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Show WHEAT PROSPECTS For some time there have been accumulating evidences that there would be a perceptible shortage in the amount of wheat raised this year by the entire world. It has been estimated that in normal 1 ' times, especially before the war, ,the world's normal consumption reached three and a half billion bushels a year. The estimate of this year's yield is now reduced, according to latest statistics, to 3,012,-293,000 3,012,-293,000 bushels. The hold-over supplies to date bring this amount to 3,192,037,000 bushels. This means a shortage of more than 300,000,000 bushels for the world as a whole. These figures may be reduced even more when later returns come in. One of the most serious reports is the destruction by pests of wheat in certain parts of Russia where it is estimated fully one half of the wheat crop has been lost. The movement of these pests has usually been westward and though they have been confined mostly to Russia this season they may become general throughout Europe next year. What is surprising in these tables is the large decrease over former estimates in France, Spain, Italy, England, Hungaria and other European countries. The grain situation is sufficiently serious at this time to warrant the farmers in adopting a conservative attitude in disposing of their grain. Deseret News. |