-5- 

 farmers a price of ^2 a bushel on May 3I for seed beans of approved 

 varieties with a germination test of at least ^5 per cent. This was 

 done in order to encourage the withholding of beans from processing in 

 sufficient quantities to take care of the seed requirement for the 

 19^2 goals. In the meantime, of course, some beans that do not qualify 

 because of poor germination will be marketed. 



Looking ahead into the new crop year, Illinois farmers have 

 Indicated intentions to plant soybeans in sufficient quantities to reach 

 the goal. Some question has arisen as to v/here the acreage is to come 

 from in order to reach the soybean goal and at the same time plant an 

 acreage of corn equal to, or exceeding, last year's acreage. Of course 

 last year's corn acreage exceeded the 19^-2 goal, but there seems to be 

 no particular inducement for any reduction of corn acreage in Illinois 

 this year. The fact that faj?mers intend to plant all the beans called 

 for would indicate that ceilings on soybean oil will probably not be 

 raised above present levels. 



Hogs . Hog prices reached the highest level this week since 

 August, 1937« Traders indicated that this rise in prices reflected 

 reduced receipts during the past week, government buying of pork 

 products, the price control law rJid a firm dressed market. The rise in 

 the ceiling price on lard is a stimulating factor. Prices for hogs 

 Monday and Tuesday were $12.50 a hundredweight cjid continued to a now 

 top of ^fl2.^5 Thursday. This is the time of yea.r v/hen hog receipts 

 usually decline and the price increases. The seasonal increase in prices 

 from January to February usually amounts to about 5 per cent, with 

 ^L another 5 ?e^ cent increase from February to M?j?ch. April prices are 

 usually slightly lower than Ma^rch, and hog prices continue to decline 

 until a secondary low is reached in June. They rise to a final peak in 

 August and decline to the low point of the year in December. Roy F. 



