University of California 
 College of Agriculture 
 Agricultural Extension Service 
 Berkeley, California 
 
 CALIFORNIA UTILIZATION OF LINSEED OIL AND GENERAL 
 ECONOMIC FACTS RELATING TO FLAXSEED 
 
 by 
 
 E. W. Braun 
 September, 1933 
 
 Contribution from the 
 Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics 
 Mimeographed Report No . 29 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 Page 
 
 Introduction 1 
 
 Volume of linseed oil utilized in California ... 1 
 
 World production of flaxseed ...... . . 1 
 
 United States production and net imports of flaxseed ..... 3 
 
 Flaxseed prices at principal markets and United States 
 
 import duties ................. 5 
 
 Volume of linseed oil crushed in the United States 8 
 
 Relation of flaxseed prices to linseed oil prices and 
 
 linseed meal prices ...... . 8 
 
List of Tables and Charts 
 
 Page 
 
 Table 1. Volume of linseed oil utilized in California, 
 
 1928-1932 . 2 
 
 Table 2. World flaxseed production by principal countries, 
 
 average 1928-1932 ... o o ... ..o ..... . 3 
 
 Table 3. Flaxseed supplies in the United States and domestic 
 
 production as a percentage of total supplies, 1909-1932 4 
 
 Table 4. United States flax production by states, average 
 
 1928-1932 ...... .... 5 
 
 Table 5. Flaxseed prices at Minneapolis, ""■finnipeg, and Buenos 
 
 Aires, 1909-1932, in dollars per bushel of 56 pounds . 7 
 
 Table 6. United States import duty rates on flaxseed and 
 
 linseed oil, 1909-1930 8 
 
 Table 7. Flaxseed crushed in the United States and volume of 
 
 linseed oil produced, 1919-1932 ............ 9 
 
 Table 8. Flaxseed prices at Minneapolis and linseed meal prices 
 
 at Minneapolis and San Francisco . , , . . . , . , . . 11 
 
 Figure 1. United States flaxseed production and net imports, 
 
 1914-1932 6 
 
 Figure 2. Raw linseed oil prices at New York and flaxseed prices 
 
 at Minneapolis, 1910-1932 ...... ... 10 
 
':•>■'■ ■■:;•!>■.; 
 
CALIFORNIA UTILIZATION OF LINSEED OIL AND GENERAL 
 ECONOBOC FACTS REUTING TO FLAXSEED 
 
 E. W. Braun s/ 
 Introduction 
 
 At the present time California has little commercial acreage of flaxseed. 
 Grain grov/ers in certain sections of the state are, hov\rever, considering the 
 planting of it . A brief presentation of the principal supply and demand aspects 
 of the flaxseed industry is, therefore, timelyo California is now utilizing, 
 in the form of linseed oil, the equivalent of 600,000 to 650,000 bushels of flax- 
 seed. In the event that flaxseed becomes a commercial crop in California and 
 market prices for flaxseed become established at San Francisco and Los Angeles, 
 such prices may be expected to average somev\fhat above Minneapolis prices as long 
 as California remains a deficit area for flaxseed. 
 
 Flaxseed is produced commercially for the linseed oil and residue which 
 it yields under a process of crushing. Linseed oil finds its principal use in 
 the manufacture of paints and varnishes. Its next important use is found in the 
 manufacture of linoleum and felt-base floor coverings. Oilcloth, patent and 
 imitation leather, printers' ink, foundry oils, putty, and soft soaps offer 
 minor market outlets for the oil.v^ Linseed meal and linseed meal cake, residue 
 or by-products of the oil-crushing process, are widely used in this country as 
 high protein concentrate feeds for livestock, principally dairy cov\;s . 
 
 Volume of Linseed Oil Utilized in California 
 
 A survey of the probable volume of linseed oil used in California during 
 the past few years reveals, as shown in table 1, that linseed oil utilization in 
 California probably reached a total of 7,500 tons in 1929 and has fluctuated 
 near 6,000 tons since that time, which is equivalent to approximately 650,000 
 bushels of flaxseed. (See table 1.) The oil is brought into the state in a 
 variety of ways. It arrives via rail from eastern crushing centers, and by boat 
 from the Atlantic seaboard. Some oil is imported from foreign countries but a 
 small amount is also exported. Within recent years an appreciable amount of 
 linseed oil has been crushed in California from imported flaxseed. Information 
 covering the movement of linseed meal into California is not available. 
 
