N0. 3. NO. 1 $15.00- - -- NO. 2 $13.50- - -- NO. Extra No. 1, 5 4 $11.25 $ 8.25 districts which 3. The fact not ordinarily produce that the Adminintration of the . ' Staining Law has not been definitely settled upon and that its effect on marketing seed is yet to be seen. We have gone into the first two points in previous articles but some illustrations on the third will not be amiss. Canada has been producing Alfalfa Seed for export to the United States for some years now. The aim of the staining law is to warn purchasers against unadapted seed. The quality and hardiness of Canadian Alfalfa is unquestioned. Consequently, it is given a green stain to distinguish it and is not discriminated against by buyers in fact farmers want Canadian alfalfa. Argentina has, according to the U. S. Government figures, about 35,000,000 pounds of alfalfa seed this year. A hearing was held and testimony was taken some weeks ago to determine how Argentine seed should be stained. The U. S. Department of Agriculture and many State Experiment Stations and, some farmers organizations and some seed houses contend that it should take a red sain as being unsuited to conditions in the United States. The Eastern Seed houses and the Argentine Government agencies in this country contend that it should be given some distinguishing color (Just as Canadian seed has) that will leave it up to the purchasers to deside whether he wants to plant Argentine Alfalfa or not. So far as we know this question has not yet been settled. A few more weeks will see the end of the seed buying and season in the Uintah Basin for cleaning this winter. The question seed confronting the buyers and the farmers who still own their crops is rather complicated. If dealers have enough seed on hand to supply their customers trade is bound to be slow in the country. If they have not the demand will show itself in better prices. Whatever is done on Staining Argentine seed will also have some effect. Time only, will tell the story, and the actual time is approaching. it Holidays are almost here. Two more will be 1927. So, We desire to wish you a very Merry Christmas and we hope that the year 1927 will bring to all our friends and cooperators, in the Uintah Basin , Alfalfa Seed Industry, better crops, greater prosperity and more of the good things of life. 00CL Duchesne If Argentine seed is admitted with astain that merely indicates its Argentine origin, it will replace American grown seed to whatever extent it comes in and is sold. Thirty five million pounds would use up a lot of the market for Utah Alfalfa. weeks and At the same time the wholesale business in Alfalfa Seed has been quite slow this fall. Some of the reasons axe: do much seed. Now so much for that. Over No. 1. 1. The carryover of 1925 seed. 2. The increased production in several large Roosevelt XJerna |