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Oata facts . A record crop of almost 1.6 billion bushels of better-than- 

 average- quality oats was harvested this year. Disappearance of oats for the third 

 quarter of 1914^5 was 10 percent laurger than last year but smaller than in the same 

 months of 19i-5. As a result of the excellent demand for feed, prices have remained 

 at about last year's high level and 60 percent above the recent 10-year average. 

 No. 5 white oats at Chicago averaged 67 cents a bushel on October compared with 68 

 cents a year ago, 8I cents in I9U3 and 1^2 cents for the 10-yeeu: October average. Dur- 

 ing the 10-year (l93l4-it3) period, the October average price of oats was 3 cents less 

 per hundred pounds than com. The recent advance in oats prices has placed oats at 

 some disadvantcLge coDgs>ared to com as a feedstuff > if com can be obtained. 



Poultry and eggs . In a special section of this letter. Professor Stice 

 discusses the outlook for egg prices. Egg prices have recently strengthened on the 

 basis of reports that the army would become more aggressive in its procurement of 

 top-grade eggs. The future of egg prices hinges very Istrgely on the demand from the 

 army euad for export. The stronger these forces, the longer will be the delay in the 

 anticipated decline in egg prices. 



Agricultural Statistician A. J. Surratt reporjbs that the commercial hatchery 

 output in Illinois during October was kk percent above the year earlier aiid exceeded 

 all records for October. However, prices for chickens and commercial broilers have 

 weaJcened recently, and many hatcheries have cut off their machines. Those still op- 

 erating had many more chicks on order November 1 than a year earlier. Hatchings dur- 

 ing the first 10 months of this year totaled I3I million chicks, 5^* percent above 19^ 

 and 12 percent above 19^3 for the same months. The output of chicks during October 

 for the United States was also the highest on record, ^3 percent above last year and 

 5 percent above the previous record in October 19^3 • 



Farm flocks laid more than 3 billion eggs in October, 5 percent less than 

 in October last year but ^3 percent above the 10-year ( 193^-^3) average for the month. 

 The number of layers in farm flocks during October was 5 percent less than October 

 last year but 22 percent above the 10-year October average. The number of layers on 

 hand during October in Illinois was I8.O million compared to l8.7 milllcm last ye€ir. ^ 

 Egg production per hen was about the same, and total egg production declined with the 

 decline in number of layers. For the United States there were 357 million layers on 

 hand this year compared with 376 million last year. 



More flaxseed in prospect from Argentina . U. S. domestic consumers can 

 count on about 15 million bushels of flaxseed from Argentina, according to the U, S. 

 Depeurtment of Agriculture. The new crop is about ready to harvest, and the yield is 

 good. Argentina will have available for export about i-7 million bushels. Under an 

 existing agreement between the United States and Argentina, all the exportable surplus 

 will be made available to the United States, from which this country will supply 

 needs of other nations, retaining Ip million bushels for our use. 



The National Orange farm platform . At their annual session at Kansas City 

 November 27, the National Grange adopted a ten-point postwar farm program. The basic 

 principles of the ten-point program Include recommendations for the conservation of 

 natural resources and for disccMitinuance of the subsidy system. They recommended that 

 farmers be allowed an equitable share of the national Income through modernized parity 

 and fair market prices. They asked for two price systems for exports and interna- 

 tional commodity agreements to assure femcoers a fair share of world markets at stable 