 ¥/orld Production of Flaxseed 
 
 Flaxseed is one of the minor field crops but, like wheat and barley, is 
 grown in many parts of the world. It enjoys a wide effective demand, has a 
 high value relative to its bulk, and is readily transported. Roughly speaking, 
 there are four centers of flaxseed production. They are (l) Argentina and 
 
 1/ Extension Specialist in Agricultural Economics and Associate on the 
 Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics. 
 
 y United States Tariff Cormmlssion. Report on Linseed Oil, 1929: 3. 1929. 
 
O Ch f 
 
 i» c: o 
 
 I— ' P 03 
 
 O CD 
 
 c > 
 
 SB H- 
 
 d- W CD 
 
 0) O I— ' 
 
 CL S» (D 
 
 o CD 
 
 3 P3 P 
 
 M 05 CD 
 
 pa b -i 
 
 X pL. 
 
 m o 
 
 CD so H+) 
 CD 
 
 Pb CD O 
 O 
 
 ^ CD 
 
 o 
 
 M 
 
 O 
 
 CD 
 0) 
 
 o 
 
 d- 
 
 I— I 
 o 
 
 H-' 
 
 &. 
 CD 
 W 
 
 Ha 
 
 o 
 3 
 
 SB 
 
 f3 
 X 
 M 
 
 (D 
 CD 
 
 ^ 
 
 (D 
 O 
 CD 
 H- 
 
 '■d 
 d- 
 
 P^ 
 
 CD 
 
 rr 
 
 CD 
 
 o 
 »-b 
 
 o 
 
 CD 
 
 O 
 •-^ 
 
 o 
 3 
 
 CD 
 M 
 c+- 
 
 H- 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 "J 
 
 H- 
 
 3 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 !=; 
 
 o 
 
 M 
 
 CD 
 O 
 CD 
 H- 
 
 <! 
 
 CD 
 >-i 
 
 o 
 3 
 
 GO 
 SO 
 
 SB 
 
 o 
 
 M 
 O 
 O 
 
 O 
 d- 
 
 h- ' 
 SB 
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 CD 
 SB 
 d- 
 d- 
 I— ' 
 CD 
 
 0 
 
 d- 
 
 CD 
 •-j 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 SB 
 M 
 d- 
 
 sa 
 
 3 
 o 
 <i 
 
 CD 
 
 3 
 
 CD 
 
 d- 
 
 SB 
 
 d- 
 
 o 
 c 
 
 03 
 
 o 
 
 3 
 a> 
 
 3 
 ^ 
 o 
 >-i 
 
 d- 
 CD 
 
 O 
 
 m 
 
 o 
 I— ' 
 
 s:; 
 
 P- 
 
 CD 
 
 I— ' M I— ' I— ' h-" 
 
 CX) CD to CO CO 
 
 CXI w w ro ro 
 
 CV) M O CO CO 
 
 CD 
 SB 
 
 I— ' ro rv5 w ^^> 
 
 CO h-" a> cn 
 
 CT> CD CaI O O 
 
 O O O O O 
 
 d- 
 
 O 
 
 03 
 
 3 
 o 
 
 H- (5 SB 
 
 CD I— ' 
 
