UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 594 ¥ 
Contribution from the Bureau of Crop Estimates a \ by 
LEON M. ESTABROOK, Chief 
Washington, D. C. Vv February 21, 1918 
GEOGRAPHY OF WHEAT PRICES. 
SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS AFFECTING FARM PRICES OF 
WHEAT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
By L. B. Zapoteon, 
Division of Crop Records. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. | Page 
Significance of regional price differences. .-. - 1 | Othermpricefactorssssesssee ase ee eae 19 
Survey of geography of wheat prices........- 3 | Summary: Price variations and attendant 
Wheat versus corn and oats—price zones le {CONGETONS F735 Joss oe Leese eh kee seas eee oe 19 
CORP Red weet: hc al es eke, 223 lee 4 | Farm prices correlated with costs of produc- 
Principal causes underlying price differences. 4 tion, by States and sections................ 20 
Sectional price ratios shifting. ........--.-..- 11 | Retrospective view, 1871 to 1915....._....... 24 
Detail farm price map and local conditions. - 13 | Trend of wheat production in relation to pop- 
Effect of markets on local farm price varia- ulation, by States and sections. ........... 32 
PIOUS eae ete = fsemee eto oe be ce ciceaeeaee 14 | Appendix: Average farm prices of wheat, by 
NGIPH RALeS see as sucesso cnn) Ses Seas ccese 16 CommbIes W191 OSI 914 eee ee eee ee 34 
SIGNIFICANCE OF REGIONAL PRICE DIFFERENCES. 
Extreme geographic differences prevail in prices paid to farmers. 
Farm prices increase or decrease in well-defined Gizecttons, varying with each 
item of production. 
Character of the data employed; counties the basis of measurement. 
The prices paid to farmers for a given product vary so greatly 
throughout the United States, and the variations are so closely inter- 
woven with changing economic conditions as to indicate a field of 
research of practical value and economic interest. That wide differ- 
ences should be found throughout the country in the prices of certain 
perishable farm products is to. be expected. But agricultural staples 
not perishable in character, and of general consumption, exhibit a like 
disparity; even when price differences due to grade or quality are 
relatively small, more than 100 per cent variation frequently obtains 
throughout producing regions of the United States. Neighboring 
counties often show distinct differences in price. 
9578°—18—Bull. 5941 
