90 THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 



complete absence of rains during the late summer 

 season. Wheat stored in such manner must 

 necessarily be disposed of before the rains of 

 autumn begin, so the period of storage is brief. 

 If the owner expects to hold his crop for a longer 

 time, he places it in a warehouse. There are few 

 warehouses, however, because the practice is that 

 of selling immediately after harvest. 



The conditions just described are in rather 

 marked contrast to those in the smaller wheat 

 farm districts of Eastern states. There, local 

 storage both in bins and sacks is quite common. 

 This is due to the fact that the quantities grown 

 by each farmer are not large, and that he has 

 other crops which also help to furnish his income. 

 Marketing here is quite generally done with local 

 mills and bears a close relation to their demands. 

 These conditions tend to discourage early selling. 

 Other reasons why farmers favor holding wheat 

 are because it can be readily converted into cash 

 at any time, and because frequently the rise in 

 price, a few months after harvest, yields an in- 

 creased return to the producer. Where farmers 

 have other sources of income many defer selling 

 because of such possible increase. 



Storage in Granaries. In the Central states 

 local storage is very important. This is partic- 

 ularly true in the older, more densely settled por- 

 tions where good farm buildings prevail. There 