 d- 
 
 H-J h-i W 03 
 w \« v» x« 
 
 ro -J ro O cn 
 ffi> ro ro cn 
 ■< o^ C> CO iP- 
 
 d- 
 
 o 
 
 03 
 
 3 C/3 
 
 O P 
 
 <i ;3 
 
 CD 
 
 3 >1 ^ 
 
 CD S3 
 
 t5 d- SB 
 
 c-t- CD P 
 
 *i O 
 
 3 03 
 
 * O 
 
 O 
 
 CD 00 CO CO 
 hl^ IV) O CO W 
 
 CO -o -<3 ro 00 
 
 d- 
 
 o 
 
 03 
 
 o o 
 
 <^ 03 
 
 CD '4 
 
 3 SB > 
 
 CD d- y 
 
 3 CD CP? 
 
 d- M CD 
 
 H' CD 
 
 3 03 
 
 00 CO I 
 
 crs oo 
 
 d- 
 
 o 
 
 03 
 
 CO 
 
 SB O 
 
 ■-Id 03 o 
 
 SB H- SB 
 
 y :=! 
 O t— ' 
 H- CD 
 
 03 H- 
 
 O tS 
 
 % 
 
 en cn G5 cn 
 
 CD 00 ro cn oo 
 
 -o cn 1— ' CD 
 
 rv) O -<j O ro 
 
 c+ 
 o 
 
 03 
 
 3 
 
 o w 
 
 CD d- d- 
 
 3 O H- 
 
 CD d- 3 
 
 y SB SB 
 
 d- M d- 
 
 CD 
 
 H-J rf^ CD an 00 
 cn t— ' cn ff^' ro 
 
 c+ 
 o 
 
 03 
 
 cn cn CD cn 
 
 CD CX) I— ' rf^ 03 
 
 t-j rv) CO cn M 
 
 ^ CO ro CD O 
 
 d- 
 
 o 
 
 03 
 
 SB X 
 O 
 
 •-S d- 
 
 SB 03 
 
 O Hj 
 
 H- '1 
 
 03 O 
 
 o 3 
 o 
 
 s:; 
 
 d- O '■■S 
 
 H- SB O 
 
 1— ' t— ' cr' 
 
 p. JB 
 
 N a" 
 
 SB O h-" 
 
 c+ CD 
 
 • 3 
 
 1:5 p CD 
 d- 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2014 
 
 https://archive.org/details/californiautiliz29brau 
 
3. 
 
 Uruguay in South America, (2) Russia, (3) adjoining regions in the United States 
 and Canada, and (4) India. Table 2 gives the five-year, 1928-1932, average pro- 
 duction and relative importance of the principal flax-producing countries. The 
 Argentine production, by far the largest portion of the total, amounted to 48.4 
 per cent or nearly one-half of the world total of 140,473,000 bushels. Russia, 
 ranking second, produced 19.6 per cent or one-fifth of the total. The United 
 States and India each supplied approximately one-tenth of the total. Only 2.1 
 and 2.4 per cent, respectively, are attributable to Canada and Uruguay. All other 
 countries produced 5.6 per cent. 
 
 TABLE 2 
 
 World Flaxseed Production by Principal Countries, 
 Average, 1928-1932 
 
 
 1928-1932 
 
 Per cent 
 
 Country 
 
 average 
 
 of total 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 thousands 
 
 
 
 of bushels 
 
 per cent 
 
 Argentina 
 
 68,003 
 
 48.4 
 
 Russia 
 
 27,552* 
 
 19.6 
 
 United States 
 
 15,995 
 
 11.4 
 
 India 
 
 14,744 
 
 10.5 
 
 Canada 
 
 2,997 
 
 2.1 
 
 Uruguay 
 
 3,329 
 
 2.4 
 
 Other countries 
 
 7,853 
 
 5.6 
 
 Yforld total 
 
 140,473 
 
 1 
 
 100.0 j 
 
 * Average for 4 years . 
 
 Sources of data: 
 
 U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook of Agriculture, 1933: 
 457. 1933. Supplemented by World Flaxseed Prospects 
 FF-86: 5. July', 1933. 
 
 United States Production and Net Imports of Flaxseed 
 
 The United States, though one of the largest producing countries, imports 
 almost as much as it produces. Table 3 gives, annually, the United States pro- 
 duction and net imports of flaxseed since 1909. It also gives domestic produc- 
 tion expressed as a per cent of total supply utilized. During a five-year period, 
 1909-1913, United States flaxseed production plus net imports amounted to an 
 average of 27,160,000 bushels annually, of which 19,543,000 bushels or 72 per 
 cent were produced domestically. (See table 3.) The period of highest total 
 supply since 1909 occurred during the five years 1924-1928, the average annual 
 
TABLE 3 
 
 4. 
 
