38 BULLETIN 558, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



VARIATION IN CROP YIELDS. 



In some localities, owing to climatic conditions or to the whims of 

 growers, a large variation in the volume of grain marketed is shown 

 from year to year. Sometimes a community producing enough grain 

 to insure exceptional business one year will yield almost nothing the 

 succeeding 12 months. The quality of the crop at harvest sometimes 

 is so inferior that it is impossible for the dealers to market it with a 

 certain profit. Some sections market practically their entire crop 

 immediately after harvest, the balance of the year being spent in 

 unprofitable leisure. In view of all these circumstances, when seek- 

 ing a location, a dealer should be certain that there will be a sufficient 

 volume of continuous business. He must weigh the possibility of 

 keeping the house open part of the time or combining with his busi- 

 ness some desirable side line. 



INADEQUATE CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT OF ELEVATORS. 



Many of the older country elevators and even some new houses are 

 inefficient and poorly constructed. The loss through the use of im- 

 properly constructed cleaning machinery and inaccurate scales has 

 been shown. Another handicap under which many elevators labor 

 is the lack of sufficient wagon dumps, elevators, and bins to keep 

 separate the various grades, which would expedite the handling of 

 the grain. The power equipment should be considered carefully. 

 Where it becomes necessary to have steam for drying, it probably 

 is desirable to operate a steam plant, but otherwise the cost usually 

 can be reduced by the use of an internal-combustion engine. At some 

 places electric power can be had at a minimum cost. 



UNCERTAINTY OF GRADES. 



At the present time uniform grades have not been established for 

 all grains, and for those that are not the dealer must be acquainted 

 with the grades of each market which is accessible to him in order 

 to place a certain lot of grain to the best advantage. Sometimes 

 the quality of grain deteriorates in transit. It may become sour, 

 musty, or heated from being confined in a practically air-tight car, 

 it may be delayed in transit, or, after arrival at destination, some 

 time may elapse before it reaches the unloading elevator. Possibly 

 a month after the shipment of the grain the buyer finds it out of 

 condition. Dealers are compelled to suffer the losses arising from 

 this source, although when the delay in transit is excessive it is pos- 

 sible usually to recover from the railroad. Many of the exchanges 

 have deemed it unjust to fix the responsibility for unloading delays 

 arbitrarily upon the dealer, and have adopted regulations requiring 

 buyers to call for reinspection within 24 to 48 hours after the arrival 

 of the grain or to bear any ensuing loss. 



