MAGIC OF THE MIXING-HOUSE 



Seed (\Yi bushels at $3) $ 4 . oO 



Disking 1.00 



Plowing 3 . 00 



Harrowing twice .70 



Drilling 1.00 



Twine 33 



Cutting and shocking 3 



Threshing 1 



Hauling 



Taxes 32 



Insurance .80 



Fertilizer 4.00 



Interest (8 per cent, on $50) 4 . 00 



$23 . 95 



This was presently shown to be too low for 

 the run of farms in the state. About that 

 time the government fixed the price of No. 1 

 Northern at $2.20/^ a bushel on the Minneapo- 

 lis market. The Commissioner of Agriculture 

 of North Dakota estimated $26. 5G an acre as 

 the average cost of producing wheat. In times 

 of drought or unfavorable weather, such as 

 North Dakota had in 1917 and 1915, ten bush- 

 els average to the acre would be a big yield. 

 On that basis the farmers were losing 40 cents 

 a bushel on the Minneapolis price for No. 1 

 Northern. But at the local elevator they never 

 received the Minneapolis price, because there 

 must be deducted freight charges, commissions, 

 and all the rest, and, under the grading system 

 that existed, if they raised No.l Northern they 

 could not hope to have it graded better than 