 Flaxseed Supplies in the United States and Domestic Production 
 as a Percentage of Total Supplies, 1909-1932 
 
 Crop year 
 
 — 
 
 United States 
 production 
 
 Net imports* 
 September to 
 August 
 
 Total 
 supplyt 
 
 United States 
 
 nr* 0 d u f» t i 0 n 
 ft s r) p Y* p p T) "h 
 of total 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 
 thousands 
 
 thou sands 
 
 unousanas 
 
 
 
 of bushels 
 
 of bushels 
 
 of bushels 
 
 per cent 
 
 1909-10 
 
 19 , 699 
 
 iT O O 
 
 5,922 
 
 o r~ o T 
 
 25, 621 
 
 76 .9 
 
 1910-11 
 
 12, 718 
 
 11,937 
 
 24,655 
 
 CI 
 
 51.6 
 
 1911-12 
 
 19 , o7U 
 
 7, /^22 
 
 27, 092 
 
 71.5 
 
 19 12-lo 
 
 28, 0 
 
 2,948 
 
 •2 1 PiO 1 
 
 ol, U21 
 
 90.0 
 
 iy 13-14 
 
 1 *7 O C "2 
 
 1 / , ooo 
 
 9 , boD 
 
 0^7 yi r\C\ 
 
 2 / , 409 
 
 65 . 1 
 
 1914-15 
 
 lo , 749 
 
 1 o 1 cr o 
 
 12 , 158 
 
 25,907 
 
 53 . 1 
 
 1910-16 
 
 14, OoU 
 
 1 / loo 
 
 14, 128 
 
 28, 158 
 
 49 . 8 
 
 19 lb- 1 / 
 
 14, ic9d 
 
 in A "ZQ 
 
 lU, <Loy 
 
 O /I r7'2 c 
 
 24, /3b 
 
 C (7 0 
 
 0 r . 0 
 
 
 Q 1 C/l 
 
 y , Xb'l 
 
 lo , O f 0 
 
 no 17 "Z Q 
 
 c:2, f 09 
 
 /I r\ 'z 
 4vJ .0 
 
 jiy 1 o— ±y 
 
 xo , oby 
 
 Q 7/1 Q 
 O, / '±0 
 
 00 1 1 
 
 ^ n /I 
 bU .4 
 
 ly ly — (i u 
 
 C lid 
 
 <cb , Ulb 
 
 <Z'Z 1 Q /I 
 
 00 , 194 
 
 2U .4 
 
 xy c u— (C X 
 
 xu, yuu 
 
 1 Q c: c; 
 10 , 900 
 
 CO , lU f 
 
 /I A D 
 
 4vJ . 0 
 
 xy iS X— 
 
 o , xu f 
 
 o "2 o /I n 
 CO , ^;4U 
 
 '2 1 0 n 
 ol, 269 
 
 0 c n 
 
 2b .9 
 
 1922-23 
 
 10,520 
 
 28,848 
 
 39,223 
 
 26.8 
 
 1923-24 
 
 16,563 
 
 19,412 
 
 36,472 
 
 45 .4 
 
 1924-25 
 
 31,237 
 
 12,725 
 
 44,272 
 
 70.6 
 
 1925-26 
 
 22,337 
 
 20,710 
 
 43,134 
 
 51.8 
 
 1926-27 
 
 18,537 
 
 24,043 
 
 43,378 
 
 42.7 
 
 1927-28 
 
 25,183 
 
 18,057 
 
 43,904 
 
 57.4 
 
 1928-29 
 
 19, 140 
 
 23,505 
 
 43,433 
 
 44.1 
 
 1929-30 
 
 15,910 
 
 18,428 
 
 34,338 
 
 46.3 
 
 1930-31 
 
 21,287 . 
 
 9,869 
 
 31, 109 
 
 68.4 
 
 1931-32 
 
 11,798 
 
 10,903 
 
 21,921 
 
 53.8 
 
 1932-33 
 
 11,841 
 
 7,400t 
 
 19,24lf 
 
 61.5 
 
 * Including linseed oil in terms of seed based on 2.5 gallons of oil to 
 equal 56 pounds or one bushel of flaxseed. 
 
 T No allowance made for carryin and carryover. 
 Preliminary. 
 Sources of data: 
 
 U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook of Agriculture, 1933: 456. 1933, except for 
 1932-33 imports. 
 
 1932-33 imports from U. S. Dept. Connnerce, Bur. For. and Dom. Commerce. 
 Monthly Summary of Foreign Commerce of the United States. 
 
