.4 BULLETIN 594, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
The wheat movement eastward attains much larger proportions. 
The surplus swells to tremendous volume, progressing through the 
trans-Mississippi wheat belt. This surplus, in the form either of 
wheat or of wheat flour, supplements deficient production to the east 
and south, and comprises the bulk of the export wheat. Here again 
prices augment in the direction of the wheat flow, increasing slowly 
eastward, much more rapidly and irregularly southward, in which 
direction the wheat movement is of less volume. The highest farm 
prices of wheat are reached in the southeast. 
WHEAT VERSUS CORN AND OATS— PRICE ZONES COMPARED. 
Corn — Area of minimum farm price in adjoining sections of Iowa. Nebraska, 
South Dakota, and Minnesota. 
Oats — Area of minimum farm price immediately north of that of corn. 
Comparison of the farm price zones of wheat with those of com and 
oats discloses suggestive differences. The production of corn and 
oats is much greater, yet a smaller percentage enters into the com- 
mercial movement, the major part being retained on the farms. 
Population requirements do not directly dominate price progres- 
sions of com and oats as they do those of wheat. 
The region of lowest corn price is seen in the adjoining sections of 
Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota. From this area 
prices increase in every direction at a much more rapid rate than in 
the case of wheat and with much greater local variation. Within 
most States a consistent variation of at least 20 cents per bushel 
obtains in corn prices. From the region where corn is cheapest 
prices augment in the direction of the lowest wheat prices; that is, 
westward and northward, as well as to the other points of the com- 
pass, with highest corn prices in the southeast and southwest. 
Although more widely diffused, oats are somewhat similar to wheat 
in being a northern crop. The lowest price areas, directly north of 
those of corn, are in western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota; 
from this area prices increase in every direction. The price, accretions 
of oats are more notable toward the south, rather than east or west ; 
and price differences are less marked, region by region. 
PRINCIPAL CAUSES UNDERLYING PRICE DIFFERENCES. 
Connection between wheat prices and movement of wheat from sparsely popu- 
lated surplus areas to those of deficient production. 
Population, wheat production, requirements, surplus or deficiency, wheat 
mi lled ; general review. 
Analysis of elements in distributive movement; by States and divisions. 
In the price graduations of wheat the basic consideration appears 
in that, whereas wheat is destined for human consumption, wheat 
growing has been steadily relegated to the less densely populated 