5. 
 
 supply being 43,624,000 bushels, of which 53.4 per cent was domestic production. 
 Since 1928 the United States flaxseed supply has decreased markedly. For the 
 two seasons of 1931 and 1932, total supply amounted to an average of only 
 20,581,000 bushels or a little less than one-half of the 1924-1928 average. The 
 proportionate decrease was practically the same in both production and net 
 imports. Production and net import trends since 1914 may be readily observed 
 in figure 1. (See figure 1.) 
 
 Commercial production of flaxseed in the United States is localized in 
 the spring wheat section of the United States. The principal states are in 
 order of their importance North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana. 
 Table 4, based on a five-year average 1928-1932 production, shows that approxi- 
 mately 96 per cent of a United States total of 16,143,000 bushels is produced 
 in these four states. 
 
 TABLE 4 
 
 United States Flax Production by States 
 Average, 1928-193 2 
 
 
 1928-1932 
 
 Per cent 
 
 State 
 
 average 
 
 of total 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 thousands 
 
 
 
 of bushels 
 
 per cent 
 
 North Dakota 
 
 6,071 
 
 37.6 
 
 Minnesota 
 
 5,913 
 
 36.6 
 
 South Dakota 
 
 2,295 
 
 14.2 
 
 Montana 
 
 1,198 
 
 7.4 
 
 Other states 
 
 666 
 
 4.2 
 
 Total United States 
 
 16,143 
 
 100.0 
 
 Source of data: Compiled from U. S. Dept. Agr. 
 Yearbook of Agriculture, 1932 and 1933. 
 
 Flaxseed Prices at Principal Markets and United States 
 
 Import Duties 
 
 Practically all of the flaxseed imported into the United States origi- 
 nates in Argentina and in Canada, and the bulk of the domestic production is 
 tributary to Minneapolis. Flaxseed prices at Minneapolis, Buenos Aires, and 
 Winnipeg are, therefore, of vital importance to the flax industry of the United 
 States. Crop-year annual prices at these three markets are given in table 5. 
 (See table 5.) The data for two markets, namely, Minneapolis and Winnipeg, 
 extend back to 1909, but for Buenos Aires extend only to 1920. Changes in the 
 price spread between Minneapolis and IVinnipeg reflect changes in the import duty 
 on flaxseed brought into the United States. Flaxseed producers in the United 
 States have been benefited by approximately the amount of the tariff, and con- 
 
6, 
 
 Figure 1 
 
 United States Flaxseed Production and Net Imports 
 
 1914-1952 
 
 50 — 
 
 Net imports 
 ^ U. S, production 
 
 40- 
 
 0) 50- 
 
 m 
 
 •H 
 
 IC- 
 
 00 
 
 1?^ 
 
 .V.V.' 
 
 r+t+1 
 
 .;.v.\v 
 
 'A 
 
 w 
 m 
 
 Si 
 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 HP 
 
 +1+ 
 
 §. 
 
 ••.V.VJ 
 
 ivKv.'; 
 
 m 
 
 m. 
 
 M 
 
 LO CO 
 
 00 
 
 a> o> OS 01 
 
 as 
 
 OS 
 
 O 
 
 OJ 
 
 CV3 
 03 
 
 W CO 'sl^ 
 
 CVJ CO CM 
 
 0> OJ Oi 
 
 rH fH cH 
 
 LQ CO 
 
 o> 01 
 
 rH iH 
 
 CO 
 
 03 
 
 O 
 to 
 
 03 
 
 iH CN2 
 
 CO CO 
 
 03 03 
 
 iH rH 
 
TABLE 5 
 
 7. 
 
 Flaxseed Prices at Minneapolis, Winnipeg, and Buenos Aires, 1909-1932 
 
 (in dollars per bushel of 56 pounds) 
 
 
 Minneapolis* 
 
 Winnipeg 
 
 Buenos Aires 
 
 Minneapolis 
 
 Minneapolis 
 
 Crop year 
 
 No. 1 
 
 No. 1 
 
 (Argentina) 
 
 above 
 
 above 
 
 Sept .-Aug. 
 
 Northern 
 
 Northwestern 
 
 
 Winnipeg 
 
 Buenos Aires 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 1909-10 
 
 1.97 
 
 1 .76 
 
 •m M 
 
 0.21 
 
 
 1910-11 
 
 2 .50 
 
 2 .23 
 
 
 0.27 
 
 
 1911-12 
 
 2.18 
 
 1 .97 T 
 
 
 0,21 
 
 
 1912-13 
 
 1 .42 
 
 1 . 22 
 
 
 0.20 
 
 
 1913-14 
 
 1 .50 
 
 1.31 
 
 
 0,19 
 
 — 
 
 1914-15 
 
 1 .70 
 
 1 .49 
 
 
 0,21 
 
 
 1915-16 
 
 2 .00 
 
 1 *80 
 
 
 0.20 
 
 
 1916-17 
 
 2 .80 
 
 2 .60 
 
 
 0.20 
 
 
 1917-lo 
 
 6 . /O 
 
 o .bo 
 
 
 0 , 17 
 
 
 19 18-19 
 
 4.0/ 
 
 3.95 
 
 
 0.12 
 
 
 19 19-20 
 
 
 '±*d 1 
 
 
 0 .46 
 
 
 iy (cU-iii 
 
 
 1 '7 Q 
 It lO 
 
 1.0/ 
 
 0,42 
 
 r\ nit 
 
 0 ,63 
 
 19 2 1-2^2 
 
 d * lb 
 
 
 1.69 
 
 0 . 14 
 
 0.47 
 
 
 
 
 1 Q 1 
 
 0.35 
 
 0.78 
 
 19£io-24 
 
 
 O 11 
 
 1 . f 4 
 
 r\ '2 'z 
 0 .33 
 
 0 . 70 
 
 
 c .bo 
 
 O /II 
 
 O T Q 
 
 . io 
 
 r\ o o 
 
 0 .45 
 
 19 25-26 
 
 2 . DO 
 
 2 .11 
 
 1,78 
 
 0,42 
 
 0.75 
 
 1926-27 
 
 2.25 
 
 1.94 
 
 1.67 
 
 0.31 
 
 0.58 
 
 1927-28 
 
 2.21 
 
 1.88 
 
 1.68 
 
 0,33 
 
 0.53 
 
 1928-29 
 
 2.29 
 
 2.09 
 
 1.72 
 
 0.20 
 
 0.57 
 
 1929-30 
 
 3.11 
 
 2.39 
 
 2.01 
 
 0.72 
 
 1.10 
 
 1930-31 
 
 1.76 
 
 1.09 
 
 0.97 
 
 0.67 
 
 0.79 
 
 1931-32 
 
 1.36 
 
 0.81 
 
 0.62 
 
 0.55 
 
 0,74 
 
 1932-33 
 
 1.20t 
 
 0.74l= 
 
 0.70t 
 
 0.46 
 
 0,50 
 
 * Crop year begins August 1. 
 
 ■f Average for 11 months. 
 
 ^ Average for 10 months. 
 
 Sources of data: 
 
 Minneapolis 
 
 1909-1931: U. S. Dept. Agr 
 1932-1933: U. S. Dept. Agr 
 
 Buenos Aires 
 
 Sept. 1920-Dec. 1925: 
 
 Yearbook of Agriculture, 1933: 456. 
 Bur. Agr. Econ, Crops and Markets- 
 
 1933. 
 
 Yearbook of Agriculture, 1925: 
 
 Jan, 1926-Dec, 1927: 
 Jan. 1928-Aug. 1929: 
 
 Sept. 1929-July 1933: 
 
 Winnipeg 
 
 Sept 
 
 U. S, Dept. Agr 
 841. 1926. 
 
 U. S. Tariff Commission. Report on Flaxseed, 11: 1929 . 
 U. So Dept. Agr. Foreign Nev/s on Flax and Flaxseed, 
 F.S. FF-46. Dec. 30, 1929. 
 
 U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Agr. Econ. "lATorld Flaxseed 
 Prospects, FP Nos. 59, 71, 82, and 86. 
 
 1909-Dec. 1913: 
 
 U. S. Tariff Commission. Agricultural Staples and 
 the Tariff, Information Series 20: 145. 1920. 
 Jan, 1914-Dec, 1925: U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook of Agriculture 1925: 842. 1926 
 Jan. 1926-July 1933: Siime as for Buenos Aires. 
 
8. 
 
 sumers of flaxseed products in the United States have had to pay a higher price 
 for flaxseed products by an amount approximately equal to the import duty. The 
 rates of duty which have prevailed since 1909 are given in table 6. 
 
 TABLE 6 
 
 United States Import Duty Rates on Flaxseed 
 and Linseed Oil, 1909-1930 
 
 Year of 
 Tariff Act 
 
 Flaxseed 
 per bushel* 
 
 Linseed oil 
 per gallont 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 
 cents 
 
 cents 
 
 1909 
 
 25 
 
 15.00 
 
 1913 
 
 20 
 
 10.00 
 
 1921 
 
 30 
 
 10.00 
 
 1922 
 
 40 
 
 24.75 
 
 1930 
 
 65 
 
 33 c 75 
 
 * Bushels of 56 pounds, 
 t Gallons of 7,5 pounds. 
 Sources of data: 
 
 1909-1922: U. S. Tariff Commission. Report 
 on Linseed Oil, 1929: 2. 1929. 
 
 1930: U. S. Dept. Commerce. Statistical 
 Classification of Imports into the United States 
 with Rates of Duty, Schedule A: 26. 1930. 
 
 Volume of Linseed Oil Crushed in the United States 
 
 Approximately 90 per cent of the flaxseed produced and imported into the 
 United States is crushed for oil. The amount crushed and the volume of oil 
 produced annually, 1919-1932, are given in table 7. (See table 7.) Exports and 
 imports of linseed oil in the form of oil have been very small in recent years, 
 exports amounting to only slightly over 1,000,000 pounds and imports less than 
 that. Since 1922 annual imports of oil have decreased from 72,000 tons to less 
 than 100 tons . 
 
 Relation of Flaxseed Prices to Linseed Oil Prices 
 and Linseed Meal Prices 
 
 Because linseed oil is the principal flaxseed product, the price of 
 linseed oil and the price of flaxseed are very closely related. A determination 
 of the exact cause and effect relationships between the two is, however, beyond 
 the scope of the present study. New York prices of raw linseed oil and 
 Minneapolis prices of flaxseed are shown in figure 2. (See figure 2.) 
 
9. 
 
 TABLE 7 
 
 Flaxseed Crushed in the United States and Volume of 
 Linseed Oil Produced, 1919-1932 
 
 
 United States* 
 
 r " ■ 
 Flaxseed 
 
 Per cent of 
 
 Linseed oil 
 
 Crop year 
 
 I Q ^ -rs-l- -1- r\ 
 \ oepTy . GO 
 
 Auc. ) 
 
 flaxseed supply 
 
 crushed 
 
 , supply crushed 
 
 produced 
 
 i. 
 
 0 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 thousands 
 
 thousands 
 
 
 millions 
 
 
 of bushels 
 
 of bushels 
 
 per cent 
 
 of pounds 
 
 1919-20 
 
 33, 194 
 
 26,969 
 
 81.2 
 
 505 
 
 1920-21 
 
 26,707 
 
 24,828 
 
 93.0 
 
 466 
 
 1921-22 
 
 31,269 
 
 23,276 
 
 74,4 
 
 435 
 
 1922-23 
 
 39,223 
 
 33,806 
 
 86.2 
 
 647 
 
 1923-24 
 
 36,472 
 
 35,529 
 
 97.4 
 
 659 
 
 1924-25 
 
 44,272 
 
 40,996 
 
 92.6 
 
 758 
 
 1925-26 
 
 43,134 
 
 39,716 
 
 92.1 
 
 732 
 
 1926-27 
 
 43,378 
 
 40,136 
 
 92.5 
 
 745 
 
 1927-28 
 
 43,904 
 
 41,795 
 
 95.2 
 
 783 
 
 1928-29 
 
 43,433 
 
 42,313 
 
 97.4 
 
 788 
 
 1929-30 
 
 34,338 
 
 31,070 
 
 90.5 
 
 567 • 
 
 1930-31 
 
 31,109 
 
 28,777 
 
 92.5 
 
 522 
 
 1931-32 
 
 21,921 
 
 19,751 
 
 90.1 
 
 365 
 
 1932-33i" 
 
 19,241 
 
 17,631 
 
 91.6 
 
 325 
 
 * No allowance made for carryin and carryover for any given crop year, 
 t Preliminary . " . 
 
 Sources of data: 
 
 Col. 1: U. S. Dept. Agr . Yearbook of Agriculture, 1933: 456. 1933. 
 
 Cols. 2 and 4: 1919-1930: Same as col. 1 but taken from page 462. 
 
 1931-1932: Courtesy of 0. C. Stine, in charge. Division 
 of Statistical and Historical Research, U. S. Dept. Agr. 
 
 Col. 3: Col. 2 divided by col. 1. 
 
10. 
 
 Figure 2 
 
 Raw Linseed Oil Prices at Ne\v York and Flaxseed Prices 
 
 4.50 
 
 4.00 
 
 rH 3.50 
 
 B 3.00 
 
 f^2.50 
 w 
 
 CO 
 
 I— 1 
 o 
 
 2.00 
 
 1.50 
 1.00 
 
 .50 
 .00 
 
 at Minneapolis, 1910-1932 
 
 
 
 A 
 
 ^Flaxseed - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ) Minneapolis 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 Ik ' 
 
 ^ / 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 ' Linseed oil 
 New York 
 
 i ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 — J,... 
 
 1 — J.. _i .J I 
 
 ,.l t .1... M. <■ ..— 
 
 .-t .-n 
 
 1.80 
 1.60 
 
 1.40 
 
 o 
 
 1.20 to 
 u 
 
 1.00 ^ 
 w 
 
 .80 
 .60 
 
 .40 
 
 .20 
 .00 
 
 1910 
 
 1915 
 
 1920 
 
 1925 
 
 1930 
 
11. 
 
 It will be noted from table 8 that the relationship between flaxseed 
 prices and prices of linseed meal is also close. The relationship is, however, 
 not as close as is true in the case of flaxseed and linseed oil. This is to be 
 expected because linseed meal is in the nature of a by-product, consequently 
 there is little relationship between the amount placed on the market and pre- 
 vailing prices. 
 
 TABLE 8 
 
 Flaxseed Prices at Minneapolis and Linseed Meal 
 Prices at Minneapolis and San Francisco 
 
 
 Price of 
 
 Price of 
 
 Price of 
 
 
 flaxseed at 
 
 linseed meal at 
 
 linseed meal at 
 
 Crop year* 
 
 Minneapolis 
 
 Minneapolis 
 
 San Francisco 
 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 dollars 
 
 
 per bushel 
 
 per ton 
 
 per ton 
 
 1921-22 
 
 2.19 
 
 48.19 
 
 
 1922-23 
 
 2.58 
 
 49.35 
 
 
 1923-24 
 
 2.44 
 
 47.66 
 
 53.12 
 
 1924-25 
 
 2.63 
 
 48.18 
 
 52.54 
 
 1925-26 
 
 2.53 
 
 50.09 
 
 53.70 
 
 1926-27 
 
 2.25 
 
 48.59 
 
 51.68 
 
 1927-28 
 
 2.21 
 
 51.58 
 
 52.24 
 
 1928-29 
 
 2.29 
 
 58.20 
 
 53 .50 
 
 1929-30 
 
 3.11 
 
 52.24 
 
 52.94 
 
 1930-31 
 
 1.76 
 
 33.08 
 
 35.87 
 
 1931-32 
 
 1.36 
 
 26.38 
 
 28.78 
 
 1932-33 
 
 1.27 
 
 23.05t 
 
 25.55t 
 
 * Flaxseed crop year, August to July, Linseed meal crop year, 
 September to August . 
 
 ■f Average for 11 months. 
 Sources of data: 
 
 Flaxseed at Minneapolis 1909-1922: U. S. Dept. Agr . Yearbook of 
 Agriculture, 1932: 646. 1932. 
 
 1923-1931: U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook of Agriculture, 1933: 462. 1933. 
 1932: U, S. Dept. Agr. Crops and Markets, monthly issues. 
 
 Linseed meal at Minneapolis 1921-1929: U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook of 
 Agriculture, 1930: 667. 1930. 
 
 1930- 1933: U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Agr. Econ. Crops and Markets. 
 
 Linseed meal at San Francisco 1923-1925: From the San Francisco 
 Chronicle . 
 
 1926-1930: Compiled from the San Francisco Examiner. 
 
 1931- 1933: Compiled from the YiTeekly Feed Market Review, San Francisco.